Sleep, Insomnia and Suggestions

When we sleep, our brain regulates the gastrointestinal, cardiovascular and immune systems and energizes the body. It also works to detoxify the liver, kidneys and other detoxification systems.
It also processes information and knowledge. This allows us to operate efficiently physically, mentally and emotionally throughout the day. So for the sake of your health it’s best not to miss out.

While we sleep, our body rejuvenates and heals and grows. The exercises we do during the day will only be "processed" when we sleep and fats will be burned. What we see, read and learned during the day will be organized and stored in the right places when the brain is at rest.

This is why it is so important to sleep sufficiently. It may be 6 or 7 or 8 hours for some, maybe even more for others. But be sure to get your sufficient sleep every night. Eliminate processed foods from your diet and regularly drink fresh juices which will gradually regulate your internal chemical balance for better sleep patterns.

If you are encountering a period of insomnia, try this juice to help calm the nerves and promote better sleep.

RECIPE:
- 2 green apples
- 2 ribs of celery
- A bunch of Romaine lettuce
- A bunch of cilantro
- 1/4 slice of lemon
- 1/2 inch ginger root piece (optional)

(Source: FB, Learning Petals)

Why Good quality sleep is important

Each person needs a good quality sleep. An Adult needs 7-8 hours of sleep and children need 10 hours of sleep to stay healthy. Sleep may not be sufficient or of good quality if it is disturbed or interuppted. Person may feel sleepy in day time or feel headache with tiredness or burning sensation in eyes in the day hours. He or she may feel sleepy at inappropriate times like during travelling or just after lunch.

One of the causes for not getting a good quality sleep is presence of artificial lights in the bed room. Our biological clock or sleep wake cycle is regulated by sleep hormone or Melatonin which is secreted by pineal gland located in brain. Synthesis or secretion of Melatonin is affected if our eyes are exposed to light during sleep. If artificial lights like Mobile phones or TV, LCD’s, night bulb, Table lamp etc are used or present in our bed room, it may alter melatonin secretion and make our sleep poor quality.

Melatonin is very important as it helps in inducing sleep and regulating biological clock of the body. Melatonin has strong neuro-protective effects. It prevents brain damage, Alzheimers etc. It also supress tumour or Cancer growth as it is a powerful Antioxidant. It also influence Human Growth Hormone or HGH, which is responsible to burn excess fat and repair tissue damage, improve bone density and enhance immunity during sleep. It is now revealed through research and studies that even the tiniest light may lead to insufficient or poor quality sleep by altering Melatonin synthesis. In the day time, sunlight triggers brain to inhibit melatonin making us active and alert. So it is advised to sleep in dark as our body produce melatonin in response to darkness Each day sleep has its own importance. Every time we sacrifice one night sleep it gets added to the sleep debt. One can never pay off sleep debt in a night or weekend to get back on track again.

Sleep deprevation or Poor quality sleep may lead to :

1. Fatigue, Letharginess, Stress, sleepiness in daytime
2. Reduced Immunity
3. Weight Gain
4. Lack of concentration, Anger, Irritability
5. Moodiness
6. Cause prediabetic stage of feeling hungry.
7. Heart diseases
8. Constipation
9. Hypertension, risk of Stroke
10. Psychosis & Depression
11. Liver & Skin ailments

For Optimizing good Sleep :

1. Sleep in complete darkness. tiniest bit of light may disrupt secreation of melatonin in Pineal gland.
2. Keep your bedroom dark, neither too cold or not too warm.
3. Keep electrical devices, alarm clocks far away from bed.
4. Early to bed and early to rise.
5. Avoid Mobile phones and TV before going to bed.
6. Avoid exercise just before sleep.
7. Light massage in the evening, meditation, deep breathing exercises, mild aerobics stimulates good sleep at night.
8. Avoid heavy dinner.
9. Avoid reading anything that stimulates brain at bed time. Also avoid coffee, alchohol, tea or taking food just before sleep.
10. Stick to the same bed routine daily.
11. A light shower in the evening is beneficial.
12. A glass of milk or a banana after dinner is good to promote sleep as it contains sleep inducing hormones.

Sleep is the period when our Brain and Body is at rest. A good quality of sleep helps to maintain physical and mental balance, emotional quotient, creativity, productivity, weight balance and our overall health. Make sure you sleep in a dark room and get benefits of a good quality “Good Night Sleep”. Be Fit & Stay Healthy.

Health Benefit of Sleeping

(Seen on facebook, learning petals)

Remember, sleep is not a waste of time!!! 

Make sure that you get deep sleep too. 

Insomnia Solution

Even if you've drunk gallons of camomile tea, shut the curtains and turned off the lights, there's still plenty of reasons why you might not be falling into the land of nod. 

Here are six of the biggest sleep faux pas that keep millions of Brits awake at night...

Too many tablets 

If you've got a cold or, even worse, the flu, you may be struggling to switch off because of a runny nose and chesty cough. It's natural to reach for the pills and pop a couple of tablets, but this could actually make things worse. 

Pseudoephedrine, which is present in most decongestant tablets, has been known to cause insomnia, so stick to remedies specifically designed for the night time. 

Cut your soak short

A long hot bath can definitely make you feel more relaxed, but climbing straight out of the water and into bed really isn't a good idea. 

Naturally your body temperature dips at night making you feel more relaxed. A hot bath makes your temperature rise, but it's the actual cooling down process that relaxes you. 

The steeper the drop, the deeper you'll sleep, so quickly diving under the covers won't give your body the correct cool-down. Take a bath at least an hour before bed time for the best results. 

Don't use your laptop in the dark

Tapping away on your computer before bed may sound like a great way to rest, but research has shown that the 'blue-light' emitted from gadgets suppresses our melatonin levels and throws off our body clocks. 

Switch your gadgets off an hour before bed or dim the screen as much as possible after 8pm. 

Carb cramps

Eating big starchy meals before bedtime puts strain on your digestive system and can leave you feeling bloated. Research has shown that a full tum can stimulate brain waves that result in nightmares, so steer clear of big meals two hours before bedtime. 

Avoid arguments

Even if you're bursting to get something off your chest, arguing about it before bedtime will just keep you awake. Stress and over stimulation before bed won't allow your brain to relax, so you'll stay in a state of 'sleeplessness'.

The same goes for sending angry texts or making difficult phone calls - save the stress until the morning. 

Don't search for missing items 

You've just got comfortable but now you've remembered that annoying missing sock that you forgot to look for earlier. 

Getting up and searching for it could settle your mind, but if you can't find it it will only drive you to distraction. Unless it's urgent stay away from puzzles and conundrums until the morning. 

Content and image source: Yahoo Singapore:
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/desperate-good-nights-sleep-6-things-avoid-bedtime-202006080.html