Sleeping Habits and Health Effects
Sleeping Habits and Health Effects
Modern-day humans are infamous for not getting proper sleep. Several popular theories abound as to why this is true, but in reality, the best answer is relatively straightforward: too many of us conveniently ignore proper sleeping habits.
According to various studies: Sleeping position may be correlated with the severity of your dry-eye symptoms.
What does the periodic table of elements and the song "Satisfaction" by The rolling stones have in common? Both are the products of dreams!
Before we explore more on this, let us understand what lack of sleep can do to affect our daily lives.
Lack of sleep affects all areas of health, from coordination to thought processes, so it's no surprise that it can affect your eyes, too.
Let's discuss some cosmetic issues first. Several experts confirm a direct correlation between lack of sleep and those dark circles or bags under your eyes.
That's because a lack of sleep tends to increase fluid and blood retention around our eyes.
You might not have noticed, but sleepy eyes are often dry eyes. For optimum function, our eyes need a continuous supply of tears, which will give you an idea of why blinking is so essential.
Insomnia prevents eyes from getting much needed fluid circulation. The natural eye fluid not only cleans but renews the eyes-staying awake for an odd number of hours works against eye health.
Eye spasms are another odd consequence of sleep deprivation.
The involuntary eye twitching can be distracting and uncomfortable, and this condition is also called myokymia.
Regular proper sleep rests the body and allows all its eye muscles in turn, so the twitching should only be a temporary issue.
Much higher on the trouble scale might be eye vessels popping that can quickly occur when a night's rest just doesn't come through.
Though they are generally not painful, the "bloodied eye" look is not one most will cherish.
According to neuroscientist Mathew Walker "Creative reawakening is just of the several boons provided by a full night's sleep."
There are rarer eye conditions that are easily linked to sleep loss: one of those is Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy (AION).
Associated with people who have a history of sleep apnea, if ignored, this continuous inflammation of your eye vessels could lead to vision loss over time.
Those severe conditions are unlikely for the majority of deficient-sleep sufferers still, don't forget that consistently dry, puffy eyes after nights of turning and tossing can indicate you need to address the situation.
By now, it is quite clear to us that we humans are notoriously bad at getting adequate sleep.
Countless people would love to improve the quality of their sleep but then genuinely don't know how to do it. These people don't understand why their sleep quality is terrible. They have tried several things to fix it, but they are still unable to sustain and cultivate healthy sleep habits.
Then again, there are various over-the-counter and prescription medications that can be of great benefit for the sleep-deprived people.
But overusing these medicines can make you utterly dependent on them and result in a low quality of sleep that isn't as refreshing as natural sleep. Always talk to your family doctor about the warnings and benefits of any medication you take.
Most of us, eventually, do realize when we are sleep-deprived -- you can be fuzzy, cranky, and just "off." Making an honest effort to understand what's causing your sleep loss and trying to control the situation can result in a fresh perspective on a new day.
But exactly how? There are several approaches: drinking less caffeine, reduced noise, napping, getting more activity during the day, the right choice of sleeping temperature, and more.
Being aware that this problem actually exists, and taking the sleeping problem seriously is an excellent start.
Sleeping well is more than just knowing what to do. It's more important to know what not to do, as we'll soon find out here that most of us do share some rather atrocious sleeping habits and behaviours.
Before diving into the three regular sleeping habits that are ruining your slumber, it is critical to discuss the fundamentals of sleep science. If some of this information looks familiar to you, that's because it's everywhere.
We'll provide some vital insights into the latest research as well.
The vital functions of getting adequate rest
Cellular Repair
During sleep, large quantities of Human Growth Hormone is produced in our body. It is during our sleep most of the body systems recover, and cellular regeneration happens.
Immune Activity
Your immune system is at its peak during sleep. According to a study at the University of California, it is confirmed that even a modest loss of sleep can weaken the immune system's response to injuries and diseases.
Memory and Problem Solving Capability
Sleep plays a key role in the transformation of short-term memory to long-term memory.
