In our fast-paced world, quality sleep often takes a backseat to our busy schedules and daily distractions. However, the importance of a good night’s sleep cannot be overstated. It’s more than just feeling refreshed; it’s about maintaining your overall physical and mental health. In this post, we’ll look briefly at the sleep cycle and share practical tips to help improve sleep quality. My two favorite bedtime routine habits are to use Vetiver oil and listen to Insight Timer app.
Understanding Sleep:
Sleep isn’t just a passive state; it’s a complex process with different stages. Each night, we go through cycles of light sleep, deep sleep, and REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. These stages play vital roles in memory, mood regulation, and overall well-being.
1. Wakefulness (Stage W): This is the stage when you’re fully awake and alert. Your brain is active, and you’re conscious of your surroundings. During the day, you spend a significant amount of time in this stage.
2. Non-Rapid Eye Movement (NREM) Sleep:
• Stage N1 (Light Sleep): This is the transitional stage between wakefulness and deeper sleep. It’s characterized by slow eye movements and relaxed muscles. Individuals are easily aroused.
• Stage N2 (True Sleep): N2 is a deeper sleep stage where your body starts to prepare for the more restorative stages. Brain activity becomes slower, and you’re less aware of your surroundings.
• Stage N3 (Deep Sleep): Also known as slow-wave sleep (SWS), this is the most restorative stage of sleep. During N3, your body repairs and regrows tissues, and your immune system strengthens.
3. Rapid Eye Movement (REM) Sleep: During REM sleep there is increased eye movements, increased brain activity similar to wakefulness but with atonia (muscle paralysis). Some other features of REM sleep include:
• Increased heart rate and irregular breathing.
• Emotional processing and memory consolidation.
• It’s often associated with vivid, story-like dreams.
A typical sleep cycle lasts about 90-120 minutes, and a full night’s sleep consists of 4-6 cycles. The distribution of sleep stages throughout the night can vary depending on factors like age, recent sleep patterns and sleep disorders. A healthy sleep cycle is crucial for physical and mental well-being.
Common Sleep Disorders:
Before diving into sleep tips, it’s crucial to recognize the signs of sleep disorders like insomnia, sleep apnea, and restless leg syndrome. If you suspect you have a sleep disorder, consult a healthcare professional for proper evaluation and treatment.
Healthy Sleep Habits:
1. Stick to a Schedule: Try to go to bed and wake up at the same times every day, even on weekends. Ideally around the hours of 10:00 pm to 6:00 am.
2. Create a Sleep-Friendly Environment with a dark, quiet, and cool room. The Ideal temperature is set to around 65 degrees F.
3. Limit Screen Time: The blue light emitted by screens can interfere with your body’s production of melatonin, a sleep-inducing hormone. Avoid screens at least an hour before bedtime. It may also help to change to nighttime mode on phone 3 hours before bedtime changing to a warmer tone and riding blue light.
4. Watch What You Eat and Drink: Avoid heavy meals and caffeine in the evenings while aiming to stop all food at least 3 hours prior to going to bed.
Exercise and Sleep:
Regular physical activity can promote better sleep. Aim for around 30 minutes of moderate exercise 5 days a week or 150 minutes a week. Vigorous exercise is also an option, but over training can create sleep difficulties if appropriate rest days are not taken.
Stress Management:
Stress and anxiety can keep you up at night. Practice relaxing diaphragmatic breathing, mindfulness or progressive muscle relaxation to calm your mind before bed. One of my favorite apps is Insight Timer, which has the largest amount of free content.
Sleep Aids:
Some over the counter sleep aids that are more natural and less addicting include melatonin and essential oils. A list of effective oils to improve sleep:
*lavender
*chamomile
*frankincense
*tranquility (orange, blue tansy, ylang ylang, lavender, patchouli, lime)
*vetiver (my personal favorite)
Conclusion:
Remember, sleep is not a luxury; it’s a necessity for your well-being. By understanding the science of sleep and implementing these tips, you can take progressive steps towards achieving a better night’s rest and improving you overall health.
Resources:
Nikbakhtian S, Reed Angus. "Accelerometer-derived sleep onset timing and cardiovascular disease incidence: A UK biobank cohort study" Heart Journal-Digital Health, Vol 2, Issue 4, Dec 2021: Pg 658-665.
Okamoto-Mizuno, K, Mizuno, K. (2012). Effects of thermal environment on sleep and circadian rhythm. Journal of Physiological Anthropology. 31(1). 14. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov sleepfoundation.org
Chung Nikola, Bin Yu SUn. "Does the Proximity of Meals to Bedtime Influence the Sleep of young Adults? A Cross-sectional Survey of University Students" Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 April: 17(8):2677. Published online 2020 Apr 14.
Teruhisa Komori et al. "The Sleep-Enhancing Effect of Valerian Inhalation and Sleep-Shortening Effect of Lemon Inhalation." Chemical Sense, Vol 31, Iss 8, Oct 2006. Pg 731-737.