Get enough sleep. About full sleep What is the danger of lack of sleep

Kalinov Yuri Dmitrievich

Reading time: 4 minutes

How to create the conditions for good sleep

A healthy lifestyle is conducive to sound, healthy sleep. To never experience insomnia, follow the tips listed below.

1. Wake up every day (even on holidays and weekends) by the alarm at the same time, and fall asleep at the same hour as well.
2. Don't sleep during the day.
3. Do not smoke or drink alcohol, especially 2-3 hours before bedtime.
4. Do not take psychostimulant drugs.
5. Avoid caffeinated foods 6-8 hours before sleep. Such products are chocolate, coffee, tea, coca-cola.
6. Do not eat if there are 2-3 hours before bedtime. But falling asleep with an empty stomach is also not the best option.
7. Exercise is good for your health and has a beneficial effect on the quality of your sleep. The optimal time for training is no later than an hour and a half before the night's rest, the optimal frequency and duration is 3-4 times a week for 30-60 minutes.
8. Create and observe a "sleep ritual": do the same things before bed every day, for example, listen to calm tracks on your favorite music theme or take a bath.

Healthy sleep of a person affects not only his well-being and appearance but also creativity, logical thinking, decision-making process, speed, concentration, memory, perception, ability to assimilate new information, interaction with environment and even the immune system.

For high efficiency in work, regular achievement of success, you need to get enough sleep. Yes it is. For example, many famous geniuses of all time were distinguished by short naps, but, as a rule, did not live long.

In addition, the question of the duration of sleep is individual. Therefore, it is best to be guided by your own biological clock, as well as to adhere to basic rules of sleep hygiene.

Impact on vital functions

Sleeping off on weekends

The issue of compensating for sleep deprivation during the work week with extended sleep on weekends has been researched in the scientific community. Swedish scientists have found that the risk of early death in people who sleep less than 5 hours on weekdays, but sleep on weekends, does not exceed that of people who get enough sleep every day. However, studies by American scientists have shown that blood pressure, cholesterol levels and other important indicators of the body were worse in those who slept on weekends rather than sleeping for the prescribed 7-8 hours throughout the week. In addition, falling asleep on weekends can lead to insomnia, since late waking up does not contribute to the subsequent necessary falling asleep at the usual time.

Different sleep duration on weekdays and weekends provokes obesity, headache, chronic fatigue, increases the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, the likelihood of strokes and heart attacks. For example, with regard to obesity, it is noted that many metabolic processes follow a circadian rhythm and normal sleep is important for them. Sleep disturbances lead to an increase in the level of ghrelin (the hormone of hunger) in the body and a decrease in the level of leptin (a marker of energy abundance) - a person's appetite unconsciously increases. This has been tested in laboratory studies both in animals and in humans: chronic lack of sleep leads to increased appetite, increased total calorie intake per day and excess weight.

Sleep deprivation

Sleep deprivation is very difficult. Over the course of several days, a person's consciousness loses clarity, he experiences an irresistible desire to fall asleep, periodically "falls" into a borderline state with confusion. This method of psychological pressure is used during interrogations and is regarded as sophisticated torture.

Labor productivity

Research has shown that the number of hours you sleep during the night has a strong effect on productivity, both during the day and in the long run. Not getting enough sleep during the night leads to cognitive impairment. Daily lack of sleep leads to a decrease in labor productivity that accumulates with each subsequent day. With a normal number of hours of full night sleep (7-8 hours), daily labor productivity remains at a high and approximately the same level.

The effects of fragmented and poor quality sleep are indistinguishable from lack of sleep. According to research carried out by Professor Michael Bonnet in 1987, the effect of playing a specific tone every 2-3 minutes during sleep is comparable to a complete lack of sleep. The effect persisted both during periodic awakening of the test subject and during prolonged sleep with a reaction in the form of changes in the activity of the brain electroencephalogram.

Healthy sleep rules

Sleep is essential to your well-being. If a person always falls asleep and wakes up at the same time throughout the week, then his body becomes more resilient and healthy. Follow your routine even on weekends, don't try to get more sleep today or go to bed later - set your own internal clock. Strictly follow your sleep schedule, and then insomnia will pass you by. We have established a sleep regime - consider that you will not have problems falling asleep at night, and you can always wake up in the morning easily and quickly!

Fresh air will also be a huge benefit for healthy and good sleep. Ventilate the room before going to bed. So you can relax, bring the mind to calm, charge the brain with fresh air. After all, while a person is sleeping, his brain is actively working, processing all the information that he managed to receive in a day. A stuffy room can even lead to breathing problems, not to mention the inability to fully rest and sleep. Therefore, always strive to ensure that the bedroom is filled with fresh air. And if you yourself start taking evening walks in a nearby park, then your sleep will be very sound, healthy. Fresh air gives the human body only benefit and excellent health.

How and on what you sleep is also of paramount importance. You should be comfortable! Old, uncomfortable pillows make your neck and back strain, which doesn't help you sleep well. A squeaky and squeaky mattress will only distract from sleep. And an unsuitable blanket in length can completely deprive you of hope to fall asleep, because you will be constantly cold or hot. So take care of what you sleep on. Buy a new one nice pillow, take care of quality bedding.

