How to Sleep Better by Understanding the Science of Sleep
Who hasn't wanted to learn how to sleep better at some point in their lives? Whether you're an overloaded student, an overworked professional, or an overwhelmed full-time parent, everyone can benefit from getting better rest each and every night.We're a bit obsessed with high-quality sleep and helping people to get it, so we've created this easy guide to understanding the science of sleep to serve as a roadmap to better sleep through understanding the process and how you can improve your health and life by warding off sleep deprivation.You'll get a chance to discover the science of sleep, including the whole purpose of sleep, how much sleep you really need, what sleep deprivation costs you, and the validity of the theory of "catching up on sleep" according to experts.We'll also talk about how sleep works by going over just the sleep-wake cycle and circadian rhythm are and how they relate to you being able to catch some Z’s, as well as the process by which sleep is regulated.And you'll learn how to fall asleep faster, improve the quality and duration of your sleep, find out how to establish daily habits for better sleep, and take a more in-depth look at natural sleep aids.
What Exactly is Sleep’s Purpose?
Given the fact that the average adult will spend one-third of their lives in a state of quiet hibernation, it’s no wonder that sleep is seen as such a strange activity when you really start to think about it.For more than 36% of our lives, we go from active and vibrant to totally comatose when we’re catching Z’s, and if you’ve ever wondered why the heck that is, you’re far from alone!But what exactly is sleep and why is it so important to our health and happiness? And how does being asleep affect our waking lives? Let’s take a look at the different aspects of the science of sleep.The first of the many important roles sleep plays in the essential well-being of our bodies and brains is restoration. While we sleep, our brain is refreshed by an all-natural waste-removal service.As we snooze, our glymphatic system clears out the metabolic waste that’s accumulated in our brains during our waking hours, helping us to wake up with a clear mind and even to help prevent Alzheimer's disease. Amazing, right?Another purpose of sleep is to consolidate our memory, which helps us to maintain crucial long-term memories, as well as keep our emotional state in balance.Sleep is also imperative to our metabolic health, as the more sleep we get, the more energy we’re able to burn during our days, which helps us to gain muscle and lose fat while we’re at our most physically active.
How Much Sleep Do You Really Need?
Are you starting to see why sleep is one of the best things we can do for our mental and physical health? Now, it’s time to take a look at just how much we need of it to perform at our peak.One thing’s for certain – we’re all individuals and we each have our own needs. You might be able to get by with less sleep than your partner, or you might need more than the recommended minimum amount of sleep, as opposed to someone who needs less.And that’s okay! According to sleep experts, as long as you are doing your best to avoid creating a “sleep debt” in your life by not getting enough sleep (7-9 hours for most of us) on a regular basis, you should do just fine, as long as you’re listening to your body.If you find your work performance is declining, you’re having trouble remembering things or struggling with being able to concentrate, or if you notice that you’re becoming irritable much more easily than you used to, it might be time to reevaluate your sleep needs.
What’s the Cost of Sleep Deprivation?
If you’ve ever found yourself not getting enough sleep in your life, you’re probably beginning to worry about your own sleep debt, and what a lack of good-quality sleep on a regular basis could be costing you.You might be interested to know that a sleep debt starts accumulating immediately when you’re getting less than 7 hours of sleep per night. And you start feeling the scary effects of sleep deprivation pretty much right from that first night of missed slumber.Not to frighten you, but if you’re not getting at least the bare minimum amount of recommended sleep at night, you could start feeling the impact of sleep loss right away, which includes daytime drowsiness, increased anxiety and stress levels, poor coordination and an inability to focus, and higher blood pressure or even an increased risk of a heart attack.
Can You Catch Up on Sleep?
By now, you’re starting to see how important getting enough sleep is, and you’re probably also wondering if there’s any way for you to make up for missed sleep, right?After all, there are going to be times in life when sleep takes the back burner to professional or social obligations. Who hasn’t pulled an all-nighter or two when they were in college or stayed up late to celebrate a birthday?Well, this is one of those times when compromise comes into play. While you can do some catching up on the weekend by sleeping in longer than you would on work days, researchers have found that you can’t ever truly repay your sleep debt totally.The bottom line is that if you’re not getting enough sleep every night of the week, no amount of time spent in bed on your days off is going to give you back the increased ability to focus (not to mention all the other health benefits) you’ll be missing out on.Having said that, if you’re truly sleep deprived, don’t just write off some extra sack time! You might not be able to make up for the sleep you missed completely, but it's never going to hurt to get some additional snoozing in when you have the chance.
What is the Science of Sleep?
