Sleep:Your Key to a Healthy Life

Sometimes we think we can cut down on sleep. When we try to fulfill life's responsibility we have valid reasons for not getting adequate sleep. I used to think that I could get away which such a habit. This is not true. I used think that sleep is just a "time out" period when the body and brain rest, but after studying a report on the stages of sleep,I know better. Read on to find wha i discovered.

What is Sleep?

Sleep is a state of rest which is mental and physical. It is a state where the person becomes unaware of the environment and inactive. In this state mammals and humans are detached from their immediate environment and cannot respond to almost all external stimuli. 

Some of the characteristics of sleep are an increase in body temperature, breathing, blood pressure, and most body functions. But there is one organ in the body that never decreases in activity. Research shows that the brain is always active, whether the body is asleep or not. 

What would happen if you don't sleep?

Have you ever pulled an “all nighter”? What happens during day? Incase you have not pulled one, let me tell you. You become groggy, grumpy, irritable, and forgetful. You know why? Because lack of sleep affects your brain’s ability to function and your body becomes strained. 

Let’s just imagine that you then continue without seep. Your brain will start a riot. The part of your brain that controls language, memory, planning, and sense of time, begin to shut down. Research shows that 17 hours of wakefulness leads to a decrease in performance in humans.

This is called Sleep Deprivation. This is a very dangerous state, as it would become very difficult concentrate on doing anything. And it could even lead to accidents. 

When you sleep the body produces valuable hormones. Whenever you sleep deep the body releases a growth hormone. This hormone is very important especially in children. It helps both adults and children build muscle mass and repair cells and tissues. The body also releases another hormone that helps fight various infections during deep sleep. This goes to show that sleep is very important to living beings, especially during sickness. 

These hormones released during sleep affect how the body uses energy. Studies show that the less people sleep, the more they become overweight, and they can even develop diabetes. They begin to develop a taste for foods that are high in calories and carbohydrates. 

What Determines When You Sleep?

There is a concept called the circadian clock. The circadian clock is a internal biological clock that controls when we sleep. A full 24 hour cycle is called circadian. Some physiological functions in the body that are controlled by the circadian include body temperature and some hormone secretions. All humans have a normal cycle of the length of a whole day.  

There are certain small structures in the brain called suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) that coordinate rhythms. Research shows that the SCN is very sensitive to the presence or absence of light. This can likely explain why sleep is more enjoyable during the night than the day. 

Most humans feel sleepy every 12 hours - at night and mid-afternoon. There are a lot of complex processes that determine sleepiness or wakefulness. This includes hormonal and neurological changes. But daylight naturally triggers wakefulness. Though over time, science has proved that the absence of light does not disable our biological clocks. 

You would notice that the longer you stay awake, the more sleep you will later require. This kind of regulation is called homeostatic because it allows the body to reverse the effects of sleepiness by sleeping. 

Humans feel most wakefulness during daylight hours. Scientist developed a term called postprandial dip, also known as afternoon dip. This is caused by a natural decrease in natural body temperature. This is to say that when our body temperature begins to drop, we are sleepier than when it begins to rise. 

Sleep Physiology : What happens when you sleep

There are five stages of sleep that a human goes through. A complete cycle takes an average of 9-10 Minutes. The sleep cycle begins from stage 1 and ends in REM (Rapid Eye Movement). The first sleep cycles have short REM sleeps and long periods of deep sleep. But later during sleep, REM periods lengthen and deep sleep time decreases. 

NON REM STAGES

Stage 1 This is the period when you first fall asleep and you can be awakened easily. In this stage muscle activity slows and the eyes move slowly. People often experience sudden muscle contractions preceded by a sensation falling from a height. 

Stage 2 In this stage eye movement stops and the brain waves become slower. There are burst of rapid brain waves. 

Stage 3 In this stage brain waves called delta waves are mixed with smaller faster waves. Deep sleep begins in this stage. 

