Ekanem - How to Sleep Right: A Guide to Sleeping Productively

Anthony Ekanem

Sleep is defined as a state when the motor activity and senses are suspended; there is partial or total unconsciousness, and the voluntary muscles of the body are not active. It is more reversible than coma or hibernation, yet responds less to any kind of stimulus than silent wakefulness. Sleep is very important, as it is the rest cycle of the body.

Doctors say that this cycle is a heightened anabolic state a certain period when the body produces new nervous and muscular tissue and bone. To put it simply, this is a period when the body grows and being repaired.

Sleep is triggered by a group of hormones in the body. These hormones react to cues within the body and in the environment.

According to National Sleep Foundation, all people need to get the right sleep because this is how the body recuperates all the energy it has lost after a tiring day.

Well, this is a no-brainer, so you dont need an expert organization to tell you how important sleep is. Some of the common signs of lack of sleep are incapability to multitask, disinhibition, slowed speech, impaired memory, moodiness and irritability.

Disinhibition pertains to poor risk evaluation and lack of self-control. It commonly results to a reduced ability in managing or editing their response to a certain situation.

The amount of sleep humans need greatly varies with every person, yet on average, an adult must have 8 sleeping hours. Some people have the ability to do well in school or at work with only 6 hours of sleep, while others require 10 hours of sleep.

How Sleep Deprivation Can Affect the Body

Psychologists and scientists who conducted study on sleep disorders have found out that sleep deprivation can have an adverse effect on the following:

Metabolic Functions: The processes required for a living organisms maintenance.

The Immune System: This system is a defense mechanism that is made up of a large network of organs, tissues, and cells working together to give the body shield from any infectious organisms like toxins, parasites, viruses, microbes and bacteria.

Cardiovascular System: This system comprises capillaries, blood and heart vessels, veins and arteries. It transports gases, metabolic wastes, hormones and foods to and from the cells.

Nervous System: The brain, an integral part of the nervous system, controls everything concerning the body such as fundamental functions, sensations, emotions, thoughts and actions.

There are so many reasons as to why people need to get a good nights sleep. In fact, it is not just designed for the physical health, but for the mental, social, emotional and spiritual health as well.

By simply having a good quality sleep every night, the quality of your life will also improve. However, this will only be possible if you will fix your lifestyle and eat a balanced diet. In other words, the quality of sleep you will get will depend on the everyday choices you make and on how you live your life.

Have you ever noticed that you feel energized or sleepy after drinking certain things? Well, that is simply because the drinks you consume can affect the quality of your sleep. Just like other human beings, you have the right to sleep soundly at night. So, read the succeeding paragraphs to know the worst drinks that will rob you of a good nights sleep.

Coffee

You surely know for a fact that the main ingredient in coffee is caffeine. This is popularly known as the most common drug in the world because it is a stimulant which works by increasing the bodys energy levels. Research shows that coffee drinkers suffer from a wide range of sleep disorders such as apnea, insomnia and narcolepsy.

If you cant resist drinking coffee, maybe now is the right time for you to give it up. Yes, it can make you energetic the whole day, but it can make you feel restless the moment you go to bed. If you dont want to be a living zombie, say goodbye to coffee now!

Alcohol

It is believed that drinking alcohol before going to bed will make you feel relaxed and easier to enter dreamland. This may be true to others, but studies show that this beverage can disrupt sleep and increase your tendency to snore. According to London Sleep Centre scientists, it acts as a sedative, but can disrupt the bodys sleeping pattern.

Those who sleep under the influence of alcohol will feel like they have been in a deep sleep, buy they have actually been deprived of rapid eye movement sleep.

What is alarming nowadays is that so many people have become dependent on alcohol in order to sleep. Experts claim that this is very dangerous to the body because it can lead to addiction and worse, insomnia.

The Relationship of Alcohol and Snoring

Many people think that by drinking too much alcohol, they will immediately fall into a deep sleep. As aforementioned, since it is a sedative, it can cheat the body out of good quality sleep. This is the reason why people who drink alcohol still get tired right after 8 to 9 hours of sleep.

Studies have shown that alcohol can turn a non-habitual snorer to a habitual one and worse, it can increase his or her tendency to suffer from apnea. This is because alcohol makes the tissue around the nasal passages and throat relaxed, thus making the soft tissue to vibrate and move.

So, what does this study mean? Well, if you have an important meeting or event to attend to the next morning, the best decision you could ever make is to forget about the nightcap. If you want your life to be on the right track, you should say no to the things that can harm your body. Alcohol is one of them.

One of the most common sleep disorders that are experienced by millions of people around the world is insomnia. This is defined as the incapability to sleep, not depending upon the number of your sleeping hours, but on your sleeps quality and how you feel the moment you wake up in the morning.

Thus, even if you were able to sleep 8 hours during the night, but feel tired when you wake up, that means you have insomnia.

People suffering from this pesky sleeping disorder usually resort to medication, as it is convenient and offers quick results. However, the major drawback of medicines is that they can be very addictive.

Good thing, there are some healthy alternatives that can help you to be free from insomnia without spending a fortune and exposing your body to risks and side effects.

By simply stretching your muscles and moving your joints, you will no longer feel like you are a living zombie due to the inability to sleep. The following are some of the most ideal exercises that will give your body a boost and set your sleeping pattern on the right track:

Stress Relaxation Exercises: The key to having a good nights sleep is relaxation. One of the most common and effective relaxation strategies is to count backwards. In doing so, the excessively active neuron activity in the brain will be deactivated, so you will become bored and go off to a deep slumber. But wait. If you dont want to count backwards, just count sheep instead.

Breathing Exercise: You can also perform a deep breathing exercise involving the ribcage, lower back, lower abdomen and chest. By simply inhaling deeply and fully, the parasympathetic nervous system which controls relaxation will be affected. This will result in sleep and comfort. In addition, since you are inhaling more oxygen amount, the supply of your blood increases within your brain and body. As a result, the essential nutrients which aid you to sleep better, properly flows to your brain.