The Stages of Sleep

When you close your eyes and fall off to sleep, do you have any idea what’s going on inside your body? Although you are at rest, not every part of your body is resting. The brain in particular is sending out all sorts of signals, many of which are controlling the various stages of sleep you’ll be undergoing. Eye movements and muscle activity change throughout the various stages of sleep too. Five stages of sleep have been identified, and on a good night’s sleep you pass through all of them, several times. Although there are 5 distinct stages, the first four stages are Read more

Sleep Hygiene – Taking Better Care of Your Sleep – Part II

Previously discussed were some relaxation techniques designed to help get your mind and your body to relax so it’s easier to fall asleep. This section continues the discussion and outlines several other ways you can improve your sleep hygiene, which will help ensure your body gets the rest it needs. Take a bath Taking a bath is more than just a luxury. It’s also a great way to help your body unwind after a busy day. And there’s another reason why taking a bath helps you sleep. A hot bath taken 60 – 90 minutes before going to bed will cause your body temperature to rise. But then your body temperature will start to fall and that’s key to sleeping better because that drop is going to make you feel sleepy. Eat lightly before bed And lightly is the key word here. Eating a heavy meal before bed can actually cause you to be uncomfortable and might, depending on what you eat, cause heartburn which worsens when you lie down. Both likely will cause you to awaken during sleep. Snacking on healthy foods before going to bed can Read more

Sleep Hygiene – Taking Better Care of Your Sleep – Part I

Sleep Hygiene – Taking Better Care of Your Sleep – Part I There really is such a thing as sleep hygiene and once you understand what it means, you likely will find that the quality of your sleep is greatly improved. Personal hygiene is all about the things you can do to keep your body clean and smelling good. Dental hygiene involves all the things you can do to keep your teeth healthy and strong and situated firmly in your mouth where they belong. Sleep hygiene therefore, is about the habits you can get into and the things you can do to help ensure that when it’s time for you to go to bed, you are able to fall asleep and stay asleep. What follows is a list of ways you can improve your sleep hygiene so that you can get the most out of your sleeping time. Establish set times for sleeping and for waking Having a regular bed time was important when you were a child and it is still important as an adult. Unfortunately we lead busy lives and getting to sleep at the same time every night is difficult. It’s a bit easier to wake at set times because our jobs or our schooling force us to wake even when we don’t want to. But when there’s a day off, we treat ourselves by sleeping in later than normal whenever possible. Without a set time for sleeping and for waking it is difficult to train your body for sleep. Without proper training, adequate sleep night after night is difficult. Learn to relax your body If you just throw on your pajamas and jump into bed, your body might not be prepared to sleep, especially if you just completed an activity that engages your mind and Read more

Melatonin and Sunlight

Melatonin and Sunlight What makes us sleep? If you asked 10 individuals this question you’d likely get a variety of answers. Some people might say a comfortable bed and quiet surroundings are what makes us sleep. Others would ration that a nightcap is needed. Sheer exhaustion, a full belly and someone to snuggle with are some of the other opinions people have about what makes us sleep. Interestingly, few people would give the correct answer to the question which is actually the release of the hormone melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone that is secreted by the pineal gland located at the base of the brain. It is secreted at varying levels throughout the day and its release helps to regulate the body’s sleep-wake cycle. The pineal gland helps to regulate the body’s internal clocks, and helps keep the body in balance by regulating the release of different hormones, neurotransmitters and chemicals that impact the body in many ways. In fact, there is a high correlation between the release of melatonin and Read more

What is Sleep?

Sleep is something we do throughout our entire lives, from the moment we are born until the moment we are finally laid to rest. In fact, during an average life span, a person spends the equivalent of 27 years asleep!

Sleep is such a natural tendency that most of us don’t give it much thought. When we do think about sleep, it’s usually because we haven’t gotten enough of it or because we feel the need to do it for longer than what would be considered ‘normal’.

As taken for granted as sleep is, it really is a controversial topic. There are countless differences of opinion as to why we sleep, how much sleep we should be getting each day, where we sleep, what makes the ideal sleep environment, why we don’t sleep enough and why we sleep too much.

The general consensus is that sleep is necessary otherwise we wouldn’t spend so much of our lives doing it. Most also agree that sleep is our way of giving our minds and our bodies a rest.

Conclusions from the earliest studies about sleep indicated that the body entered a state of near paralysis during which time little activity took place. This belief changed dramatically when studies began focusing on brain activity. The realization that brain activity did not stop during the sleep state but instead was highly active and organized and carried out several physiological processes is what we refer to today as REM or Rapid Eye Movement sleep.

Sleep seems to be the body’s way of recharging after a busy day. Some would argue that sleeping is a waste of time and that there are ways to train ourselves to get by with much less sleep.

Most of us can miss one night’s sleep and still function rather normally the next day. Doctors do it all the time. There may be an increase in irritability and perhaps some trouble staying focused, but overall, the body and the mind still function.

Beyond that though, there is a noticeable decline in the mind’s capabilities, specifically in the areas that control our language, our memories and our ability to plan. The symptoms that can develop are similar to the symptoms that develop after consuming excess amounts of alcohol including slowed reactions and impaired rationalization skills. At this point, an individual faces an increased risk of becoming involved in an accident.

