Sleep

On average, humans spend a third of their life sleeping. But modern lifestyles, stress, and technology have made humans sleep far less today. On average, adults need 7 to 9 hours of sleep a day, but only 65% meet this requirement. Sadly, getting not enough sleep or too much sleep is detrimental to the body and mind.

Our sleep patterns are regulated by our circadian rhythm, which reacts to light and produces melatonin as a response. Melatonin helps your body feel calm and sleepy. Another chemical that helps you sleep is adenosine. Adenosine is like sleep pressure. The more sleep debt you accumulate, the more you desire to sleep. Caffeine works by nullifying these effects.

After finally falling asleep, our bodies start a sleep cycle that consists of 4 stages. During these 4 stages, it uses cerebrospinal fluid to clean away any neurotoxins between cells.

During stages 1 and 2, athe body is falling asleep. As we are in a light sleep mode, our heart rate, breathing, and body temperature decrease. Sometimes, we may even twitch.

Stage 3 is a deep sleep phase. During this period, our blood pressure drops. This stage is also known as delta sleep due to the slow delta waves the brain releases. Our bodies also produce growth hormones during this stage to repair the body.

Stage 4 is called REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. We begin to dream in this stage, causing the brain to be active as if we were awake. Two chemicals called gamma-aminobutyric acid and glycine are produced to paralyze the body and ensure you don't act out your dreams.

It is so common to not get enough sleep, but unfortunately this can be a dangerous habit. Sleep deprivation can develop due to an array of factors. Here are some examples:

●     busy lifestyle

●     stress

●     using electronic devices

●     chronic pain

●     depression

●     anxiety

●     bipolar disorder

●     schizophrenia

●     sleep apnea

●     Alzheimer disease

While many factors can lead to a lack of sleep, the best way to resolve your discomfort is to talk to a doctor about how you feel. If these issues are not addressed, you may experience negative mental health effects. These include:

●     negative mood and thoughts

●     increased irritability

●     lack of concentration

●     poor decision making

●     forgetfulness

●     increased anxiety

●     impaired attention

●     paranoia

●     delayed reaction time

●     worsenned ADHD

●     relapse into a depressive or manic episode

Not only will you be affected mentally, but also physically. Some of the physical risks are obesity, diabetes, heart disease, higher blood pressure, and an overall decreased life expectancy.

On the other side of the spectrum, oversleeping is just as troubling. Oversleeping entails sleeping for more than 9 hours per night for an extended period. That means that sleeping in on the weekends is not classified as oversleeping. However, it's best that you keep a regular sleep schedule. Like lack of sleep, oversleeping is difficult to regulate and can be caused by a few factors:

●     stress

●     depression

●     over-drinking

●     hypersomnia

Because of oversleeping, most people feel sluggish. Other results of oversleeping are:

●     weight gain

●     headaches

●     diabetes

●     back pain

●     depression

Of course, there are ways to help you sleep faster and better. The best way is to sleep in a quiet, cool, dark room and have a regular sleep schedule. By sleeping at a consistent time, your body will coordinate the most efficient routine. Establishing consistent evening and nighttime routines can help you fall asleep too. Some regular activities you can practice before bed are:

●     taking a warm bath

●     reading a book

●     drawing

●     relaxation exercise (meditation)

As long as the activity does not include electronics, it will likely help you get a fulfilling night of sleep. However, that may not be possible for everyone because of the busy modern life. But, there are also ways that you can sleep faster and better, like avoiding:

●     using electronics at least 30 mins before bed

●     stimulants like caffeine and nicotine 8 hours before bed

●     eating and exercising at least 3 hours before bed

●     naps 8 hours before bed

Remember, your health always comes first.

- Amanda