I love sleep and have been blessed to be a great sleeper, my head hits the pillow and moments later, I sleep. I have however, also experienced years of poor sleep whilst raising young children, so I do relate to this sense of hollow legs and the need to constantly sip on coffee and live off caffeine to get through the working day and return to home to more broken sleep and that icky feeling in the tummy of not having slept well.
Unfortunately, so many people have difficulty getting to sleep, staying asleep and getting a good quality sleep and the effect on people’s physical, mental and emotional wellbeing can be horrendous. The reasons for this are plentiful, work, life, family, pressure, stress, anixiety, menopause and so on.
How does sleep work?
Years ago I watched a fascinating program on sleep and have researched this area further, I’ll briefly share some of these findings:
The Stages of Sleep
Sleep is composed of several stages, broadly categorized into two types: Non-Rapid Eye Movement (NREM) and Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep, those deep sleep cycles where lots of good stuff is happening to your body.
- NREM Stage 1 (Light Sleep): This initial phase lasts a few minutes and is the transition from wakefulness to sleep. Muscle activity decreases, and the person can be easily awakened.
- NREM Stage 2 (Moderate Sleep): This stage is characterized by a decrease in heart rate and body temperature. Brain activity slows, interrupted by brief bursts of brain waves known as sleep spindles.
- NREM Stage 3 (Deepest Non Rem Sleep): Also known as slow-wave sleep, this is the most restorative phase, crucial for physical recovery, growth, and immune function.
- REM Sleep (Deepest Sleep): REM sleep occurs about 90 minutes after falling asleep and recurs multiple times throughout the night. During this phase, brain activity resembles wakefulness, and most vivid dreaming occurs. REM sleep plays a vital role in cognitive functions, including memory consolidation and emotional regulation. Source: Medical News Today
What happens to my body and brain when I sleep?
Our bodies and brains are fascinating examples of the existence of God, Humans as intelligent as we are, are nowhere near capable of producing some of the things our bodies do. Did you know, when you sleep, your brain is flushing our waste? As neurons fired electrical signals, they acted as coordinated pumps, producing rhythmic waves that appeared to flush cerebrospinal fluid through brain tissue, washing out waste. So if you don’t have enough sleep, your brain isn’t getting flushed out enough and potentially contributes to that phenom described as brain fog. Brain fog is, problems with thinking and memory such as forgetfulness and trouble concentrating.
The Benefits of Sleep
A good nights sleep offers many benefits, sleep boosts your immune system, and supports your physical health, making the body more resilient to illness. It regulates hormones related to hunger, helping to maintain a healthy weight. Additionally, good quality sleep is needed for your heart health, cardiovascular health and lowers the risk of heart disease and hypertension.
Sleep is essential for your brain, it is linked to supporting the functions of memory, learning, and decision-making. Poor sleep can have negative effects on your mental health and lead to decreased attention, slower reaction times, and impaired judgment.
Sleep also affects your ability to regulate our emotions, your mood and stress levels. Insufficient rest is linked to anxiety and depression. Good sleep enhances the overall your quality of life, leading to improved productivity, better interpersonal relationships, and a more positive outlook.
The Consequences of Sleep Deprivation
Sleep deprivation is known as a form of toucher and has been reported to be used during forms of interrogation. That’s how bad lack of sleep is for people, it can be so deeply disturbing and debilitating for people with chronic insomnia or chronic sleep disorders and deprivation and consequently can have serious health implications.
Individuals who consistently get less than the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep per night may experience increased risk of chronic conditions, such as diabetes and obesity. Impaired cognitive functions, leading to poor performance at work or school. Additionally, heightened emotional reactivity and increased risk of mental health disorders.
Tips for Improving Sleep Quality
To improve your sleep quality, consider the following suggestions:
What is your sleep routine? Design your best sleep routine, go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends. Create peaceful pre-sleep rituals, enjoy relaxing activities, such as a warm non-caffeinated drink, enjoy reading or meditating, to help you wind down.
Create a creative wind down scenario, a sleep palace if you will. To do this create an imaginary scenario, perhaps one you want to happen, that helps unwind you. At the end of your bedtime routine, lye down on your bed, relax, take some deep breaths and create the imaginary scenario. For example, as you close your eyes, in bed, see yourself walking around your dream home, walk into the rooms admiring them, your balcony admire the scenery, the fields, the trees, the flowers, it can be as detailed as you like, perhaps there is a medium sized waterfall in the distance, then walk back into your house, lye down on your bed and then sleep. Use the same scenario each time.
Invest in quality mattress that supports your body. Delight in soft bedding and pillows that provide your neck and head optimal support. Perhaps consider using blackout curtains and white noise machines or earplugs to create a dark and quiet sleeping environment. Perhaps even an eye cover to make the space darker would assist you?
Reduce blue light exposure, scientifically it is recommended to avoid screens (phones, tablets, computers) at least an hour before bed, as blue light can interfere with melatonin production. Melatonin is a natural occurring hormone produced in your pineal gland and aids in helping your body go to sleep.
Limit or why not even consider removing caffeine and alcohol and any other unhelpful substances. These substances can disrupt sleep patterns, so it’s best to avoid them, especially in the hours leading up to bedtime.
Physical exercise, even walking can promote better sleep and has multiple other health benefits. There are beautiful yoga stretches designed for helping you sleep too, best to avoid sun salutations though, these are the waking up ones. Also it is best to try to avoid vigorous exercise close to bedtime.
Relax your body, relax your breath. Use deep abdominal breath and gently inhale in, hold and exhale out, hold your breath. Just briefly hold your breath, don’t over extend your breathing or make it overly laborious. Continue focusing on your breath and breath as you wind down to sleep.
Twin Hearts Meditation
The Twin Hearts Meditation has been scientifically proven to assist people with sleep, all individual are different and results may vary. It is recommended that you practice this meditation on a regularly to maximise the benefits. You are welcome to join our twin hearts mediation group, to find out more visit: www.phwn.com.au and register your interest at: info@phwn.com.au.
Pranic Healing
I have assisted countless numbers of people with the use of Pranic Healing, a non-touch energy healing treatment, to help have a good nights sleep, many good nights sleep. One of my clients said, “Mum said, I’ve never been a good sleeper, even as a baby and now I am sleeping well regularly”. Its wonderful to support people who have felt they never had good sleep transform their sleep into deep, restful quality sleep, constantly. You may book a Pranic Healing treatment at: www.phwn.com.au
Ah Sweet Sleep
Sleep is a vital contribution of your overall health and wellbeing. Understanding more about sleep and its effects on the body, mental and emotional health may help you focus on improving your quality of sleep. There are simple tips here to support your sleep health and by having a good nights sleep, you may improve the quality of your life and even assist you in a healthier, more productive life.
You are welcome to join our twin hearts mediation group, to find out more visit: www.phwn.com.au and register your interest at: info@phwn.com.au. Book in a Pranic Healing treatment to experience the benefits of Pranic Healing that may also assist you with improved sleep. Start enjoying a good nights sleep today.