Sleep for a Healthy Life
Posted on September 15, 2023 • 3 minutes • 569 words
One of my classmates once said, “Sleeping is my favourite hobby!” Jokes apart, who doesn’t love crawling into a cosy bed for a relaxing sleep session after the day’s hustle? And we know this than ever before in the history of science that sleep not just rejuvenates our physical health to get the momentum needed for next day but also, boosts our mental health spectrum by ameliorating our memory, concentration and decision making. No wonder, doctors and physiologists are advocating for a hygienic sleep cycle every night.
Human body follows a circadian rhythm to regulate the normal sleep cycle. Darkness stimulates the production of a hormone called melatonin responsible for the body’s natural ‘alarm clock ‘. Needless to say, we confuse our systems by using screens before sleep. Further, talking about the graphical representation of brain waves as EEG, scientists draw the conclusion that Delta waves ensure deep NREM ( Non Rapid Eye Movement) sleep whereas Theta waves aka memory waves occuring during sleep helps in transferring the information in our brains from short term to long term memory.
The amount of sleep required for an individual is an interplay of multiple factors like age, environment and lifestyle. Nevertheless, an average healthy adult needs a peaceful 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night and children need a couple of hours more to facilitate their overall growth and development. Though it seems to be a distant goal in this fast-paced world, we should take a moment to contemplate on the associated risks of compromised sleep such as anxiety, depression, poor memory and concentration, fatigue, weakened immunity, weight gain, high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease. So, the next time you think about cutting your sleep time for studying for exams, remember that sleeping a right amount is your friend and start your preparation early.
Cultivating a hygienic sleep routine is definitely one of the easily achievable goals among the tripod of healthy living which includes balanced diet, exercise regime and quality sleep.Maintaining a specific timing of going to bed and getting up each morning, even on weekends, goes a long way. Limiting screen time 1 to 2 hours before bedtime, maintaining an optimum room temperature, reading or meditating before sleep and sleeping in an sufficiently dark room ensures one delves into a peaceful sleep without jolting on bed with insomnia. Being physically active and having a nutritious diet promotes better sleep in contrast to having high caffeine and sugar couching on a desk all day. We do have pharmacological treatments available like sleeping pills that help us sleep faster and deeper but it is recommended to inculcate a healthy lifestyle overall along with taking prescribed medications as needed as most of these drugs are habit forming if not used properly under supervision. Psychologists suggest cognitive behavioural therapy for both insomnia and hypersomnia.
To conclude, sleep is not just essential for physiological functioning at the bodily level but also improvises our mental and emotional potential and thus, in the long run, a regulated hygienic sleep cycle makes a foundation for quality of life in general along with nutrition and physical activity. So, making a positive change towards developing a perfect nighttime routine for an optimum sleep health should be a priority for everyone. Have a good time sleeping, happy dreams!
This article appreard in the inaugral edition of the magazine ‘Bismaya’, the departmental magazine of Department of Mathematics, Kathmandu University.