A lack of sleep can cause problems properly regulating body temperature and can cause metabolism to increase. After several days of no sleep, hallucinations usually begin. So it does seem that we need to sleep.

Some of the popular theories about why we need sleep are:

Sleep is a restorative process.

Sleep enhances the brain’s ability to remember.

Sleep is a way to conserve energy.

How Much Sleep Do We Need?

The number of hours of sleep we need on a daily basis varies depending on our ages and our current state of health. If we expect the sleep we do get to be beneficial, those hours of sleep must consist of quality sleep. If you are getting the suggested amount of sleep each night but still feel groggy or irritable or you cannot concentrate, there’s a good chance you aren’t getting enough deep sleep.

Newborn babies need the most, which is why they spend the majority of their days swaddled up in dreamland. Typically, newborns will sleep about 4 hours, then get up for a feeding, then they’ll go right back to sleep for another few hours, then wake for a feeding or to get changed or to play. Then it’s back to sleep. During a 24-hour period, newborns spend between 14 and 16 hours sleeping.

It’s not until an infant gets to be between 3 to 6 months old that he or she can make it through an entire night without waking. Infants still spend a good part of their days asleep, sleeping between 10 – 14 hours.

Believe it or not, children and teen-agers really should be getting this amount of sleep as well. After taking into consideration a child’s or teen’s schooling and other activities, a solid 10 hours of sleep is sufficient for most. Interestingly, what has been perceived for years as laziness in teen-agers is turning out to be something more physiological. Studies are showing that more sleep seems to be necessary because of all the growth and hormonal changes taking place in a teen’s body.

Adults need the least amount of sleep, and should feel lucky (as well as refreshed) if they can get around 8 or 8 ½ hours of sleep each night. In some cultures, people reduce the number of hours they sleep during the nighttime by an hour or so and make up the difference by taking a midday nap. Either way, the sum still equals around 8 hours for adults.

Older adults need about the same amount of sleep each day as adults, around 8. Women who are pregnant should increase the amount of sleep they get by about 3 hours.

You’ll know you are getting enough sleep each day if you wake up feeling refreshed. If you find that you have trouble staying focused, or it takes only a few minutes to fall deep into sleep, or that you ‘nod off’ during the day, chances are you’re not getting enough sleep.

Sleep deprivation can have serious consequences. If you are driving, your reflexes may be slower, your eyes may stay closed longer when you blink and your chances of becoming involved in an accident increase. Consuming alcohol while sleep deprived is not advisable since alcohol compounds these problems. Judgment, impulses, reaction times, hand-eye coordination and attention spans can all become impaired when you are sleep deprived. Serious sleep deprivation can result in hallucinations and dependency on pharmaceutical sleep aid chemicals that you can’t get off of.

Circadian Rhythm, What is it?

When you feel the effects of jet lag, or when you feel tired after working a rotating shift during the week, what actually is happening is that your body’s circadian rhythm has been affected. The word circadian is derived from the Latin words circa diem which translated into English, means about a day. As far as the human body is concerned, one day refers to a 24-hour period.

Although most commonly associated with humans and their sleep patterns, circadian rhythm also has a direct influence on our blood pressure, our body temperature and our body’s production of hormones. Together these internal changes tell our bodies when it is time to sleep and to wake and how our moods will be at any given time.

Rhythm is a very big part of nature. For example, we know that the Earth completes a rotation every 24-hours and that year after year, the seasons change from winter to spring to summer to autumn and then back again to winter. Therefore, circadian rhythm plays a significant role in animals’ lives as well. The most notable example of an annual natural rhythm is the migration of countless species of birds every year.

When it comes to the sleep-wake cycle, there are two primary environmental forces at work: light and temperature. Circadian rhythm can also be affected by other stimuli such as the sound of your alarm clock and what and when you have eaten, and in women, their menstrual cycles.

Internally, circadian rhythm is influenced by an ‘internal clock’ located in the part of brain called the hypothalamus. Specifically, two large clusters of neurons situated on either side of the brain called the Suprachiasmatic nuclei or SCN is considered the body’s master clock. The SCN work with other genes to help the body keep track of time. The stimulation and/or release of different chemicals, hormones and neurotransmitters is how the body knows when it is time to fall asleep and to wake up, when it’s time to eat and when it’s time to have intercourse and more. Melatonin helps to reset the body’s internal sleep clock.

When it comes to sleep, the following is a simplistic overview of how the circadian rhythm works. At the first sign of daylight, the body begins to produce hormones and neurotransmitters including serotonin and cortisol. These help the body transition into an awakened mode by increasing body temperature and blood pressure. Likewise, as daylight fades, the body begins to release melatonin, the main signal that tells the body to begin lowering blood pressure and to prepare itself for sleep.

When the body’s circadian rhythm is in balance, it dictates the proper timing and release of these important chemicals, hormones and neurotransmitters. However, when the body’s circadian rhythm is ‘off’ this timing and release is knocked out of balance. A prolonged imbalance can and often does lead to the development of a number of sleep disorders and emotional disturbances. It would seem then that being healthy and happy is all about keeping your circadian rhythm in check.