Mental Health and Mood Swings
It is well known that insomnia is associated with depression. There is a clear reason why. Lack of sleep shuts down your prefrontal cortex. This can cause or worsen various numbers of psychological conditions, including depression, PTSD, and anxiety.
Inflammation
Lack of sleep also results in a higher cortisol level (a primary stress hormone) in our bloodstream.
This high level of cortisol creates low-grade inflammation throughout our body, and inflammations are associated with most modern degenerative diseases like inflammatory bowel disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
Weight Control Problem
Sleep deprivation has a significant role in making someone fat. Recent studies also reveal that just a single night of poor sleep causes dramatic food intake and appetite changes.
Lack of Sleep is also associated with severe medical conditions, including heart disease, high blood pressure, anxiety, diabetes, depression, (hypertension), obesity, and others.
According to a 2018 study by a prestigious group of researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) confirmed that just a single night of poor sleep results in a beta-amyloid buildup in our brain. Beta-amyloid accumulation in the brain is considered to be one of the primary causes of Alzheimer's Disease.
Those sound pretty important, don't they?
"Sleep is like the Swiss army knife of health. When sleep is not adequate, there is disease and sickness. And when sleep is abundant, there is health and vitality."
Simple steps to get a perfect sleep
Avoid Sugar consumption Just Before you go to bed
Blood sugar crashing can stimulate cortisol production and stress response.
If you like having snacks after dinner sometimes, then pick some healthy protein or fats like a handful of cashews or other dry fruits, but avoid desserts, chocolates, or other sugar-loaded products before you go to your bed.
Sleep in a dark room
Darkroom means more profound sleep. Light exposure to the eyes and skin suppresses melatonin and increases cortisol production and.
Seven to Eight Hours of Sleep
It allows your body to have enough repair time.
Your sleep quality will also improve if you get in the regular habit of going to bed and getting up at the same time on a daily basis.
Not just during the week, but try to follow this on weekends as well. After just a couple of weeks, you will observe that you will fall asleep more quickly and stay asleep.
Avoid taking Alcohol Within 4 Hours of Bedtime
According to various studies, consuming more than two glasses of wine in the evening has been confirmed to interfere with our deep sleep cycles significantly.
You might "pass-out," but in reality, your sleep will be of poor quality.
Avoid Blue Light Before Bed
Display screens from smartphones, computers, laptops, and Television emits various lights across the spectrum. Blue light, in particular, is responsible for stimulating your body.
Dim the lights 1-2 hours before you go to bed.
You can also use 'Blue Light Filter App' like "Iris Tech" on your smartphone and computers to block these blue lights. You may consider changing the settings on your Television to get similar results.
Avoid Consuming Stimulants After 3:00 PM
Be it sugar, tobacco, or caffeine, all these stimulants excite your adrenal glands, and then it triggers the release of cortisol.
Caffeine has a half-life of about six hours, which means :
A cup of coffee at 3:00 PM; 300mg caffeine in your body system
By 9:00 PM;150mg caffeine in your body system
By 12:00 PM; 75mg caffeine in your body system
At midnight when you are in the middle of your repair cycle, you are still having 75 mg of caffeine in your bloodstream; this will elevate your cortisol and suppress melatonin (the repair hormone). This situation can be easily interpreted as "stress" to your brain, and as we know, your body always releases cortisol when it is under stress.
Foam Roller or Proper sleeping mattress
Invest in a good quality sleeping mattress, or you can buy these foam rollers in any fitness shop or sports store.
These are very efficient at soothing your muscles, releasing the tension, and pushing the stagnant blood from your limbs back into circulation, which helps you to get a good quality sleep.
Final Thought
Forming new healthy habits and getting rid of old ones, takes commitment as well as time.
As you continue to destroy your bad sleeping habits and replace them with useful and healthier options, you will get used to the new changes eventually. Then, you will notice the handsome reward of a great night of rest every night.
