How to sleep better

The average person spends roughly 227,760 hours (26 years) of their life sleeping. Sleep is just as vital to human life as eating or drinking, and yet many have difficulty trying to fall asleep or staying asleep. اضافة اعلان

Sleep disturbances, even for one night, can have a negative impact on both physical and mental health. Many factors can affect sleep patterns, but one in particular has been shared by many across the globe.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many have been forced to quarantine. The changes in routine plus additional stress concerning safety and finance has led to many finding it difficult to sleep well.

One study conducted during the pandemic focused on assessing the sleep quality and mental health effects that COVID quarantines had on university students. They found that 76 percent of the participants experienced poor sleep and an almost equal number (71 percent) experienced depressive symptoms. Depressive symptoms and poor sleep are interrelated, and both negatively contribute to poor mental health. Nevertheless, improvements in sleep quality may help improve overall mental health.

What makes us tired?

The first step toward sleep is becoming tired or drowsy. Currently, there are two many sleep processes that help regulate our need for sleep, sleep/wake homeostasis and the circadian biological clock. Sleep/wake homeostasis senses the need for sleep based on how long the body has been awake for. If this regulatory process worked alone, we would feel most awake in the morning and gradually become sleepier until it is time for bed. Instead, the average adult tends to feel sleepiest between 2 and 4 in the morning as well as between 1 and 3 in the afternoon. These highs and lows are explained by the circadian biological clock, which is controlled by an area of the brain known as the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), located in the hypothalamus.

The SCN is sensitive to the presence or absence of light and releases hormones accordingly. When the eyes detect morning light, hormones such as cortisol are released to help with waking, and when darkness comes, the hormone melatonin is released. Although these two processes may interfere with each other, getting plenty of regular sleep each night can help balance out the sleepy lows.

How does sleep work?

Up until the 1950s, it was widely believed that sleep is a passive process and our mind enters a state of rest. Now we understand that the opposite is, in fact, true.

Sleep is the period in time where our brain is most active, and understanding what sleep is can help improve the quality of sleep.

Sleep is divided into five distinct phases, each with its own purpose and effect on the body. Our bodies gradually transition from stage 1 to stage 4 before entering the sleep phase known as rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. At the end of REM sleep, the body returns to stage 1 and begins the process again, accounting for a single cycle.

The average sleep cycle lasts roughly 90 minutes, and we ideally need four to six cycles every 24 hours to feel well rested.

The amount of time needed for sleep each night varies from person to person, but depends largely on age. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, children between the ages of 6 and 12 should sleep 9-12 hours each night, teens between the ages of 13 and 18 should sleep 8-10 hours a night, while adults older than 18 typically need 7 to 9 hours.

Of all the sleep phases, REM sleep is considered the most important. In this phase, certain areas of our brain are stimulated, which is essential for learning and forming memories.

Chronic sleep disturbances can have a negative impact on physical and mental health. Drowsiness, forgetfulness, mood changes, and decreased cognition are common symptoms of sleep disturbances, and can occur even after one night of poor sleep. If sleep disturbances persist long-term, more severe complications such as diabetes, depression, cardiovascular complications, decreased immunity, and obesity are possible.

Factors affecting sleep

Many factors can result in sleep disturbances, most of which have to do with elements of our lifestyle. One of the most common causes are food items, medicines, and other substances what we consume. These substances may alter our state of alertness and cause use to not feel drowsy when we should.

Caffeinated drinks such as coffee or certain medications such as decongestants are common causes of sleep disturbances. Additionally, many antidepressants suppress REM sleep and heavy smokers may have reduced amounts of REM sleep due to nicotine withdrawal.

Alcohol does help with falling asleep, but only in the early stages, resulting in reduced amounts of REM sleep.

There are other, environmental and psychological factors, that may affect one’s ability to fall asleep or stay asleep. Stress, or anxiety, is a common cause for difficulty falling asleep. Stress causes an abnormal sense of alertness that overcomes drowsiness. Stress does not have to be a chronic condition either. Sometimes, stressing over the need to sleep in order to wake up at a certain time can cause a person to stay awake.

Screen time before bed may also play a role in poor sleep. Relatively recently, it was found that blue light emitted from devices such as TV sets and cellular phones can disrupt that circadian rhythm. Once asleep, other factors such a room temperature can disrupt sleep. During sleep, our body’s ability to regulate body temperature is decreased and if temperatures in the room are too high or too low, this can disrupt REM sleep.

How to improve sleep

Whether or not you suffer from sleep disturbances, adopting healthy sleep habits can improve your sense of restfulness each night.

One of the most important habits to adopt is a sleep schedule, which can greatly improve sleeping patterns and is one of the first methods used to help those with trouble sleeping.

It is recommended that you set aside approximately eight hours for sleep. In that time, if you do not fall asleep within 20 minutes, it is also recommended that you leave your bedroom and do something relaxing, such as read a book. Once you feel a little more tired, return to bed and repeat as many times as needed.

Furthermore, you should go to bed and wake up roughly the same time every day, and try to limit the difference in sleep schedule on weeknights and weekends by no more than an hour. This consistency helps regulate and reinforce your sleep/wake cycle.

Focusing on what you ingest before bed may also help improve sleep. Avoid eating heavy meals within a couple hours before bed and try not to sleep on an empty stomach. Aside from the effects on metabolism, this can cause discomfort that may disturb sleep. Also avoid substances such as nicotine, caffeine, and alcohol within hours of going to bed.

It is also important to create an ideal environment for sleep. Try to limit the use of your bedroom and reserve it for sleep. If possible, a cool, dark, and quiet environment is best for sleep. Limiting daytime naps to only 30 minutes, and regular physical exercise may also help you become drowsy enough for bed.

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