Sleep hygiene? Is that even a thing? Yes my friend, it is! Everybody sleeps, but how well do we really sleep? Let me start by explaining to you exactly what sleep is and what happens when you sleep.
Sleep is simply a state of temporary suspension of consciousness with your eyes closed and muscles relaxed. There are two types of sleep divided into five stages:
Non-REM (Rapid Eye Movement) Sleep
Phase 1:
– Light sleep, easy arousal.
Phase 2:
– Eye movement stops, body temperature drops (it help to sleep in a cooler room).
Phase 3 and 4:
– Deep sleep, not easily aroused.
– Blood pressure drops.
– Breathing becomes slower.
– Muscles are relaxed.
– Blood supply to muscles increases.
– Tissue growth and repair occurs.
– Energy is restored.
– Hormones essential for growth and development, body repair and rejuvenation and including
muscle development are released (e.g. Growth Hormone).
– Feeling of grogginess and disorientation if wakened at this stage.
– Stage where sleepwalking, bed-wetting and night terrors often occur in children.
REM Sleep
REM sleep usually begins between 70-90 minutes after falling asleep. This phase completes the sleep cycle. A typical sleep cycle takes 90 to 110 minutes. Energy is supplied to the brain and body for optimal daytime performance. The body becomes relaxed, as muscle activity is stopped.
Hormonal Activity during Sleep
In addition to these events, the following hormonal activities occur during sleep, and they are more beneficial the longer you sleep.
- Cortisol which is a stress hormone for regulating blood pressure and immunity dips at bed time and increase over the night to increase your alertness in morning.
- The hormone melatonin is released during sleep, the more sleep you get the more melatonin your body makes. Low levels of melatonin have been linked to the incidence of cancers like breast and prostate cancers especially among people who do night shift jobs. In fact, the World Health Organization (WHO) recently added ‘night shift work’ as a class 2A carcinogen (i.e. probable cause of cancer). In essence, you are at increased risk of having certain cancers if you are usually awake at night or are constantly exposed to bright lights, which are known to diminish melatonin levels. Consequently, melatonin is currently used as an adjuvant treatment for some cancers in order to speed up recovery and facilitate chances of survival among cancer patients.
- Sleep also helps to regulate levels of the hormones ghrelin and leptin, which are responsible for the feeling of hunger and satiety. When you have less sleep, you may crave and feel the need to eat more food, which can put you in a poor cycle of overeating and weight gain.
How Much Sleep Do You Really Need?
The American Sleep Association recommends at least 16 hours a day for infants, 9 hours for teenagers and 7 to 8 hours for adults. When you deprive yourself of sleep, you are creating a ‘sleep debt’ that your body will demand from you eventually. Furthermore, you may have done some damage to your immune system and hormone balance if you do not get adequate night sleep for long periods of time.
How to Maintain Optimal Sleep Hygiene
- Get at least the minimum amount of sleep your body requires of you.
- Try to have a regular bedtime routine.
- Always sleep without bright lights.
- Avoid using phones, computers and tablets right before bed.
- Avoid drinking caffeinated drinks too close to bedtime.
- Regular exercise promotes good sleep, but vigorous exercise right before bed can keep you stimulated, early morning exercise is best.
- Eat dinner early to reduce heart burn and excessive fullness before sleep.
- See your doctor if you seem always tired in the mornings and have daytime drowsiness so as to exclude some medical conditions like sleep apnea, insomnia or depression.
In summary, the third of your life spent sleeping everyday has a direct impact on how productive, successful and healthy the other two thirds can be. Your body deserves a break every day, and it needs time to repair and recharge itself. Let it do all the work while you enjoy the pleasures of restful sleep. It’s cheap medicine, just nurture it and be hygienic about it!
Yours truly,
Kike Oduba