All You Need to Know About Sleep

People are all different. Some fall asleep the second their heads hit the pillow and stay asleep all night. Others toss and turn for a long time before sleeping and then are awakened by numerous things throughout the night.

Sleep is a very important component of a healthy life, but it seems like a good night's sleep is getting more and more elusive. More sleep aids and gadgets are being sold now than ever before because so many people are finding sleep a hard thing to obtain.

What is Sleep?

What does it mean to be asleep and what does awake mean? Sometimes when we think we are awake, a bed partner will poke us to say we are snoring. Sometimes we dream we are awake and going about a normal day when we are really asleep.

Sleep is mysterious and sometimes even frightening, but necessary. Sleep allows healing and recovery both mentally and physically. The body requires a full 7-9 hours of sleep for each adult although very few people actually get that much.

Whether it's a desire to stay up late even though the alarm goes off early for work, or insomnia, a real effort should be made to get the amount of sleep your body and mind require. If you wake up feeling groggy, not full of energy and optimism, then you are most likely not getting enough sleep.

What Disrupts Sleep?

Long ago people had an easier time getting their full allotment of shut-eye. In the days before electricity, there wasn't much reason to stay up after nightfall. Since there was no TV and certainly no social media, there wasn't anything to do. Once it got dark, people got sleepy and went to bed. 

Blue light from devices like computers and phones is one culprit that tends to disturb sleep cycles. When your brain sees blue light, it thinks it's time to be wide awake. Outside light from a neighbor or a city building can also be disruptive. Blackout curtains are a good idea to keep any outside light from waking you up prematurely, even that early morning summer sunlight.

How Does Sleep Change Through the Night?

When you first fall asleep, everything slows down including your heartbeat, breathing and eye movements. Even your brain waves take on a slower tempo from their normal wakeful speed. This part of the sleep cycle only lasts a few minutes.

In the next sleep cycle, eye movements stop, and breathing and heartbeat slow down even more. Body temperature also drops during this phase. The body and brain return to this cycle several times during the night.

The third stage of sleep is the most important one. This is the level that you need to reach to actually feel refreshed and rejuvenated in the morning. Everything slows and muscles relax. This is when it's hard to awaken deep sleepers.

The last stage occurs about 90 minutes into your sleep cycle. This is the one where you experience sleep paralysis (usually during sleep but if you suddenly wake up, the feeling can be frightening), dreams, irregular breathing and erratic brain waves. Unlike your muscles, your eyes move rapidly from side to side. This rapid eye movement is what gives the REM sleep stage its name. 

How Can the Deep Sleep Cycle be Increased?

Even though you may not wake up in the night, your period of deep sleep might not be long enough. There are apps that measure the length of your different sleep cycles, but the way you feel when you wake up will give you a clue about whether or not your deep sleep cycle is long enough.

Some ways to increase your deep sleep cycle are to keep your bedroom dark, cool and uncluttered. Avoid caffeine and any device emitting blue light at least two hours before sleep.

Try to stick to a soothing bedtime routine and you may find yourself feeling more rested in the morning.