The time has come for us to take a deeper look at what sleep is and exactly how it works to keep us happy, focused, energized, and running like well-oiled machines. Let’s start by learning about the different cycles and rhythms involved in sleep.Sleep-Wake Cycle: This process is what determines the quality of sleep you’re getting and is made up of both slow wave (deep) and REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep. If you’re not getting enough slow-wave sleep, your body won’t be able to repair itself or fight off illnesses. If you’re not getting enough REM sleep, your brain won’t be able to refresh and reboot, meaning that your mental abilities will suffer, including your memory and cognitive skills.Circadian Rhythm: This is the 24-hour biological process that dictates the sleep-wake cycle. It’s based upon three factors, which include light, time, and melatonin (the hormone that regulates sleepiness). Everyone’s is a bit different, but most are a matter of how much daylight you’re being exposed to each day, if you’re sticking to a regular schedule, and if you have the right environment to produce melatonin, which means keeping things cool and dark.The Stages of Sleep: While there are only two types of sleep (deep and REM), there are actually 5 stages of sleep that we all go through, and each serves its own purpose in helping us to get the rest we need. The 1st through 4th stages are all non-REM sleep, and they take us from when we first lie down at night, all the way up to totally deep sleep, when our bodies are getting the rest we need to restore and repair ourselves. In the 5th stage, REM sleep makes its appearance, and this is where we dream and when our brains go through their nightly reboots.
What Are the Best Tips for Better Sleep?
Now that you’ve learned more about how important sleep is for your health and well-being, what exactly sleep is and how it works, and how much sleep you really need to thrive, it’s time to give you some tips to help you get to sleep faster and easier.Power Down: Turn off any devices that emit harmful blue light at least 30 minutes before bedtime, in order to help your body to produce the melatonin it needs to get to sleep. This includes cell phones, tablets, computers, and yes, even TVs.Turn Down the Lights: Take this tip one step further by dimming the lights in your home when it starts getting close to bedtime. This will help your body and brain to naturally know when it’s time to sleep, thanks to encouraging your natural circadian rhythm.Create a Sleep Haven: You should reserve your bedroom for sleep and intimacy with your partner only, if you want to get some seriously high-quality sleep each night. This means you should turn your bedroom into a sleep haven by banning any and all electronics, going with a neutral color scheme, and investing in some super-soft sheets.Get Relaxed: Research has found that more than half of all insomnia cases are related to high-stress levels. If you’re finding it difficult to shut your mind down when it’s bedtime, you might want to try some relaxation techniques, in order to reduce your stress and fall to sleep faster and easier. Some great relaxation methods include daily journaling, meditation, gentle yoga, and deep breathing exercises.Cut Back on the Coffee: This might not be popular with the Starbucks fans out there, but if you’re having trouble getting to sleep (and staying that way), one of the easiest tips to follow is cutting caffeine out of your life. If you can’t imagine saying goodbye to coffee altogether, try instituting a “no caffeine before noon” rule and see if that helps.Try a Sleep-Friendly Beverage: While it’s been found that alcohol can actually disrupt your sleep and should be avoided too close to bedtime, so the old-school nightcap is out, there are plenty of non-alcoholic drinks that can help ease you to sleep, including chamomile tea, coconut milk, or cherry juice.
