If in the first two parts we discovered the importance and structure of sleep, in the following lines we will highlight the lifestyle mistakes that affect this process, as well as some solutions for them.
Sleep prepares itself starting from when we wake up in the morning – a slightly absurd statement, isn't it? And yet, there are a few aspects we need to consider:
- the human body functions according to well-established rules and through well-organized processes, so perhaps the most important point we need to take care of is a regularly followed schedule, in other words, to go to bed and wake up at approximately the same hours. Not all of us are programmed to fall asleep at the same time, but that doesn't justify voluntarily lost nights or extreme sleeping hours, because humans are "built" to sleep at night!
- sleep is a complex process of body regeneration after effort, troubles, stress. The more caught up we are in a busy lifestyle, the more hours we should rest. The more balanced and settled our activity is in the Spirit of God, the more the body can resist with just a few hours of sleep.
- all organisms on Earth have a circadian rhythm, which is a complex and cyclical process. To trigger the "24-hour hourglass", in the morning, shortly after waking up, it is necessary to expose ourselves DIRECTLY to natural light (even when it's cloudy) for a minimum of 10-15 minutes. Sunlight has a very high intensity, optimal for signaling all structures that it's time to get ready for "work". Exposure to light during the day also helps with the secretion of serotonin, which provides energy throughout the day, later transforming into melatonin. In the evening, on the contrary, strong light can disrupt the process of falling asleep, which is why it's necessary to reduce its intensity and especially to avoid the blue light from screens – or, if it's still necessary to use them, then their position should be below eye level. The yellow and red light found in sunsets, fire, candles, and oil lamps are very beneficial.
- if it exists, an adult's midday nap should be at most 30 minutes, otherwise the brain enters deep sleep phases and the level of adenosine, which 12-16 hours after waking up in the morning will give us the feeling of drowsiness in the evening.
- it is important to avoid stress / arguments / news in the evening, because they stimulate the secretion of cortisol, adrenaline and noradrenaline, which practically disturbs and agitates the entire body, preventing sleep from setting in. So it would be preferable to argue... in the first part of the day!
- a quiet, pleasant ritual before bedtime helps a lot: for children, reading a story, and for adults, reading a book.
- stimulant drinks (coffee, energy drinks, green tea, black tea, etc.) have various mechanisms of action. I will refer to the most loved and used: coffee. Caffeine binds to adenosine receptors, preventing its action, thus we will no longer feel drowsiness as long as there is a significant percentage of receptors occupied by caffeine. Throughout the day, caffeine is metabolized, consumed, and adenosine can bind to receptors, which will make us feel the need for sleep. Therefore, it is very important that there isn't much caffeine in our body in the evening, which is why the official recommendation is that after 1-2 PM, no more coffee should be consumed (after 5-7 hours of consumption, half of the consumed coffee quantity will still be active!).
- physical exercises and sports are part of a healthy lifestyle, but they must be practiced at least 2-3 hours before bedtime, because they activate many processes that can delay falling asleep. It is important, for both children and adults, that physical activity throughout the day is sufficient to consume at least part of the body's energy.
- the body rests optimally at low temperatures. Ideally, the room temperature at night should be 19-20 degrees, but for many, this temperature is not exactly comfortable. A good start would be if we lowered the temperature by 2-3 degrees compared to during the day, limiting ourselves to a maximum of 22 degrees in the bedroom at night.
- a warm or hot bath shortly before bedtime is extremely beneficial. This way, thanks to the warm water, the body will further activate its internal cooling systems, regulate energy discharge, and help induce sleep. On the other hand, in the morning, a cold or lukewarm bath is very effective, forcing the body to internally increase its temperature and activate all organs for a new day.
- difficulty falling asleep or insomnia signals a problem (organic, psychological, spiritual, etc.), which is why it would be correct to discover and treat the problem. Sleep supplements (melatonin, ashwagandha, magnesium, B vitamin preparations, lavender-based products, etc.) often work great, bringing many other benefits to the body, but they do not solve the underlying problem. These should be taken in appropriate doses and for the shortest possible time, ONLY on a doctor's recommendation. Melatonin, for example, can be an adjuvant when traveling to another country with a different time zone, helping the body adapt to a new rhythm, but people often see it as a "magic pill" and administer it too frequently, which causes the body to develop tolerance and inhibit its own melatonin production.
- throughout the day, in our body accumulates an excess of positive charges (protons) and free radicals, to which both our own activity and constant exposure to electromagnetic fields (phones, routers, computers, etc.) contribute. This maintains a state of agitation (of the "fight or flight" type), causing inflammation and pain in the body. A great method of rebalancing is walking barefoot on grass, earth, sand – a method known as "earthing." Thus, the body rebalances by absorbing negative ions (electrons) from the soil. For those who do not have this possibility, a minimal "discharge" can be achieved through a warm bath before bedtime.
- many people believe that a glass of wine in the evening helps with better sleep. However, it's exactly the opposite: alcohol consumed 2-3 hours before bedtime fragments deep sleep, destroys the entire sleep organization, and produces frequent awakenings that one doesn't even remember.
- a job with night shifts can, over time, trigger health problems, such as severe forms of sleep apnea. When we have no choice, some useful tips would be: after the night shift, a minimum of 6 hours of sleep is necessary, preparing the environment adequately (blackout curtains, silence / earplugs, maximum 20 degrees temperature in the bedroom), as well as avoiding coffee or energy drinks 4-6 hours before the end of the shift.
Regardless of age, sleep represents the "detoxification" of the entire body through mechanisms that cannot be replaced by any other medication or device. Let's take care of our sleep and give it its rightful place in our lives, without forgetting that how you spend your sleep in youth is how you will sleep in old age!
(to be continued)
Dr. Daniela Ilioiu
Photos by Rocío Moreno, Ron Lach, Marcus Aurelius, SHVETS production, and Aleksandar Cvetanovic / pexels.com
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