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Sleep - a Miracle to Healthy Life

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Sleep - a Miracle to Healthy Life

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This article highlights the importance of sleep and the consequences of a sleepless night.

Written by

Shakti Mishra

Medically reviewed by

iCliniq medical review team

Published At February 21, 2017
Reviewed AtAugust 1, 2023

Introduction

Sleep is a word that is defined differently by different people. When a human is born, the baby is said to be kept sleeping for 12-15 hours, which is essential for his growth. But, as we grow older and older, the sleep pattern changes over time, and we end up getting only 5 to 6 hours of sleep every day.

Sleep, as we say, is a state in which all our body mechanics come to a rest position. Sleep consists of REM cycle in which the person does rapid eye movement, where we can say that the individual is dreaming and is completely sleeping. This REM is very much essential to complete the sleep cycle. Recent studies have found that an adult needs a complete 7 to 9 hours of sleep per day. Nowadays, people are getting too busy in their work life that they are not getting much time for good sleep. This has become a routine part of everyone’s life, but they do not realize the consequences they have to face in the next 5 to 6 years because of such negligence.

Sleep will always remain of paramount importance for everyone, and everyone should get a minimum of 8 hours of sleep no matter how important is the work next day or how urgent you are supposed to reach your office next morning.

What Are the Stages of Sleep?

The stages of sleep are typically categorized into four main types:

  • NREM Stage 1: This is the lightest stage of sleep when you start to feel drowsy and can be easily awakened.

  • NREM Stage 2: In this stage, your body relaxes further, and your brain waves become slower with occasional bursts of rapid waves.

  • NREM Stage 3: Also known as deep sleep or slow-wave sleep, this stage involves the slowest brain waves and is essential for physical restoration and recovery.

  • REM (Rapid Eye Movement) Sleep: During REM sleep, your brain is highly active, and you experience vivid dreams. It is crucial for cognitive and emotional processing.

These stages repeat in cycles throughout the night, and each has its unique role in maintaining healthy sleep patterns and overall well-being.

What Is The Importance and Effectiveness Of Sleep?

  • Sleep delays the degenerative process of the musculoskeletal system and the neurological system of the body.
  • Sleep allows detoxification of the body.
  • Sleep improves your efficacy at work, concentration, focus on work and helps improving memory, both short-term and long-term.
  • Sleep helps rejuvenate the facial skin tissue by which one can get a glowing and healthy skin and prevents premature ageing.
  • Sleep helps in forgetting the bad old memories and helps build more creativity.
  • The sleep-wake pattern should be maintained properly every day, as each day is counted for the duration of sleep you get.
  • The study shows women who have a work-life balance that is, who maintain both professional and personal life should be getting more than 8 to 9 hours of sleep, which will improve their multitasking capacity.
  • Sleep maintains the proper functioning of circulatory system of the body.
  • A sports person needs sleep for around 9 hours, which helps them decrease DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) that is essential before the commencement of the next game.
  • Sleep boosts the immune system of the body, which then works better against the antibodies.
  • Sleep induces the natural painkillers like endorphin and encephalin inside the body, which heals any minor damaging process going inside.
  • Sleep improves the working of the five senses of the body. Sleep helps you to build more thoughtful, creative and innovative ideas at work.
  • Sleep is necessary for pregnant ladies both for the baby’s growth and the mother’s physiological changes.
  • Sleep prevents osteoporotic changes of bones, through proper ossification and calcification of bones.
  • Sleep also decreases the chance of any psychological problems.
  • Sleep also reduces the occurrence of a migraine and other types of headaches.

What Are the Tips for Better Sleep?

  • Stick to a Sleep Schedule: Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends. Consistency helps regulate your body's internal clock.

  • Create a Bedtime Routine: Develop a relaxing pre-sleep routine to signal your body that it's time to wind down. This might include activities like reading a book, taking a warm bath, or practicing relaxation techniques.

  • Create a Sleep-Conducive Environment: Make your bedroom comfortable, quiet, and dark. Use blackout curtains, earplugs, or white noise machines if needed.

  • Limit Screen Time Before Bed: Reduce exposure to screens (phones, computers, TVs) at least an hour before bedtime. The blue light from screens can interfere with the production of melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate sleep.

  • Be Mindful of What You Eat and Drink: Avoid heavy meals, caffeine, and alcohol close to bedtime, as they can disrupt sleep.

  • Get Regular Exercise: Regular physical activity can help improve sleep quality. However, try to avoid vigorous exercise too close to bedtime.

  • Manage Stress: Practice relaxation techniques like meditation, deep breathing, or yoga to reduce stress and anxiety that can interfere with sleep.

  • Limit Daytime Naps: If you need to nap, keep it short (around 20-30 minutes) and avoid napping too close to bedtime.