Jinsi ya kulala vizuri zaidi kwa kuelewa sayansi ya usingizi - Nani ambaye hajawahi kujifunza jinsi ya kulala vizuri zaidi wakati fulani katika maisha yao? Kama wewe ni mwanafunzi overworked, mtaalamu overworked, au mzazi overworked, kila mtu anaweza kufaidika na kupata mapumziko bora kila usiku.Tuna kidogo obsessed na usingizi wa ubora wa juu na kusaidia watu kupata, hivyo sisi wameunda hii rahisi mwongozo wa kuelewa sayansi ya usingizi kutumika kama ramani ya barabara ya usingizi bora kwa kuelewa mchakato na jinsi unaweza kuboresha afya yako na maisha kwa kuepuka ukosefu wa usingizi. Ni Lini Hasa Kusudi la Kulala? Kwa kuzingatia ukweli kwamba wastani wa watu wazima hutumia theluthi moja ya maisha yao katika hali ya usingizi wa utulivu, haishangazi kwamba usingizi unaonekana kama shughuli ya ajabu wakati unaanza kufikiria juu yake.Kwa zaidi ya 36% ya maisha yetu, tunakwenda kutoka kwa shughuli nyingi na nguvu hadi kabisa coma wakati tunapata Zika, na ikiwa umewahi kujiuliza kwa nini, kwa kweli, uko mbali na usingizi! Kulala huathirije maisha yetu? Hebu tuangalie mambo tofauti ya sayansi ya usingizi. ya kwanza ya majukumu mengi muhimu usingizi ina katika ustawi muhimu wa miili yetu na ubongo ni kurejesha. Wakati tunapolala, ubongo wetu unarudishwa na huduma ya asili ya kuondoa taka.Kama tunapolala, mfumo wetu wa glymphatic unaondoa taka za kimetaboliki ambazo zimejikusanya katika ubongo wetu wakati wa saa zetu za kuamka, kutusaidia kuamka na akili safi na hata kusaidia kuzuia ugonjwa wa Alzheimer. Usingizi ni muhimu kwa afya ya kimetaboliki, kwani kadiri tunavyolala, ndivyo tunavyoweza kuchoma nishati zaidi wakati wa siku, ambayo inatuwezesha kupata misuli na kupoteza mafuta wakati tuko hai zaidi. Unahitaji Kulala Usingizi Mengi Kweli? Je, unaona kwa nini usingizi ni muhimu kwa afya yako ya akili na ya kimwili? Sasa, ni wakati wa kuangalia tu jinsi tunavyohitaji kufanya kazi kwa kiwango cha juu. Jambo moja ni hakika - sisi sote ni watu binafsi na kila mmoja wetu ana mahitaji yake mwenyewe. Unaweza kufanikiwa na usingizi mdogo kuliko mwenzi wako, au unaweza kuhitaji usingizi zaidi ya kiasi cha chini kinachopendekezwa, kinyume na mtu anayehitaji usingizi mdogo. Kulingana na wataalamu wa usingizi, ikiwa unafanya kila unachoweza kuepuka kuunda "deni la usingizi" katika maisha yako kwa kutopata usingizi wa kutosha (saa 7 hadi 9 kwa wengi wetu) kwa ukawaida, unapaswa kufanya vizuri, maadamu unasikiliza mwili wako. Ukosefu wa usingizi unagharimu pesa ngapi? Ikiwa umewahi kupata usingizi wa kutosha katika maisha yako, labda unaanza kuwa na wasiwasi juu ya deni lako la usingizi, na nini ukosefu wa usingizi wa ubora wa kawaida unaweza kuwa unakugharimu. "Ukianza kuhisi athari za kukosa usingizi, mara moja, kutoka usiku wa kwanza wa usingizi uliopotea, ""Usiogope, lakini ikiwa hupata angalau kiasi cha chini cha usingizi uliopendekezwa usiku, unaweza kuanza kuhisi athari za kupoteza usingizi mara moja, ambayo ni pamoja na usingizi wa mchana, kuongezeka kwa wasiwasi na viwango vya mkazo, usimamizi duni na kutoweza kuzingatia, na shinikizo la damu au hata kuongezeka kwa hatari ya mshtuko wa moyo." Je, Unaweza Kulala Usingizi Mengi? Sasa unaanza kuona jinsi ni muhimu kupata usingizi wa kutosha, na labda unajiuliza kama kuna njia yoyote ya kukamilisha usingizi uliopotea, sivyo? Baada ya yote, kutakuwa na wakati katika maisha wakati usingizi huchukua burner ya nyuma kwa majukumu ya kitaaluma au kijamii. Nani hajawahi kuvuta usiku wote au mbili wakati walikuwa katika chuo au alikaa hadi marehemu kusherehekea siku ya kuzaliwa? Naam, hii ni moja ya nyakati hizo wakati makubaliano inakuja katika kucheza. Wakati unaweza kufanya baadhi ya catch up mwishoni mwa wiki kwa kulala katika muda mrefu kuliko ungependa siku za kazi, watafiti wamegundua kwamba huwezi kamwe kweli kulipa deni yako ya usingizi kabisa. mstari wa chini ni kwamba kama wewe si kupata usingizi wa kutosha kila usiku wa wiki, hakuna kiasi cha muda uliotumika