Better to give preference natural materials... After all, synthetic fabrics can more often cause allergies.

Pay attention to what you sleep in in bed. It should be either linen or cotton clothes.

Nothing should press, constrict, interfere. A loose cotton T-shirt or pajamas are best. And don't forget that all laundry must be washed at least once a week. And if you want to prolong the cleanliness of your hairstyle and get rid of pimples on your face, then change pillowcases more often - 2-3 times a week.

The benefits of sleep for humans

Sleep is not always complete; both nighttime awakenings and superficial dreams often occur. But no matter how complex the reasons for the disturbance of healthy sleep are, sleep is vital for every person, like the sun, air and water. So it was laid by nature. Even trees and grasses go into hibernation, getting rid of leaves and dried grass, they begin their rest. Everyone must sleep, all human life is constantly passing in the alternation of wakefulness and sleep.

Healthy sleep is very important and is accompanied by many vital processes, including self-healing. For example, only with sufficient and sound sleep does the metabolism improve, blood pressure normalizes, the main body systems are formed, and the chemical and emotional reserves of cells are restored.

It has long been noted that many people feel better after a good sleep, they feel more energized than usual. At night, a person rests, everything in his head is “put on the shelves”, and in the morning fresh thoughts and ideas come to solve certain problems to which he could not find an answer during the day. In this case, the phrase "The morning is wiser than the evening" comes to mind.

In addition, proper sleep helps accelerate the healing of diseases and wound healing. This goes away most quickly during the slow phase of sleep. Also, during sleep, growth hormones are produced in large quantities and cells are renewed. That is why a person who always gets enough sleep looks much better than his peers. The skin looks firmer, fresher and more radiant. There are no circles under the eyes.

How much sleep do you need

Normally, an adult should sleep 7 - 8 hours, a teenager - 10 - 12 hours, babies - 12 - 15 hours. With the onset of old age, sleep time decreases, and for many it decreases only to 5 - 6 hours a day.

If a person wakes up too early time(subject to late bedtime), then this is a sign of hormonal problems. If he sleeps excessively and does not get enough sleep, then he most likely has a mental disorder or brain problems. In addition, as sleep doctors assure, sleep lasting 9-10 hours or more is very harmful to the emotional background and health. nervous system... Prolonged sleep is dangerous because biorhythms are disturbed, vitality decreases, apathy and even depression appear.

The "quality" of sleep can also speak of a person's health. For example, falling asleep for a long time is, in most cases, the cause of overwork, disorders of the nervous system and severe stress. And frequent waking up at night speaks of violations in the activity of internal organs.

The consequences of lack of sleep

Due to the frantic pace of life and a large number stress, many people suffer from insomnia. A person who hasn't got enough sleep can immediately be seen in the crowd, because he looks tired, absent-minded and with puffiness under his eyes. This is very detrimental to health and performance.

• weakened immunity,
• are accompanied by frequent headaches,
• the risk of heart disease increases,
• the work of the hormonal system is disrupted,
• inflammatory bowel disease occurs,
• the level of cortisol (stress hormone) increases,
• there is a feeling of irritation, frequent mood swings,
• apathy and depression occurs,
• performance falls,
• memory deteriorates, attention,
• the aging process is accelerated,
• provokes gluttony
• vision deteriorates.

Therefore, it is so important to observe the daily regimen and get enough sleep.

How to improve sleep

To make it easier to fall asleep, you can listen to calm music, a melody that induces sleep, and read a pacifying book. But best of all, 15 - 20 minutes before bedtime, take a walk on fresh air- it's also extremely useful. But in no case, you can not exercise at night. This excites the body and makes it difficult to fall asleep. Better meditate.

You should take a responsible approach to the room and place to sleep. Make sure your bed is comfortable, so find the right mattress for you. Be sure to ventilate the room before going to bed. It is noticed that if the room is moderately cool, then the sleep will be stronger and sweeter.

Read the article "How to get rid of insomnia and what to do about it."

Take care of yourself and your precious sleep. Try, no matter what, to always sleep at night. After all, it is very useful for the body, both children and adults.

For a sound, healthy, quality sleep, you must follow the rules. The area for the rash should be comfortable with a well-fitted mattress and the blanket warm but not hot. There should be fresh air in the bedroom, the room should be ventilated before going to bed. More suitable for sleep low temperature air, about 18-22 degrees. Experts say that the lower the temperature in the bedroom, the better the sleep. But, nevertheless, a comfortable temperature must be selected individually.

In the sleeping room, strong odors should be avoided, but for insomnia, you can use an aroma lamp with essential oils of sandalwood, lavender, hops, lemon balm, geranium, etc. Essential oil is selected according to personal preference. And more about smells. Good mood on awakening, the smell of citrus contributes.

2. TV and electronic gadgets before bed

Before going to bed, you should not sit in front of a computer or TV screen for a long time. Japanese researchers have come to the conclusion that using a TV, computer or electronic gadgets just before bed is a factor negatively affecting the process of falling asleep and the quality of sleep, and can lead to sleep disturbances (insomnia).

3. Eating before bed

It is best to eat a few hours before bedtime (at least 2 hours). A full stomach is not conducive to healthy sleep. But perhaps some people need to eat something light to get healthy sleep.

