Good Sleep Habits: A Key To Better Health!
Most of us fail to get good nights sleep. As a result we run the
risk of greatly increasing our susceptibility to disease and
accidents. Getting a good night sleep is a minimum for a healthy
life. For most people this amount needs to be around 6 to 8
hours each night. Anything less than that and you are sleeping
too little and anything more than that and you are probably
sleeping too much.
What is it that sleep does for us? The best way to think of
sleep is as the body's form of "downtime". Just like our
computers need to go offline in order to be repaired so must our
bodies. During this "downtime" the body actually rebuilds
tissue, grows bone and muscle and strengthens the immune system.
The truth is we really don't know everything that does happen
in sleep just yet. However, we know enough to realize that
without it the body deteriorates along with the mind.
Each night we cycle through three stages of sleep including
light sleep, deep sleep and Rapid Eye Movement Sleep (REM). Each
of these stages are vital but the last stage is especially
vital. Deprivation of this final stage of sleep can seriously
decrease our health and productivity and make us increasingly
prone to accidents and systematic disorders.
During deep sleep brain activity that controls emotions,
decision-making processes and social interaction shuts down.
Though these areas become inactive other areas of our brain that
are usually dormant come to life. It is also at this stage that
cell growth and cell repair takes place. There is in fact some
truth to the phrase "beauty sleep". Missing these vital areas of
sleep deprives our body of the chance to revitalize our skin and
organs.
Sleep is also integral in fighting off infection. As anybody
who has been sick can attest the need for sleep increases when
we are ill or bedridden. Part of the reason for this behavior is
because our body is trying to shut down other aspects of our
functioning in order to send much needed energy to our immune
system and other parts of the body that help to fight off
infection and sickness. This is a key step in the healing
process. Depriving someone of sleep with a major illness can do
serious damage to their long-term health.
The effects of sleep deprivation are many and varied. When we
are deprived from sleep hallucinations and mood swings are
usually the first effects we feel. There is also a general sense
of irritability that pervades our waking mood when we are sleep
deprived. Lack of sleep also affects our nervous system leaving
us drowsy and unable to concentrate.
Lack of sleep is also a frequent contributor to the causes of
vehicular accidents and all other types of accidents, many of
which are fatal.
To make sure you get the most of your sleep try to develop some
ritual before going to bed. By creating a routine you condition
your body to prepare itself for sleep.
Avoid taking medicines since many of these prohibit the deepest
levels of sleep, which are most necessary for our body.
Also avoid excessive stimulation two hours before sleep. This
can cause your body to be unable to fall reach the state of deep
relaxation needed to fall to sleep.
Find an amount of sleep that is right for you and allows your
body to operate at maximum efficiency.