Understanding Sleep

Sleep is a temporary state in which you naturally rest - in short, you are physically inactive. You are absolutely unaware of what happens around you/ in your body. The American Academy of sleep medicine(AASM) recommends, adults aged between 18 to 60 should sleep for 7 hours or more per night on a regular basis for ideal sleep health.

Externally sleep make you feel fresh and active, while internally many biological processes happen when you sleep. For example, a few of the biological processes are 

1. The body repairs cells/releases hormones, etc

2. Nerve cells communicate and reorganize

These are essential for overall health and also for healthy brain function.

Cycles of sleep

Studies show that, our body cycles through 4 different stages of sleep which include both 

1. Non-Rapid Eye Movement(NREM) - quiet sleep

2. Rapid Eye Movement(REM) - active sleep

Sleep begins with 

1. NREM stage 1

• You might be aware of your surroundings(you may know if someone is talking next to you) and easily wake up due to noise or any disturbance at this stage.

• Your body relaxes, eye movement, heartbeat, and breathing slow down.

• The brain produces theta waves at this stage. Then it proceeds to NREM stage 2

2. NREM stage 2

• You are less aware of your surroundings.

• Your eye movement stops but your heartbeat and breathing become regular.

• The Brain processes the new memories you have acquired the previous day.

3. NREM stage 3

• Noise might not wake up you from sleep at this stage.

• Your muscles get relaxed, blood pressure drops.

• Delta waves emerge from the brain at this stage. 

• From this stage, you are about to move to the deepest sleep stage.

4. REM

• This stage approximately begins after 90minutes of sleep- where the voluntary muscles get immobilized at this stage (so the body is super relaxed).

• Breathing is faster, irregular and your eyes move rapidly and then you dream.

• During this stage, the emotions and memories related to it get processed. As mentioned earlier Biological processes, happen in this stage.

The body cycles through these stages 4-6 times on average and approximately for 90minutes each. Each stage has a significant role in maintaining the brain’s performance.

Benefits of sleeping well

Sufficient sleep has a significant impact on your social, physical, and emotional life. Here are a few highlights for you,

• Boost your immune system

• Improves memory - lets you think clearly

• Reduces the risk of heart disease, diabetes(provided when you have a healthy lifestyle and eating habits)

• Helps you maintain your skin and reduces hair fall

• Reduces stress

Quality of Sleep and simple ways to measure it.

Quality of sleep is different from sleep satisfaction. Quality of sleep says how well we sleep. A parameter that determines whether your sleep is restful or restorative. 

Signs like, you wake up more than once at night on a regular basis / you feel extremely tired and more hungry often/ your skin may break out often - shows that you have a poor quality of sleep.

Signs of good quality sleep are

• You fall asleep soon after getting to bed(approximately after 30mins)

• You don’t wake up more than once per night regularly.

• You feel fresh to start the day.

• You are able to think and concentrate clearly.

• You have healthy skin and hair.

Impacts of Sleeplessness - Insomnia

Sleep deprivation (Lack of sleep) could lead to serious health-related issues like,

• Obesity

• High blood pressure

• Heart disease

• Diabetes

• Increased mood swings

Remember, it is not as easy as you think. The long-term effect of sleeplessness(insomnia) could hinder your personal and professional life. Get it diagnosed and treated at an earlier stage to avoid the ill effects of it.

Treatment for Insomnia

Psychologists / Psychiatrists could help you treat and get rid of insomnia. Cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia(CBT-I) is more effective when compared to medications prescribed for better sleep.

Ayurvedic solution:

Ayurveda uses various natural ingredients like Brahmi and Ashwagandha to get red of insomnia. These natural ingredients may not have harsh side effects as they don't have any harmful chemicals in them. Be it Ayurveda or Allopathy - Do not go with self medication. It can deteriorate your health. Always consult a registered medical practioner and get the treatment in the right way

Final Thoughts

Take any type of treatment, with which you are comfortable, which you think will definitely cure you. Because half the time, it’s our hope that cures us soon than the medication. Healthy lifestyle-related habits like having dinner soon, not using mobile phones before going to bed, staying stress-free when you go to bed are a few little things that might help you avoid or prevent insomnia at ease.

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Credit Author: Janani Chandrasekar 

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