4. Walking

It is useful to walk for 20-30 minutes (as much as possible) before going to bed at a calm pace. Walking in the fresh air oxygenates the brain, calms and relaxes. Leisurely movement relieves the accumulated daily stress. While walking, you can calmly think about the problems that have accumulated during the day, so as not to leave them while falling asleep. It will not be possible to solve problems during the walk, but drawing up an action plan (at least approximate) can just work out. This will calm the nervous system and make your sleep more restful.

5. Gymnastics and physical activity

Never get too busy at night with physical exercises, all exercises before bed are done in slow motion. It is better to postpone hard physical and mental work until the morning or middle of the day. Excessive fatigue, whether mental or physical, also prevents you from falling asleep quickly.

6. Water procedures

Shower before bed should be warm and comfortable, but not hot or cold, not contrasting. Warm water relaxes the body, which helps you fall asleep faster. Cold and pretty hot water on the contrary, they excite the nervous system and tone the body.

7. Problem solving

Before going to bed, you can't think about any problems, look for solutions. Otherwise, under such conditions, you will get insomnia. Provide psychological protection for negative thoughts by suggesting with the help of the statement - "I'll think about this tomorrow", especially when it comes to nervous, emotional and stressful situations.

8. Consider the season

For the full benefits of sleep and the possibility of breakouts, pay attention to the time of year. In winter, it takes a lot large quantity time to achieve a full night's rest, healthy sleep

It has long been noticed that some people who get by with the least amount of sleep have problems with being overweight. This fact must be taken into account especially by women, beauty, whose youth depends on a regular rash.

9. Observe the regime

The invariable benefit of sleep depends on the correct mood for rest, adherence to the daily regimen. To maintain health, a person must certainly fall asleep "today", wake up "tomorrow." All excuses about "owls" or "larks" are unfounded. Each hour of sleep before midnight equals two hours of sleep when falling asleep after midnight. Somnologists believe that a person, like nature, should fall asleep, if possible, at sunset, wake up at dawn. It is advisable to go to bed at the same time to develop the habit of falling asleep.

Quite often, many enthusiastic people are extremely sorry to spend a lot of time sleeping, but it must be remembered that your precious life depends entirely on the restorative process of a full night's rest. Healthy sleep prolongs life. Be healthy!

Adequate sleep leave all problems outside the bedroom threshold

In general, wise people advise to leave all your problems outside the doorstep. That is, when you come home, do not "drag" there with you the solution of work issues or some other external affairs. But for a modern person, this is often a very difficult condition to fulfill. Especially for those who have their own business, their own business. There is no longer time for a clearly rationed working day.

But as for the time of sleep, there should no longer be any excuses - this is the time when there is no place for any reflections on daily issues, situations and problems! I remember I had a period in my life when I was so loaded with thoughts about work that they were constantly spinning in my head! Naturally, there could be no question of any quick and easy falling asleep! What kind of full-fledged sleep is there when the brain is actively engaged in solving "production tasks" ?!

Fortunately, at that time I already knew about the state of awareness and that it is quite possible to control thoughts if you do not let them drift. Indeed, more often than not, thoughts just spin in our head, without control on our part. And many people generally believe that it is impossible to control thoughts - well, how can I not think about it, if these thoughts just enter my head ?!

And nevertheless, the skill "not to think unnecessary thoughts" is quite possible to master. As Scarlett from "Gone with the Wind" said - "I'll think about it tomorrow!". You can take this phrase directly into your arsenal or come up with some of your own. The main thing is that you keep track of unwanted thoughts that come into your head when you try to sleep, and banish them by saying to yourself “No! I will think about it tomorrow!". And immediately they replaced unwanted thoughts with something good.

Here, too, it is important not to overdo it. If, instead of worrying and gloomy thoughts, you start thinking about your dream or something equally inspiring, then you risk being so inspired and energized that you will have no time for sleep! Therefore, it is best to think of something neutral - pleasant, relaxing, but not affecting your emotions too much.

Highly good option there may be memories of some pleasant place where

You could relax and enjoy your vacation. By the way, it doesn't have to be a real place. If you don't have one, then you can come up with one! Moreover, this place can become for you a kind of "refuge" from worries and worries. When you need to calm down and stop harassing yourself with all sorts of worries, you are mentally transported to your “favorite place”, leaving worries and worries outside of it.

Sleep management

Sometimes a sleeping person can be aware that he is in a dream. This can happen both spontaneously and after various training sessions. This state is called lucid dreaming.

Physiological methods of regulation

Healthy sleep requires 4 to 8 hours, but these figures are rather arbitrary. The need for longer sleep is manifested, for example, with a large amount of physical work

We spend about a third of our lives in sleep, therefore it is important to maintain its natural rhythm.

Pharmacological agents

Medicines are sometimes prescribed symptomatically, as are sedatives. Pharmacological regulation of sleep without a doctor's prescription can be very dangerous, in addition, with prolonged use of hypnotics, their effect decreases. Nonetheless, the abuse of sleeping pills and anxiety drugs is common and dangerous in the industrialized world.