Stage 4 In this stage the brain produces only delta waves. There is no eye movement or muscle activity. This is the stage where children may experience bed wetting, sleepwalking or night terrors. 

In the REM period, breathing becomes shallow, irregular, and rapid. Muscles in the limb are temporarily paralyzed. Blood pressure rises, heart rate increases, males develop erections and the cannot to tally regulate temperature. This is the period when dreams occur.

Humans experience 3-5 intervals of REM sleep each night. 

Brain wave scan 

How much sleep do you need?

This is a much debated issue amongst sleep experts. But most experts agree that there is no set amount of time that everyone needs to sleep. The amount of sleep required by people varies from person to person. 

A researcher from the Loughborough University's Sleep Research Center states that "The amount of sleep we require is what we need not to be sleepy in the daytime." 

Experts suggest that to determine the amount of sleep needed one should go to bed and wake up without am alarm clock. The amount of time you spend sleeping depends your body's personal requirement. 

Also, the older you get the less sleep your body tends to perform. Sleep patterns and circadian rhythms change. Adults spend approximately 20% in REM sleep, while the Elderly spend 15% in REM sleep. Below is a chart that shows sleep hours by age.

Age	Average amount of sleep per day
Newborn	up to 18 hours
1-12 months	14–18 hours
1-3 years	12-15 hours
3-5 years	11-13 hours
5-12 years	9-11 hours
Adolescents	9-10 hours
Adults, including elderly	7-8 (+) hours
Pregnant women	8 (+) hours

Causes of difficulty in sleeping
There are a number of factors that can cause difficulty in sleeping. They range from bad sleeping habits to , Snoring, Narcolepsy, Insomnia, Restless Legs Syndrome, and Sleep Apnea .If you find yourself a victim of a sleeping disorder you may need to consult a physician.

How To Sleep Well: Sleep Recommendations

• You cannot force sleep

The Human Body is a wonderfully machine. Every organ in the body works together in a very complex way that keeps you hale and healthy. There are hormones and organs in the body that regulate sleep. Go to bed only when you feel sleepy and don't force it. 

• Develop good sleep habits

Indulge yourself. Get used to reading certain books, listen to relaxing music. I personally love Mozart. Habits such as stretching, yoga, sharing nice thoughts with your partner or roommate are nice relaxation techniques. Just get rolling with stuff you comfortable with. 

• I can't fall asleep.What do i do?

Get up and do something else. It’s not the lack of sleep that gets at you, it’s the worry. Go back to doing something you comfortable. Avoid reading a book, cooking, coffee or television. Also do not expose yourself to bright light. 

• Don’t take your worries and responsibilities to bed.

If you have some issues bothering you before you go to bed you will definitely have problems falling asleep. Try to leave issues bothering you behind when going to bed. You can pick it the next day. For now sleep. 

• Take a hot bath 1 ½ - 2 hours before bedtime

This definitely works for me, not everyone though. But I suggest you try it out. 

• Have some light to eat before sleep

If you are hungry, it will interfere with your sleep. Get something light to eat. Avoid heavy food. Avoid chocolates - they have stimulants that will affect your sleep. You remember warm milk? Yes, a glass of warm milk can do the magic. Bananas and turkey contain tryptophan, and may help you sleep. 

• No caffeine.No Nicotine.No alcohol 4-6 hours before sleep.

Here's the "No Touch" list.
Caffeine and nicotine are stimulants that interfere with your ability to fall asleep, and stay
asleep .Coffee, tea, soft drinks, hot cocoa, chocolate and some over-the-counter medicines
contain caffeine. Cigarettes, cigars, and some drugs contain nicotine. Alcohol,may help you sleep but will definitely affect the quality of your sleep.

• Don't take naps

If you feel sleepy during the day,make sure your naps are 6 hours before your sleep and they should last only 45 minutes.If you take too many naps during the day,you will hardly sleep at night.

 

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Return FROM Sleep TO the Sleeping Disorder HOME Page

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Sources:

www.sleephealth.com

http://www.sleepdex.org/stages.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep

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