Sleep is one of the most important functions of the body and main factors in body, mind and brain health. It can be difficult to tell if poor sleep is a symptom of or a cause of poor mental or physical health. Sometimes it is both.
Reasons why sleep is so important
- The body repairs and rejuvenates itself during sleep.
- Sleep restores energy.
- Strengthens the immune system.
- Relieves stress.
- Assist memory
- Enables learning.
Conditions that are associated with Chronic Insomnia
- Depression
- Post-traumatic stress
- Changes in circadian rhythms due to lifestyle/diet or shift work
- Post-concussive syndrome
- Dementia
- Anxiety
- Type 2 Diabetes
- After-effects of stroke
- After-effects of COVID-19 on the brain
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Restless leg syndrome
- Autism
- Obesity/weight gain
- Lessened ability to cope with stress
- Mood disorders
- Cognitive issues
- Memory problems
- Hypertension
- Cardiovascular disease
Strategies for Insomnia
For sufferers of short-term insomnia, a combination of strategies can be implemented. Be mindful that it will take time to balance the sleep-wake cycle, so prepare for a trial-and-error period until the right combination presents itself. The basics are referred to as sleep hygiene.
- Avoid coffee, tea, sugar, meals, and exercise before bed. These are all stimulants. Try natural sleep aids like warm milk, herbal tea, or supplements such as Magnesium, Passionflower, Zizyphus, or California Poppy.
- Create a conducive sleep space. TVs and phones keep minds engaged. Blue screen light emitted from devices has been shown to suppress levels of melatonin, disrupting the sleep-wake cycle.
- Establish a bedtime routine. Go to bed and wake up at the same time, including weekends. Consistency promotes good sleep.
- Quit smoking and limit drinking. Nicotine and alcohol severely disrupt sleep patterns.
- Keep stressful conversations for the day.
- Promote relaxing rituals. Read a book, meditate, deep breathing, and play peaceful music or ambient sounds.
- Introduce aromatherapy such as lavender, sandalwood, neroli, and cedarwood.
- Evaluate your medications in discussion with your doctor.
- Consider a sleep log to record when you fall asleep, wake up, and instances of disruption.
- Stay active during the day.
If these strategies aren't working it is time to get help! There is much more that can be done to look at the cause and possible treatments for poor sleep so book in with one of our GPs at NeuroOptimize to discuss your individual needs.
Deep dive into understanding sleep - Start your knowledge journey about sleep below.
Sleep Cycles and Stages of Sleep
Quality sleep is essential to overall good health. One of the reasons for this is that your brain goes through various sleep cycles throughout the night. If your sleep is interrupted, you will not get all of the benefits of a good night’s sleep. Deep sleep is when your brain repairs, restores, and regenerates itself. Think of sleep as the time your brain is cleaning “house” and getting rid of all of the garbage that accumulates throughout the day. If this doesn’t happen, your brain health begins to suffer in other ways, which affects your mental and overall health. Additionally, many research studies have shown the importance of going to sleep by 10:00 pm. Between 10:00 pm and 2:00 am is when the brain spends the most time in “Deep Sleep.” This stage of sleep is when the reparation is most effective.
In a perfect world, your brain should be moving through the various sleep cycles every 90 – 110 minutes. Different psychological changes occur throughout each cycle.
Stage 1. is the first cycle when you fall asleep, and you will be in a very light sleep. You will be very easily awakened, but your brain activity is slowing down.
In Stage 2. your heart rate gets slower, and your body temperature decreases as the brain waves continue to slow down.
THE IMPORTANCE OF DEEP SLEEP
Deep Sleep occurs in Stage 3. This is the most important cycle for the restoration and repair of the brain and the body, and is when detoxification occurs. During Stage 3, the brain is in the slow Delta Wave phase. Human Growth Hormone is released during this stage and is responsible for cell growth, regeneration, and reproduction.
REM (rapid eye movement) occurs in Stage 4. It’s during this time that you will experience dreaming. Every stage lasts about 5-15 minutes, ideally. As indicated above, there is less time in REM sleep during the earlier part of the night, which is why it’s beneficial to go to bed by 10:00 pm. From around 2:00 am and closer to the morning, the opposite happens. The deep sleep stages are shortened, and more time is spent in the dreaming stage.
Results may vary based on individual users and there are no guarantees given.