For a long time, drugs such as opium and morphine have been considered sedatives and hypnotics, but due to the danger of drug addiction, they are not currently used in this capacity.

For a very long time, more than 100 years, luminal and other barbiturates have been used as a sleeping pill.

Melatonin is one of the more advanced drugs that has high hopes for its physiological nature.

According to recent studies, magnesium deficiency often leads to nervousness, irritability, and bruxism - involuntary teeth grinding during sleep. It has also been found that magnesium contributes to the production of melatonin. However, magnesium itself plays an independent role in creating a calm, comfortable state, relieving stress and relaxing overly tense muscles. Therefore, magnesium supplementation should be part of any dietary program to improve sleep.

Electrosleep

Main article: Electric sleep therapy

Electrosleep is a method of neurostimulating therapy, in which, as a result of exposure to the patient's central nervous system with a pulsed current of low frequency and low strength, a state of drowsiness or sleep occurs. This is a method of therapeutic action on a person with a constant impulse current, low frequency (1-160 Hz), low strength (up to 10 mA), with a pulse duration of 0.2 to 2 ms. Electrosleep has a tranquilizing, sedative, as well as stimulating and some other effects and is recommended as a restorative procedure for a wide range of disorders and diseases.

Sleep rules

1. Give up habits that harm sleep
   What we do before bed has a profound effect on falling asleep. If you go for a run or workout late at night, it activates all the processes in the body, which will take more time to fall asleep. Sleep will be restless and anxious, so astronauts reduce physical activity before going to bed and avoid heavy meals to avoid wasting energy and getting in the way. good sleep... Slow walks in the fresh air and a light meal can help you fall asleep. Believe me, the next morning the head will be clear, and the body will be rested.
2. Restricting the use of electronic devices
   Shortwave light emitted from computers, smartphones and others electronic devices and, worsens sleep. The fact is that bright radiation suppresses the production of melatonin, which is why, sitting up late at the computer, we do not want to sleep. This leads to a disturbance in the rhythm of sleep, so astronauts recommend stopping the use of electronic devices 2-3 hours before bedtime. If you are not ready to go to extremes, then start small: use glasses with special lenses or install the app with a blue filter.
3. Create a sleepy atmosphere
   On the space station, all crew members have their own sleeping quarters without portholes. And this is not economy, but ordinary rationalism. This is done so that frequent sunrises do not impair the astronauts' sleep. The less light enters the room, the higher the melatonin level, respectively, the better the quality of sleep. If it is not possible to eliminate all sources of noise and light, it's time to use a sleep mask and buy earplugs. Also, do not forget to ventilate the room so that the stagnant air does not cause headaches in the morning.
4. Compliance with the regime
   Sunrise in orbit occurs every 90 minutes. And this, for a minute, 16 times a day. Because of this, astronauts often experience sleep disturbances. And the most effective solution to this problem is to develop a habit of going to bed and waking up at the same time. It's a real salvation for astronauts, and to be honest, it's also salvation for the average person. A well-functioning sleep routine solves more than half of our problems with falling asleep and waking up calmly. If you get used to living according to the same routine, you will soon notice how much more cheerful you have become.
5. Taking melatonin and caffeine
   Astronauts have resorted to synthetic melatonin and caffeinated foods to keep pace with their rhythm. Melatonin has a sedative effect and helps you fall asleep, and caffeine helps out when you still have not been able to sleep. In our conditions, melatonin can be obtained by reducing the amount of light in the room, but caffeine is simply irreplaceable. Scientists have found that for the maximum benefit from caffeine, the amount in the blood should be approximately 400 mg. To do this, you just need one large mug of coffee after waking up and one after 4 hours after that.
6. Relaxation techniques
   Very often, the sleep pattern gets confused due to stress and excessive anxiety. In such cases, NASA resorts to cognitive therapy, which helps to bring the mental state back to normal. The relaxation technique shows good results. Simple exercises will improve sleep and make you more calm and balanced. Perhaps the simplest and efficient technique to relieve tension in the body - even deep breathing. Take a deep breath for 5 counts, hold your breath for 5 counts, then exhale in the same way. Repeat several times, watching the tension leave your body. Relax - and your sleep will be sound and healthy!
7. Correct lighting
   Lighting plays an important role in maintaining the biological rhythms of astronauts. That is why fluorescent lamps with a large proportion of blue light in the spectrum are no longer used in lighting on ships. They were replaced by LED ones, which we recommend to you. Try to protect yourself from exposure to fluorescent lamps and replace them with yellow or orange... These lamps have minimal effect on the production of melatonin, and therefore nothing will interfere with your sleep.

All these rules will help you make your daily sleep as effective as possible, as well as fall asleep in the blink of an eye. Total 7 simple rules- and no more sleep problems!

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We all know that a person needs a full night's rest. As well as the consequences of regular lack of sleep: mood and appearance deteriorate, fatigue becomes chronic, and immunity weakens. But what else, besides a constant sleep deficit, is considered a violation of the regime?

site figured out the types of "sleep failures", their side effects and even found ways to smooth out some of them.

1. "Can I stay awake before an important event?"

It seems like one sleepless night can't deal damage. Especially when the reason for the lack of sleep is valid: you need to finish reading a few tickets before the exam, prepare for an important meeting, memorize the speech for the upcoming speech.