  • Ensure Comfort: Invest in a comfortable mattress and pillows that support your sleeping position.

  • Get Sunlight Exposure During the Day: Exposure to natural light during the day can help regulate your sleep-wake cycle.

These are some essential facts about sleep which should be followed by everyone. Every individual needs to make an effort to have a sound sleep to avoid all kinds of health problems. Remember, a person can survive if not taken food for a day but a person’s chance of survival decreases if he does not get a sound sleep for 24 hours.

To know more about the importance of sleep, consult a sleep medicine physician online --> https://www.icliniq.com/ask-a-doctor-online/sleep-medicine-physician

Frequently Asked Questions

1.

Why Is Sleep a Part of a Healthy Lifestyle?

Good, adequate, and efficient sleep is essential to lead a healthy lifestyle, as proper sleep patterns help improve brain function, mood enhancement, and mental health.

2.

Why Is Sleep So Important?

Various positive outcomes of good sleep make it so important, like:
- Brain function improvement.
- Emotional stability.
- Reduced risk of systemic diseases.
- Weight management.

3.

What Is the Adequate Sleep Duration?

Optimum sleep durations vary according to the age of the individuals. Children need significantly more sleep than adults. Between the age of 3 to 5 years, children need 10 to 13 hours of sleep, whereas adults (above 18 years) need at least 7 hours of sleep.

4.

What Is the Benefit of Sleeping Early?

“Early to bed and early to rise makes Jack healthy, wealthy, and wise.” It is not just a saying but is scientifically supported. Sleeping early leads to:
- Fewer eye bags.
- Healthier skin.
- Improved mood.
- Better concentration.
- Lower risk of systemic diseases.
- Improves libido.
- Improves immunity.
- Lower risk of vascular disorders.

5.

What Makes Sleep So Important for the Brain?

Sleep improves brain function as a healthy amount of sleep is important for brain plasticity or adapting to stimulus. Sleep also affects how neurons communicate within the nervous system.

6.

When Can You Call a Sleep of Good Quality?

A healthy amount of sleep in adults should be between 7 to 9 hours. Most individuals do not need more than 8 hours of sleep every day. Additionally, maintaining a consistent sleep pattern helps reinforce the circadian rhythm of the brain.

7.

Is It Possible for Sleep to Make One Smarter?

Sleep, evidentially, affects a person’s IQ (intelligence quotient). It has been found that with each hour of sleep loss, IQ drops by 6.11 points. Deficient sleep affects cognitive functioning, mental activity, concentration capability, and the ability to learn new things.

8.

Which Is the Healthiest Time to Wake Up?

The best time to wake up is between the morning hours of 6:30 and 7:00, with around seven hours of sleep in the kit.

9.

What Can Be Done to Improve Sleep Health?

Certain lifestyle modifications can be done to improve overall sleep health:
- Strict sleep schedule.
- Diet.
- Restful environment.
- Limiting daytime naps.
- Increased physical activity.
- Stress management.

10.

How to Fall Asleep Fast?

To fall asleep faster, one must:
- Stop overthinking.
- Maintain a regular sleep schedule.
- Avoid screen time before bedtime.
- Stress management.
- Avoid sleep-depriving food and drinks (like tea and coffee).

11.

Is It Possible for Sleep to Make One Look Younger?

During sleep, cutaneous blood flow increases, which helps maintain skin health. In a deficient sleep cycle, the skin repair and maintenance process is hampered, and the individual looks more aged than normal.

12.

What Can Be Done to Stop Night-time Overthinking?

Night-time overthinking can lead to inefficient sleep with increased bedtime:
- Distract from meaningless thoughts.
- Do not try to stay awake.
- Stop thinking about sleep (thinking about sleep is counterproductive to falling asleep).
- Get out of bed and write down the running thoughts.
- Deep breathing while lying down in bed

13.

What Can Be Done to Get Deep Sleep?

To get good deep sleep, one must:
- Work out daily.
- Eat a fibrous diet.
- Mediation.
- Avoid caffeine for 7 hours before bed.
- Avoid night drinking.
- Create a relaxing bedtime routine.
- Create a good sleeping environment.

14.

For How Many Hours Can Someone Survive Without Sleep?

It is not clear how long a human can survive without falling asleep. The longest recorded time is around 265 hours which is just over 11 days. Without sleep, hallucination sets in by the third or fourth night.

15.

What Can Be Done Naturally for a Better Night’s Sleep?

Medications are not always necessary to induce sleep; some of the natural ways to regularly get good amount of sleep are:
- Stick to a consistent sleep schedule.
- Dietary control.
- Create a restful environment.
- Limit daytime naps.
- Physical activities.
- Stress management.
Shakti Mishra
Shakti Mishra

Nutritionist

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