Sleep
V. Vemuri, Pleasanton, CA
Did you know that we spend about a third of our lives sleeping? Five to six years of that dreaming? No one really knows why we sleep and what goes on while we sleep. If you think you are not working during sleep, think again. Our body keeps on working while we sleep: muscles tense and relax; vital signs like temperature, blood pressure and pulse rise and fall; and the brain conjures up fascinating voyages. Each night, while we sleep, we go through several cycles of non-REM (quiet) and REM (active) sleep. During REM (rapid eye movement), our pulse and breathing quicken, blood flow to the brain increases, and we do all our dreaming. During non-REM, our body relaxes and most of the body functions slow down.
Most of us need about eight hours of sleep a day. It is not the hours but the quality of sleep that counts. Here are a few tips, for a good night's sleep.
1. Keep regular sleep habits; get up from bed at the same time every day and go to bed only when you feel sleepy. Avoid daytime naps.
2. Avoid using the bedroom for watching TV and eating. If you are not asleep after 10 or 15 minutes in bed, leave the room and do something else for a while.
3. Our body clocks are tied to the natural cycle of day and night. If you have difficulty falling asleep at night, try to get some early morning exposure to sunlight. Conversely, if you awake too early in the morning, spend some time outdoors just before sunset.
4. Keep evening meals and snacks light. Milk (and some other food items like cashews, eggs) contains several ingredients which seem helpful in promoting sleep. A glass of milk (warm or cold) before bedtime can be effective in inducing sleep.
5. Avoid coffee, and beverages with caffeine, after late afternoon. The body needs 4 to 5 hours to halve the amount of caffeine in the blood.
6. Avoid alcohol after early evening. Alcohol does help people fall asleep more readily; unlike coffee it is metabolized quickly and can cause disturbed sleep.
7. Regular moderate exercise or yoga will help promote relaxation and sleep.
8. Limit worrying to the daytime. Disquieting or thoughts in bed can be quelled by a mantra.