In fact, sleep before a responsible event is simply necessary. In a 2015 study, participants reproduced knowledge gained during the day, twice: immediately and after a full night's rest. In the second case, they were able to remember much more of what they had learned the day before.

These results proved: the transfer of memories from short-term to long-term storage occurs just in a dream... So, if tomorrow you want to remember what you learned today, you should get a good night's sleep.

2. "And if you don't need to memorize anything, then a sleepless night is not terrible?"

In fact, even one missed night sleep makes itself felt. The sensations and behavior of a person who has been awake for too long is similar to the state drunkenness and even the symptoms of schizophrenia.

In 2018, scientists from Australia and the Netherlands analyzed previous experiences of their colleagues in depriving volunteers of sleep. Most of the studies were similar:

• Perceptual distortion, anxiety, irritability and temporary disorientation began within 24-48 hours without sleep.
• They were followed by visual hallucinations and thought disorder. after 48–90 hours and crazy ideas after 72 hours.
• Then the symptoms even became similar to a picture of acute psychosis, and 3rd day without sleep, sensory and auditory hallucinations have already been reported.

In addition, a sleepless night, like chronic sleep deficit, can cause a phenomenon called "microsleep". Such "hibernation" can last from a split second to half a minute and is especially dangerous, for example, for drivers. In the United States, sleepy driving is the cause of about 10% of all car accidents.

3. “Okay, but what if a sleepless night cannot be avoided? Maybe you can get enough sleep in advance? "

• Suppose you have a partially or completely sleepless night. You need to meet loved ones arriving by night train. Or you take an early flight on vacation and want to spend the next day walking with friends or sunbathing on the beach instead of under a blanket. Calculate how many hours of sleep you will miss, and distribute them over the several days preceding the sleepless night.
• Add 1.5-3 hours to your standard night's rest. During this time, the body will have time to go through 1–2 complete sleep cycles. Or get yourself a nap, ideally between 13:00 and 15:00. Please note: taking a half hour nap is not an option, it is the 90-minute intervals that are important.

4. "Is it possible, on the contrary, to compensate for the lack of sleep on weekdays with a long sleep on weekends?"

Indeed, the study mentioned above found that the risk of premature death was 65% higher in those who always slept less than 5 hours, and 25% higher those who regularly slept more than 8 hours per day.

There is individual works analyzing a long sleep. For example, in 2018, scientists from Japan and the United States identified a relationship between a habitual night's rest of more than 8-9 hours with an increase in the likelihood of a stroke. diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease and obesity. True, the researchers note that while they can confidently say that long sleep increases the risk of adverse health effects, they cannot yet prove that it is the main risk factor.

So we are waiting for new research, but just in case we try do not sleep more than 8-9 hours daily.

6. "If you work at night and sleep 8 hours during the day, there will be no health consequences?"

Unfortunately, our body is practically cannot fully adapt to the downed daily regimen.

Scientists say that only 25% of night shift workers manage to adapt significantly, and less than 3% adapt completely (the production of the hormone melatonin, which plays a key role in the regulation of sleep, is at its peak during daytime sleep). Everyone else is unable to adjust their biological rhythms to the schedule. A recent study published in early 2019 also suggests that night workers have lower levels of antioxidant protection.

If you are, for example, a freelancer who considers himself a notorious owl and on their own working at night, try to adjust the mode to a more convenient one for your body. It will be awkward and uncomfortable at first, but you will most likely find that your productivity and mood will improve over time.

If this is a necessity (favorite / highly paid / interesting (underline as appropriate) work on the night shift, which you do not want to change) - deceive the body. American scientists, focusing on the results of their research, advise the following techniques to improve adaptation:

• More light during working hours: If there is dim light in the office, periodically turn on the light at full power or go to rooms where the light is bright, at least for a short time.
• Less light on the way home: You can use dark sunglasses, do not go to brightly lit supermarkets on the way.
• Maximum darkness and silence at home: Buy curtains that block out daylight, or wear a sleep mask, use ear plugs.

Sleep is the body's basic physiological need along with nutrition. If a person does not get enough sleep on a regular basis, big problems with health, memory, attention decreases, the process is disrupted. You should know what period of time is needed for healthy sleep for an adult, child, woman, man.

What is healthy sleep?

1. It is better to go to bed and get up in the same period of time. The difference between the duration of rest on weekends and weekdays should be no more than an hour.
2. After waking up, you can't lie in bed - you can go back to sleep. The best option is to train the body to wake up at set hours.
3. An hour before lights out, you should calm down, exclude fuss, active physical activity.
4. The mattress and pillow on the bed should be comfortable, preferably orthopedic.
5. It is recommended to ventilate the room before going to bed. It is necessary to monitor the temperature, humidity in the room.
6. It is better not to eat anything 2-3 hours before bedtime. A light dinner, a glass of kefir is allowed.

Attention! These are the basics to help you stay awake and sleep soundly through the night. Healthy sleep is uninterrupted sleep.

