Energize Yourself With New Sleep Awareness
By Ssndy Schroeder
Most of us believe a good night's sleep can improve almost everything, but sometimes sleep does not come and one tired day follows another. If you are still looking for blissful nights and energetic days, don't give up.
Harvard Health explains how sleep works to help us find the best answers. Sleep is divided into two major forms which impact energy:
- REM, rapid eye movement, sleep or dreaming sleep
- Non-REM, or quiet sleep
Non-REM sleep has three stages and specialists believe the last one, which is deep sleep or slow-wave sleep. is the main time in your sleep that refuels your body's energy.
How Deep Sleep Works
- It improves your ability to make ATP, the body's energy molecule.
- Less blood flow goes to the brain.
- The growth hormone that stimulates tissue growth and muscle repair is released.
How REM Sleep Works
- It restores your mind erasing information that is not needed.
- It may process information overnight.
- Studies show students who got a good night's sleep did much better the ones who were asked to solve a puzzle immediately.
What to Do
If you get REM sleep and Non-Rem sleep your mind will work better and your body will be energized. Your immune system may benefit too. Think about how your sleep works, and what you can do to get both.
- Do you go to bed at the same time every night?
- Do you try to eliminate key stress issues as they come up?
- Do you get 7-9 hours of rest every night
- Do you turn off electronics 2-3 hours before bedtime?
- Do you exercise every day to encourage sleep at night?
- Are your mattress and pillow right for you?
- Do you have a bedtime ritual with warm baths, soft music or simple snacks?
- Do you skip smoking, alcohol and spicy foods late in the evening?
Sleep is a complex subject. The more you learn about it, discovering what works for you, the healthier you may be with a clearer head and a stronger body. Don't settle for one tired day after another. Deal with the stress in your life and take steps to make sleep a priority.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Chicago, Ill.