katika kitanda juu ya siku yako ya kupumzika ni kwenda kukupa nyuma uwezo wa kuongezeka ya kuzingatia (bila kutaja faida nyingine zote za afya) utakuwa missing juu. Unaweza kuwa na uwezo wa kufanya up kwa ajili ya usingizi wewe amekosa kabisa, lakini ni kamwe kwenda kuumiza kupata baadhi ya sleeping ziada katika wakati una nafasi. Sayansi ya usingizi ni nini? Wakati umefika kwa ajili yetu kuangalia kwa undani zaidi nini usingizi ni na hasa jinsi inafanya kazi ili kutufanya furaha, umakini, nishati, na mbio kama mashine vizuri mafuta. Mzunguko wa usingizi na kuamka: Mzunguko huu ni kile kinachoamua ubora wa usingizi unaopata na unajumuisha usingizi wa mawimbi ya polepole (ya kina) na REM (Harakati ya Jicho la Haraka). Ikiwa hupati usingizi wa kutosha wa mawimbi ya polepole, mwili wako hautakuwa na uwezo wa kujirekebisha au kupambana na magonjwa. Kama wewe si kupata kutosha REM usingizi, ubongo wako si kuwa na uwezo wa refresh na reboot, maana kwamba uwezo wako wa akili kuteseka, ikiwa ni pamoja na kumbukumbu yako na ujuzi wa utambuzi.Rhythm Circadian: Hii ni mchakato wa 24 saa ya kibiolojia kwamba inaamuru mzunguko wa usingizi-kuamka. Inategemea mambo matatu, ambayo yanatia ndani nuru, wakati, na melatonini (hormoni inayodhibiti usingizi). Kila mtu ni tofauti kidogo, lakini wengi ni suala la kiasi cha mwanga wa mchana wewe ni kuwa wazi kwa kila siku, kama wewe ni kushikamana na ratiba ya kawaida, na kama una mazingira sahihi ya kuzalisha melatonin, ambayo ina maana ya kuweka mambo baridi na giza. hatua ya usingizi: Wakati kuna aina mbili tu ya usingizi (mzito na REM), kuna kweli hatua tano ya usingizi kwamba sisi wote kwenda kupitia, na kila hutumikia kusudi lake mwenyewe katika kutusaidia kupata mapumziko tunahitaji. Hatua ya kwanza hadi ya nne ni usingizi usio wa REM, na huchukua kutoka wakati tunapolala usiku hadi usingizi mzito kabisa, wakati mwili wetu unapata mapumziko tunayohitaji kurudisha na kurekebisha. Katika hatua ya tano, REM (Rem Sleep) ni wakati wa kuota na wakati ubongo wetu unapoanza upya usiku. Ni Mashauri Gani Unayoweza Kujifunza Ili Ulewe Vizuri? Kama unajua jinsi ya kuamua wakati wa kulala, jinsi ya kulala, na jinsi ya kufanya hivyo, unaweza kuamua wakati wa kulala kwa kutumia dawa ya kulala ya melatonin, ambayo inaweza kuathiri afya yako na afya yako. "Hii inatia ndani simu za mkononi, kompyuta, na hata televisheni."" - Tumia njia hii ya kupunguza mwangaza wa nyumba yako kabla ya kwenda kulala." Hii itasaidia mwili wako na ubongo kujua wakati wa kulala, kwa sababu ya kuchochea mzunguko wako wa kawaida wa circadian. - Jenga Usalama wa Kulala: Unapaswa kuweka chumba chako cha kulala kwa kulala na urafiki na mwenzi wako tu, ikiwa unataka kupata usingizi wa hali ya juu kila usiku. Kwa hivyo, unapaswa kugeuza chumba chako cha kulala kuwa kimbilio la usingizi kwa kupiga marufuku vifaa vyovyote vya elektroniki, kwenda na mpango wa rangi ya neutral, na kuwekeza katika karatasi zingine laini sana. Kama wewe ni kupata vigumu kufunga akili yako chini wakati ni wakati wa kulala, unaweza kutaka kujaribu baadhi ya mbinu za kupumzika, ili kupunguza mkazo wako na kuanguka usingizi haraka na rahisi. Njia nzuri za kupumzika ni pamoja na kuandika kila siku, kutafakari, yoga laini, na mazoezi ya kupumua kina.Kupunguza Kahawa: Hii inaweza kuwa maarufu kwa mashabiki wa Starbucks huko nje, lakini ikiwa una shida ya kulala (na kukaa hivyo), moja ya vidokezo rahisi kufuata ni kukata kafeini nje ya maisha yako. "Kama huwezi kufikiria kusema kwaheri kwa kahawa kabisa, jaribu kuanzisha ""hakuna caffeine kabla ya adhuhuri"" sheria na kuona kama hiyo husaidia. ""Jaribu usingizi-Friendly kinywaji: Wakati ni kupatikana kwamba pombe inaweza kweli kuvuruga usingizi wako na inapaswa kuepukwa karibu sana na kulala, hivyo zamani-shule nightcap ni nje, kuna mengi ya vinywaji visivyo na pombe ambayo inaweza kusaidia kurahisisha usingizi, ikiwa ni pamoja na chai ya chamomile, maziwa ya kokosi, au juisi cherry."