The dangers of chronic sleep deprivation

If a person regularly sleeps no more than 5-6 hours at knocks, his health deteriorates.Almost all systems of the body begin to work with malfunctions, the following problems arise:

• decreased immunity, frequent colds;
• heart diseases;
• irritability, nervousness;
• headache;
• insomnia;
• excess weight;
• depression;
• increased levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

Attention! No less dangerous is the replenishment of chronic lack of sleep during the week with sleep for 12-13 hours on weekends. The basic biological rhythms of the body are disrupted, which leads to an aggravation of the situation.

How much sleep do you need to knock?

Scientists say that it is optimal to sleep 7-8 hours a day.If a person needs more than 10, this is a violation that threatens with reduced concentration of attention, memory, deterioration in working capacity, constant fatigue.

Specific figures for the amount of sleep vary depending on age, gender. Newborn babies sleep 12-18 hours a day. By the year the figure drops to 15, by the age of 3 - to 14 hours a day. In the future, you need to sleep:

• children 3-5 years old - 11-13 hours;
• younger students - 10-11;
• adolescents - 8-10;
• adults - 7.5-9.

Attention! The figures given are the average. The specific period of time depends on the individual characteristics of the organism. For some, 6 hours is enough, others even after 8 feel weak. You should listen to your condition. For example, Napoleon needed 5 hours of sleep, Einstein slept at least 11.

The dependence of the duration of sleep on gender was found. Men often need 6-7 hours, women need to sleep 7-8 for a good rest. This is due to the fact that in women, brain activity is more difficult.

The main rule that must be observed is that the time of healthy sleep should be divisible by 90 minutes.This is how long the full sleep cycle lasts with a slow and fast phase. A person must go through 4-5 cycles per night. Therefore, it is optimal to sleep 6 or 7.5 hours. For those who like to sleep longer, the optimal duration of sleep is 6 cycles, or 9 hours.

12 pillars of health and longevity

Lack of night rest reduces memory, promotes depression, weakening the immune system, and increases the risk of level 2 diabetes and other diseases.

Lack of sleep accelerates the aging of the body, so a night's sleep should be healthy and sufficient.

Optimal sleep for a person is 7-9 hours. It is very important when you fall asleep and when you wake up. Wakefulness at night is a gross violation of the regime of life.

Elderly people who have poor health, whose body is weakened by alcoholism, illness, excessive physical and mental stress, an afternoon nap is recommended, especially in the summer months.

In good health, sleeping during the day is not recommended, as this can lead to the accumulation of mucus, and then to its movement, which is accompanied by weight gain, edema, headaches, depression and frequent colds.

Constant sleepiness is characteristic when there is an excess of mucus in the body. To get rid of it, they use emetics, fasting. Insomnia is very bad for your health. And in order to sleep at night, you need to be awake during the day.

Try to relax before going to bed. Analyze the events of the past day in your mind and think over plans for the next day.

Adjust your sleep... Some researchers equate an hour of sleep before midnight with two hours after midnight. So try to adjust your routine so that you go to bed a few hours before midnight and preferably at the same time.

Give your body a rest... If it so happens that you did not have to sleep at night, go to bed the next day on an empty stomach and sleep half the time you are awake at night.

Don't eat sweets at night as they contribute to insomnia.

Use foods that promote good sleep... In case of bad sleep, it is recommended to use lactic acid foods, hot milk, soups, cottage cheese in the diet. It is also good to rub cosmetic oil into the scalp and body.

The 7 best foods to help calm the nervous system and promote a great night's rest:

Lean popcorn (popcorn)	Eat popcorn half an hour before bed. The carbohydrates it contains stimulate the production of serotonin, a neurochemical that gives a feeling of relaxation.
Oatmeal with banana slices	The hormone melatonin activates sleep, but stress or excitement interfere with its release. Calm your mind, your emotions, eat a bowl of oatmeal with banana chunks, which is rich in melatonin.
A cup of yogurt with two tablespoons of the hazelnut mixture	Yogurt is one of the best food sources of lysine, and nuts are high in arginine. Since both foods contain protein that can help promote calming, eat this mixture a few hours before bed (or in the afternoon, before an important event at work). This will reduce residual evening stress and allow you to fall asleep faster.
Sesame	Sesame seeds (sesame seeds) are one of the best natural sources of tryptophan, an amino acid that induces sleep. Remember that foods that contain animal protein (such as chicken) reduce the effects of tryptophan.
Handful of drying	Bagels are a source of carbohydrates that can cause drowsiness. Since they are also low in calories and fat, they do not contribute to weight gain or indigestion.
Glass of natural cherry juice	Cherry juice Contains carbohydrates that produce serotonin, which helps to relax. Drink the juice an hour before bed if you feel an energy boost caused by eating sugar-containing foods. Cherry juice will help you sleep well and stabilize your blood sugar.
Sweet (Bulgarian) pepper	Bell peppers contain more vitamin C than other vegetables or fruits. Vitamin C reduces the production of cortisol, a hormone released during stress.

Help from phytocomplexes

• Recommended schemes for taking phytocomplexes in solving problems with sleep.

Over the past years, a lot of people have suffered from chronic fatigue syndrome. This disease occurs primarily in adults. Symptoms of the disease: minor mental impairments, general fatigue, rapid fatigue, which is accompanied by sleep disturbances, weakness, impairment of attention, memory and performance. Among the main causes of this disease are daily stress, intoxication of the body.

