The Circadian and Me
So you want a better sleep at night? Well join the club. It seems like everyone wants to find a way to get a better sleep. But if we can’t extend the day to give us a few extra Z’s, then is there a way to improve the hours that we do get to ensure that we are meeting our daily needs? It is possible and there are a few things you can do to make sure you are getting the most out of your hours.
A lot of us have a hard time falling asleep when we do finally get into bed. There was all sorts of stresses throughout the day, current events with family and friends, and worrying about what the next day will hold. Add on top of this, that you can’t fall asleep now! Well, these nights can be extremely frustrating and often avoidable. Many people will lose up to an hour of sleep just trying to get to sleep. Falling asleep is dependent on a few things, but a major one is light.
The first has to do with light. Although it seems pretty intuitive, the human brain is affected by the light entering the eye. Research on circadian rhythms show that light over 1000 lux will stimulate the retina to release chemicals in the brain indicating that it is time to be awake. Low light levels throughout the evening and as dark as possible during actual sleep time will encourage the brain to prepare for sleeping. The racing thought syndrome is greatly reduced if you follow a regular routine as well, which will also act like a Pavlovian indicator for your circadian rhythm. When it is time to go to bed, your consciousness should shut itself down.
How many people can fall asleep when they are uncomfortable? Having a quality mattress helps a great deal in making sure you are getting to sleep faster. Once asleep, being comfortable with proper support and optimal blood circulation helps keep you in a deeper sleep and maximizes your sleep cycles. Getting adequate amounts of REM becomes more routine and you will find you are waking up feeling fresh. The result are well worth the investment, with enhanced memory capability, increase in cognitive function, improvement in your immune system and an overall reduction in stress. Quality sleep is just as important as quantity.
There are many more things you can do to help you get better sleeps. Food, inebriates, and exercise and when you do these activities all are factors in the quality of sleep you are going to get. Consequentially, getting as much sleep is really the best way to ensure you get enough. If however you are like many of us these days, trying to optimize the quality of your sleep can supplement a great deal.
For more helpful tips on getting a better sleep, visit Jonathon VonSteiner’s hub. For more information on the health effects of sleep, visit his article on when you get a new bed.
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