HEALTH - Sleep
Sleep is important!
On average, we spend one-third of our lives totally unconscious, recharging our batteries, a state we all know as sleep. In fact, if the average life expectancy is 80 years we actually spend over 26 and a half years fast asleep.
Sleep is one thing that has baffled scientists for centuries and still continues to do so. For many years it was believed that a good night's sleep gives the body a chance to recuperate from the day's activities but many experts no longer think this is the case as our body continues to work even while we rest and the amount of energy saved whilst asleep is little more than we would get from the intake of a small amount of food, just a few calories.
Many sleep experts now believe the secret lies with the most powerful organ in the body, the brain, which needs sleep to restore some of its most active areas back to full operating power. We have all noticed how concentration can wonder when we are tired, how we can become less adept at certain tasks, such as driving, which requires complex brain activity. The body also releases certain hormones when we sleep which effect metabolism, or how our bodies grow and work. For instance, really deep sleep releases growth hormones which help children to grow and helps adult bodies repair themselves. Sleep also releases hormones that effect how our bodies use energy, so some people who have difficulty sleeping and don't get the full quota can start to put on weight.
Lack of sleep will eventually affect activities such as memory, speech and problem solving and because it plays such a major role in brain recuperation and development it is especially important for children.
What is a good night's sleep?
So, what constitutes a good night's sleep? Well if you were a giraffe, less than two hours will do nicely, for humans it all depends on our age and individual lifestyles. The elderly and the very young often sleep considerably more than the norm, and the norm depends on the individual. Newborn babies often sleep up to 18 hours per day and while some people can manage with four of five hours sleep quite happily, for others that would certainly constitute "a bad night." For children, most experts recommend between 9 and 11 hours, depending on their age.
A few points that may help
If you have trouble sleeping, there are some very simple tips which might help. That said, if you have been having trouble for some time, then a visit to your Doctor may be needed.
There are also some very good herbal remedies on the market which can help without the use of medication and any health shop will be happy to advise you on what you can buy to make 'drifting off' a little easier. One of the best tips to avoid a sleepless night is avoid things which might stop your body naturally falling asleep.
Stimulants such as caffeine or nicotine take time to leave your system and will, by their very nature, give you a boost which perhaps you don't need right before bed time. So avoid late night cigarettes and cups of coffee or tea. Remember caffeine is also found in other things like some fizzy drinks. Also try to avoid eating late at night, as your body will still be digesting the food during the night which can alter your sleep rhythms.
For you chocolate lovers, sorry, chocolate is also a stimulant, so try to avoid that before bed as well, as well as alcohol. You may think you sleep soundly after having a few drinks, but too much alcohol can change your sleep patterns so you don't sleep in the right rhythms and although you have been asleep, you can often wake feeling sluggish and tired. Alcohol also dehydrates you which means you can feel extra rough in the morning and of course, too much will inevitably lead to waking up with a full blown hangover.
Many people think that warm milky drinks and a hot baths helps them to sleep, this is an old wife's tale, but both can help to relax you and many people find they do aid sleep, so they may be worth trying if you are having trouble.
As far as children are concerned, actually getting them to bed can be a problem. Many experts suggest forming a routine as early as possible and then sticking to it, with firm bedtimes on school nights and the rules being relaxed at weekends or for special occasions. A tired child simply will not be able to perform well at school so it is worth doing all you can to make sure your children get the benefit of a good night’s sleep.
Finally, it the problem drags on then get professional advice. All health professionals recognise the importance of sleep and know too well the effect regular poor sleep can have.
Useful Links
If you are interested to find out more about sleep, or get help on line, or if it's a problem, then you can visit any of the sites below. All are full of helpful tips and are really easy to navigate.
- www.medicinenet.com
- www.sleepfoundation.org (An American site so it makes frequent references to other sites, medication and services which are only available in the USA, but never the less, still a very good site for information on sleep deprivation and the effects it can have on you.)
- At the time of writing this, the BBC had an excellent section on sleep in its science section. If it is still there, it is well worth reading as it has links to many other sites. Go to www.bbc.co.uk and search on the word sleep.