• a - eliminates chronic fatigue, increases physical activity, endurance, performance, normalizes the nervous system, enhances immunity, and replenishes nutritional deficiencies.
• - anti-stress complex, improves sleep, has an anti-stress and calming effect, normalizes the work of the cardiovascular system, compensates for nutritional deficiencies.

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Countries that switch clocks from daylight saving time to winter this Sunday will give people an extra hour of sleep. But how much do we really know about sleep and its effect on various areas of our lives?

1. The well-known "eight hours of sleep"

We often hear that you need to sleep eight hours a day. This is the recommendation from national health organizations around the world, from the UK's NHS to the US National Sleep Foundation. But where did this advice actually come from?

Studies conducted in different countries to determine how often diseases affect different groups of the population come to the same conclusion: people who suffer from lack of sleep, like those who sleep too much, are more susceptible to multiple diseases and live on average less ...

However, it is difficult to say whether sleep disturbances are the cause of illness, or vice versa - a symptom of an unhealthy lifestyle.

Sleep too short usually means less than six hours, "too much sleep" is more than nine to ten hours.

Children under puberty are usually advised to sleep up to 11 hours a night, and babies up to 18 hours a night. The night's sleep for teenagers is believed to be up to 10 hours.

Shane O "Mara, professor of experimental brain research at Trinity College Dublin, says that while it is difficult to say with certainty whether sleep deprivation is a cause or a consequence of poor health, the two are mutually reinforcing.

For example, people who do not pay enough attention to physical exercise sleep worse, which makes them more tired and, as a result, does not have the energy to go in for sports - and so on.

We know that scientists have linked chronic sleep deprivation - that is, not getting enough sleep for one or two hours over an extended period of time - to poor health over and over again: you don't have to stay up for several days in a row to notice the negative effects of sleep deprivation.

2. What happens to your body when you don't get enough sleep?

Lack of sleep can lead to a number of health conditions.

Results from 153 studies involving more than five million people clearly link lack of sleep to diabetes. high pressure, diseases of the cardiovascular system, ischemic disease and obesity.

Studies have shown that a lack of sleep for as little as a few nights in a row can cause healthy person to pre-diabetic state. Moderate sleep deprivation reduces the body's ability to control blood glucose levels.

With insufficient sleep, the effectiveness of vaccines decreases, and lack of sleep has a devastating effect on immunity, making us vulnerable to infections.

In one study, participants who slept less than seven hours were three times more likely to catch colds than those who slept seven or more hours.

Sleep deprived bodies have produced too much ghrelin, the hormone responsible for hunger, and not enough leptin, the satiety hormone, and thus increase the risk of obesity.

There is also a connection between lack of sleep and decreased brain activity and even, in the long term, dementia.

Professor O "Mara explains that toxic substances accumulate in the brain during the day and are removed during sleep. If you do not sleep long enough, you feel" like a mild concussion. "

The effects of sleeping too long have been less studied, but it is also known to be associated with a number of disorders, including brain impairment in older people.

3. Different types of sleep help the body recover

Our sleep consists of cycles, which are divided into several stages. Each cycle lasts 60 to 100 minutes. Each stage plays a role in numerous processes that continue in our body while we sleep.

The first stage in each cycle is a drowsy, relaxed state between wakefulness and sleep. Breathing slows down, muscles relax, pulse slows down.

The second is a slightly deeper sleep, during which you can sleep, but still assume that you are awake.

The third stage is deep sleep, when it is very difficult to wake up, any activity in the body at this moment is at a minimum level.

The second and third stages enter the phase of slow wave sleep, usually at this time a person does not see dreams.

After deep sleep, we return to the second stage for a few minutes, and then move on to the REM sleep phase, which is usually accompanied by dreams.

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Thus, during a complete sleep cycle, a person goes through all stages from the first to the third, then briefly returns to the second stage, and then the fourth stage begins - the REM sleep phase.

In the course of the following cycles, the length of the REM phase of sleep increases, so the lack of sleep affects it to a greater extent.

4. People with sleep disorders who work in shifts are more likely to get sick

Shift work can cause many health problems. Researchers have found that those who work shifts and sleep too little at the wrong times may have an increased risk of diabetes and obesity.

Shift workers are significantly more likely to rate their health as poor or fair, a 2013 NHS study found.

Scientists have also found that people in this group are much more likely to suffer from chronic diseases than those working on a standard schedule.

Those who work in shifts are much more likely to miss work due to illness, statistics show.

The gap between those engaged in physical and mental work is even greater, and in addition, lack of sleep appears to be more affecting those who lead a sedentary lifestyle.

5. Many of us suffer from sleep deprivation more than ever.

Based on media reports, one might think that we are seized by an epidemic of lack of sleep. But has the rate of sleep deprivation really increased?

The study in 15 countries gave a very mixed picture. In six countries, scientists recorded a decrease in the duration of sleep, in seven - an increase, and two more countries gave conflicting results.

There is ample evidence that the duration of sleep has changed little over the past few generations. However, when you ask people how they rate their lack of sleep, a different picture emerges.

So why are so many people reporting tiredness? This may be due to the fact that the problem affects certain groups, and the general trend is difficult to identify.

