Sleep disturbance and difficulty to fall asleep is a very common problem in the present world. Studies and statistics show that 25 out of 100 people are not able to sleep well and take at least 1 or 2 hours to fall asleep. Human body is made to stay awake during the day and sleep at night, hence, trying to compensate for the sleep during the day is not a good option for the body. A good night’s sleep is very important for the proper functioning of our body and brain. The duration of sleep required varies according to age, occupation and lifestyle.
On an average, a new born baby would sleep approximately 16 hours a day, children upto their teenage may need around 9 to 10 hours of sleep and normal adults would require 7 to 7-1/2 hours of sleep. A peaceful sleep is the process through which the body and brain prepare for another day of activity. The body repairs several inflammations caused due to the food we eat, excessive tension, or different kinds of diseases during sleep. The brain releases chemical called cytokins during sleep which help relieve all the inflammations in the body.
A few tips to get a good night’s sleep are
1. Do some exercise in the evening. If not any specific exercise, a walk in the evening would help. By way of exercise, the brain releases chemicals called endorphins which help it to relax and thus aid in sleep.
2. Early dinner. Finish the evening meal 2 hours before sleep time. Trying to sleep on a full stomach will lead to continued working of the brain and other organs of the body to complete the process of digestion and thus the body is deprived of sufficient rest. Also, this may cause problems like indigestion, sour eructation, etc., which further cause a disturbed sleep.
3. Sleep at the same time every day so that the biological clock in the body is maintained. Thus, the brain shuts down at that time every day.
4. Temperature of the body and of the room must be maintained at 1 to 2 degrees below the atmospheric temperature. This can be done by taking a body bath just before sleep at night. Sleeping immediately after the bath will give a peaceful and restful sleep.
5. Avoid use of cell phone and other gadgets at least one hour before sleep. Viewing the screen or having bright light in the room will keep the eyes and brain active thereby preventing good sleep. An enzyme called melatonin has to be released in the brain for us to sleep. When we watch at a light source, the production of melatonin is largely reduced thereby leading to lack of sleep.
6. Listen to soft music or interesting pleasant lectures during bedtime, as by listening to something, the brain concentrates on that and you gradually fall asleep.
7. Sleep technique used by the American army. Rest on the back and relax with the lights off. Close the eyes and tighten the facial muscles. At the same time, concentrate to the forehead and think of something that you like such as a blue sky or a star-studded sky. Assume staring at the sky and gradually relax the muscles. Repeat this a few times. Another technique is to lie flat on the back and stretch out the limbs and tighten the muscles of the body and face. Try to breath in deeply for 3 to 4 seconds and then gradually breath out. Repeat the muscle tightening and breathing 3 to 4 times. Then gradually relax all the muscles of the body. You will feel all the muscles relaxing and a feeling of weakness all over the body. Repeat this exercise a few times until you gradually fall asleep. With the level of stress and pressure the present lifestyle brings, a good night’s sleep is the best way to prepare oneself for another new day. These methods, if tried, will surely aid in getting over the issue of lack of sleep.