jagathianand

[jagathianand]

Sleep - A Super Power for better Lifestyle

Sleeping on the whole accounts for 1/3rd of the human lifespan, clearly depicting the fundamental importance of it, yet it is often neglected or ignored by most of the people. Did you know that lack of sleep is detrimental to your mental health and immune system, and that it can pave way for cardiovascular diseases and cancer, the top 2 causes of human death on this world?  

Scary isn’t it, but you are not alone, I know and love some people who are sleep deprived/ insomniac college students and working professionals. In fact, a staggering 62% of adults in this world are sleep deprived and are struggling to sleep well every day. Bringing us to the questions of why it is so important and how do we sleep well. 

Why does one need sleep 

Sleep is as essential as regular exercise or a balanced diet. And it significantly impacts brain functions like remembering, processing any inputs, eliminating waste from brain cells which increases concentration and productivity. And not having enough sleep has increased the symptoms of depression, stress, and anxiety. Sleep also plays a vital role in having a healthy immune system. A study by Matt Walker, Sleep scientist showed that there was 70% decrease in natural killer cell activity in the sleep-deprived condition. Poor immunity means you are prone to illness. Thus, I am convinced that sleep is the key to lead a healthy and successful lifestyle. It is in fact, the path which leads us to experience our biggest abilities – our “superpowers”.   

How does one sleep well 

We have two different types of sleep: REM ( Rapid Eye Movement) sleep and non-REM sleep. Both of these is said to have impact on our health. The first stage of falling asleep, followed by light sleep where your body temperature drops and breathing regulates are part of Non-REM sleep cycle and the deep sleep cycle where we have dreams, rapid eye movement behind closed lids and increased breathe rates is the REM sleep cycle. These two sleep cycles repeat itself through four or five times during a typical night sleep. Therefore, sleeping hours of 7-8 hours ( no more, no less) is required in order to have proper non-REM & REM sleep.  

Tips to induce sleep here they come! 

Regularity in sleep time: Having a standard go-to bed & wake-up time. This helps the bio-clock ( our brain) to automatically induce sleep fitting to the pattern.

Room Temperature: Cooler room temperature, ideally two degrees lesser than our body temperature can aid the sleeping process.

Darkness: Bright room lights, starring at dopamine releasing gadgets ( our smartphones) disrupt sleep. Avoiding staring at electronic devices  and settling inside a dim light room setting relaxes our vision and triggers sleep.

Alcohol & Caffeine: Monitor the intake of these two drinks. The chemicals in alcohol & coffee can remain in the bloodstream for more than 6 hours which keeps the brain active, thus not letting us to sleep.   

Looking out for more such tips on Lifestyle and proper community to learn and live better life. Join the lifestyle classes organized by College Tips. To understand and achieve good lifestyle, you can visit nearest College Tips Office to enroll into programs which assist you and facilitate in attaining Fitness  and good health.

Wishing you all a good night sleep :)

By Jagathi

Hola! Social Media Marketer from Chennai

[jagathianand]

[jagathianand]

I can't breathe

[jagathianand]

Most of them don’t leave a trace. Most of them aren’t picked up by the remembering self.” #Me - I was all for nothing #Being a fading memory #Art

[jagathianand]

[jagathianand]