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Happygrrls' How-To:
Sleep like a baby...
I suppose I stopped sleeping at normal human hours when I was fifteen. I became a night owl, staying up well past three in the morning and then dragging my tired behind to school. In the afternoons, I'd take a nap, and by nap, I mean I'd have a five-hour sleep marathon. This cycle went on for years, until it started to affect things in my life. For instance, it was really difficult for me to get up in the mornings and do things. And by morning, I mean early afternoon.
Is this a source of anxiety for you? If so, you might have a sleeping disorder.
Now that I'm a little older, and a little more responsible, I know that my sleeping routine must change. After all, not all things can be scheduled after five in the afternoon. Several times, I tried to "reset" my clock by staying up all night and not sleeping until the next day. But, for some inexplicable reason, it only prompted me to sleep more in the following days. So I tried to go to sleep at a normal time. After hours of tossing and turning, I came to the conclusion that it was hopeless. Some nights, I even fought bouts of insomnia.
In my search for better sleeping habits, I bring to you our mini-guide on getting a good night's rest.
What Are Sleep Stages?
Sleep stages are the types of cycles a person encounters during sleep. They are classified by brainwaves and physiological changes in the body. These cycles can be repeated as many as five times, and each cycle lengthens throughout the night.Stage 1: Lasts a few minutes as the body drifts to sleep. About 5% of total sleep.
Stage 2: Heartbeat slows, and breathing slows and deepens. About 44% to 55% of total sleep.
Stage 3 and 4: Deepest sleep begins, heartbeat and breathing slow further, muscles relax, and brain waves are at their slowest. Dreams are common. Sleepwalking and talking can also begin at these stages. About 15% to 23% of total sleep.
REM (Rapid Eye Movement): Heartbeat increases, breathing becomes shallow, eyes move rapidly, muscles become relaxed, and dreams are vivid. The first cycle can last about ten minutes, and the last can be as long as one hour. About 20% to 25% of total sleep.
Tips for Good Sleeping
BODY RHYTHMS
SLEEP RESOURCES
Did you know that an adult requires, on average, seven to nine hours of sleep a night? Did you know that the average time it takes an adult to fall asleep is about ten to twenty minutes? Did you know that a man, on average, takes about five to ten minutes to fall asleep after an orgasm, whereas a woman can take up to half an hour? Okay, the last part wasn't relevant, but everyone knows a lack of sleep can severely affect a person's performance the next day (sometimes to the point of causing a nasty accident). Want to know how to maximize your sleeping potential? Read on to find out.If you think you have a chronic disorder, it may take additional help to get you back into a routine. If you have difficulty sleeping at night, and experience daytime sleepiness that interferes with work or school, consult a physician or disorder centre. These disorders can be treated successfully.
- Limit bedroom use to sleep and sex. Remove stimulating objects (i.e. television, computer - anything that might distract). Leave the room pleasant and quiet.
- Have a comfortable bed and comfortable pillow. This may sound very basic, but many people don't realize that their mattress may be too soft or their pillow to high. Set the room at a comfortable temperature.
- Avoid bright lights near bedtime. Bright lights stimulate the body to stay awake.
- Try a warm bath to make you sleepy. After the bath, body temperature should drop, thus helping to relax the body and make you sleepy.
- Avoid caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol in the late afternoon and evening. Caffeine and nicotine can delay sleep, whereas alcohol interferes with your ability to fall into a deep sleep. And speaking from many hungover experiences, I can vouch for that.
- Do not nap during the day.
- Have a regular bedtime routine. Even as little as a one-hour variation can throw off your biological clock.
- Exercise regularly, 20 to 30 minutes per day if you can, but at least three hours before bedtime. If you exercise too close to bedtime, it can alleviate drowsiness.
- If you cannot sleep, go to another room to read or listen to music. It should be something relaxed - don't study or do work.
- In the morning, let light help you wake up. Open bedroom windows or bright light to reset your biological clock.
Sleep Disorders
An estimated 40 million Americans have suffered, at one time or another, from a chronic sleep disorder. Another 20 to 30 million have sleep problems erratically, and yet, 95% of cases go undiagnosed.Sleep disorders increase with aging and can be induced by overconsumption of caffeine, alcohol, or secondary effects of another illness (i.e. arthritis, bladder conditions) or depression. But the primary cause is sleeplessness or disrupted sleep. Many think that insomnia is the only form of sleep disorder, but in fact, there are a handful of more.
Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder
Sleep is restful and uninterrupted, but some people have difficulty awakening at acceptable times, and may awaken even later than required for normal activities (I really think I may have this problem - ask my boss). As a result, daytime sleepiness, fatigue, and impaired memory and concentration occur (again, ask my boss). This disorder affects less than 2% of people seeking help, begins during childhood and progresses in adolescence. It can also strike people falling into depression.Jet Lag
The traveler's internal clock is out of sync with the new time zone. Difficulty falling asleep, arising, or disrupted sleep, which all lead to daytime sleepiness and headaches. If the traveler is going west, the internal clock is ahead (tires early and awakens early), and if the traveler is going east, the internal clock is behind (falls asleep later and awakens later). This is more common in people over 50 than those under 30 years old. Frequent travelers can develop chronic jet lag symptoms.Narcolepsy
This is caused by a dysfunction of brain mechanisms controlling sleeping and waking. Some people become overwhelmingly sleepy during the day, and may suddenly fall asleep. Sudden loss of muscle tone, vivid hallucinations while falling asleep, and sleep paralysis (where REM paralysis does not cease when person wakes) can occur. This disorder affects one in 100,000 people. Typically starts in childhood, peaks in adulthood, and runs in families.Non-24-Hour Sleep-Wake Syndrome
The biological clock is 25 hours or longer, causing sleeping and waking times to continually become later. This disorder is very rare.Sleepwalking
This occurs during stages 3 and 4 of sleep, and caused by partial arousal from deep sleep. The person moves as though awake, and usually has no recollection of the sleepwalking. Can be triggered by fever, medication, unpredictable sleeping schedules, sleep deprivation, and stress. Bouts are brief (often lasting less than ten minutes) and occur during the first three hours of sleep. Most common in children, who tend to outgrow it. Runs in families. It is important to safety-proof the house if a person is known to sleepwalk (i.e. lock doors, windows, remove objects that can harm person). If you encounter a person who is sleepwalking, the best thing to do is gently guide the person back to bed. Do not try to awaken them. ¤ C.Ho.