Sleep problems vary significantly by age and gender, a study of 2,000 British adults found. In the course of it, it turned out that women of almost any age suffer more from lack of sleep than men.

V adolescence the indicators more or less coincide, but then women begin to suffer much more from lack of sleep - this may be due to the appearance of children. Then the gap closes again.

Caffeine and alcohol affect the length and quality of sleep.

Regularly going to bed later due to work or socializing results in people getting less rest despite sleeping the same number of hours, explains Professor Derk-Jan Dijk of the Center for Sleep Research at the University of Surrey.

In addition, some may sleep too little during the week and sleep on weekends, increasing the average number of hours of sleep. In the end, however, these people still suffer from sleep deprivation.

Teenagers can be particularly affected by sleep deprivation, says Professor Dyck.

6. We didn't always sleep the way we do now.

But that wasn't always considered the norm, says Roger Ekirch, professor of history at Virginia Tech. In 2001, he published a scientific paper based on the results of 16 years of research.

In his book When the Day Ends, it is stated that hundreds of years ago, people in many parts of the world slept in two stages.

Ekirch found more than two thousand testimonies in diaries, court records and literature that prove that people went to bed soon after dusk, then stayed awake for several hours at night - and went to bed again.

In his opinion, this means that the body has a natural preference for "segmented sleep".

Not all scientists agree with him. Some researchers have found modern hunter-gatherer communities that do not divide sleep into two stages, although they do not have electric lighting. That is, "segmented sleep" is not necessarily the default natural norm.

According to Ekirkh, the transition from biphasic to monophasic sleep took place in the 19th century. Then the possibility of lighting houses led to the fact that people began to go to bed later, while waking up at the same time as before. Improvements in lighting led to changes in the biological clock, and the industrial revolution required more productivity from people.

7. Phones interfere with teenagers' sleep

Sleep experts believe teens need up to 10 hours of sleep a day, but nearly half of them sleep significantly less, according to the UK health system.

Bedrooms should be a place to relax, but there are more and more distractions such as laptops and mobile phones. All this complicates the process of going to bed.

We have more variety of entertainment than ever before - the end result is the temptation to stay awake more.

The blue light emitted from electronic devices makes us want to sleep less. And the activity itself - talking with friends or watching TV - stimulates our brain when it needs to relax.

Statistics show that most young people continue to check their phones after they go to bed.

8. Research on sleep disorders is growing

More and more people are turning to doctors with complaints of sleep problems.

Analyzing data from the British health care system in June, the BBC found that the number of studies on sleep disorders has grown every year over the past decade.

There are several factors, but obesity seems to be the most important, according to neurologist Guy Leschziner. The most common complaint, according to his observation, is obstructive sleep apnea - a violation of breathing during sleep, which is closely related to the problem of excess weight.

The media also played a role, as people are more likely to go to therapists after reading an article about sleep problems or searching the internet for symptoms, he says.

Cognitive behavioral therapy is the recommended treatment for insomnia, and doctors are increasingly coming to the conclusion that pills should not be prescribed in such cases. However, many still do this, since not everyone has the opportunity to undergo treatment without medication, especially outside the big cities.

9. Are there differences in different countries?

One study examined the sleep-related habits of people in 20 industrialized countries. It turned out that the time when people go to bed and wake up can vary up to an hour in one direction or the other, but in general in different countries it was approximately the same.

As a rule, if, on average, residents of a country went to bed later, they woke up later, although not in all cases.

The researchers concluded that social factors - working hours, school schedules, leisure habits - play a greater role than darkness or daylight hours.

In Norway, where nighttime hours can range from zero to 24 hours, sleep duration varies by an average of only half an hour throughout the year.

And in countries like Britain, where the times of sunrise and sunset are highly dependent on the time of year, and in countries closer to the equator, where this difference is minimal, the duration of sleep remains constant throughout the year.

What about the effects of artificial lighting?

A study of three communities without access to electricity in three countries - Tanzania, Namibia and Bolivia - found that the average sleep time there is about 7.7 hours. That is, the same as in industrialized countries.

Thus, the duration of sleep is approximately the same throughout the world. In these communities, they also went to bed not as soon as it got dark, but fell asleep about three hours after sunset - and woke up before dawn.

Most studies show that, yes, artificial light delays sleep time, but does not necessarily shorten sleep time.

10. "Larks" and "owls"

There were always "morning" and "evening" people. We even have genetic evidence to support this.

Artificial light seems to exacerbate this effect - especially for people who prefer to go to bed later. If you're already prone to being an "owl," artificial light will push you to go to bed even later.

Roughly 30% of us tend to be early risers and 30% to be owls, with the remaining 40% somewhere in between - although slightly more of them prefer to get up earlier than go to bed later.

At the same time, we can partially control our biological clock. Those who are accustomed to getting up and going to bed later may try to rebuild and get more daylight.

The research team selected a group of volunteers in Colorado who were denied access to artificial light sources. And only 48 hours was enough to move their biological clock forward by almost two hours.

Levels of melatonin, a hormone that tells the body to get ready for sleep, began to rise earlier in the volunteers, and their bodies began to prepare for sleep closer to sunset.