Sleep is a key component of a healthy person. What does healthy sleep mean?

Sometimes we hear from our acquaintances and friends lamentations about the need to spend a third of our lives in sleep and complaints about in vain. Lost time… But is this time really lost, because healthy sleep is a necessary component of a full-fledged lifestyle of a person, without it our existence would be simply impossible. William Shakespeare called night rest a miracle of mother nature and the most delicious of dishes at an earthly feast. In mythology Ancient Greece deep and healthy sleep was patronized by two gods - Hypnos and the god of dreams Morpheus.

But the modern pace of life, nervous overload, bustle, excessive enthusiasm for television programs or many hours of sitting at the computer destroy this necessary part of our existence, which has a very bad effect on human health.

The importance of a good night's rest for a person

No wonder a good rest at night is called the key to health. It contributes to the production of a number of important hormones, in particular melatonin, a youth hormone that restores vitality.

For lifestyle modern man characterized by neglect of sleep. However, it is during such a rest that it normalizes blood pressure, a correct mode sleep protects against chronic diseases, helps to start self-healing mechanisms.

Separate parts of the brain work even more actively at night than during the day: the impressions received during the day are analyzed, and selective selection of information takes place. Something the brain erases, but more important information as if "archived" and sent to long-term memory. Thanks to these nocturnal processes, perception improves, the ability to learn increases, and the ability to concentrate improves. No wonder the wise Russian folk saying says the morning is wiser than the evening. Since ancient times, people have known that good rest helps to solve the most difficult problems.

What causes lack of sleep

If sleep patterns are disturbed long time, the body can face serious troubles: diseases of the heart and blood vessels, the appearance of symptoms diabetes, problems with the activity of certain parts of the brain. The fact is that due to insomnia, neural processes in the parietal zone of the brain are inhibited, and because of this, the reaction rate is significantly reduced, it becomes difficult to formulate thoughts, visual disturbances are possible, which, of course, negatively affects the activity of the whole organism.

Negative consequences of violation of the correct sleep pattern:

• deterioration of the mental and cognitive functions of the brain;
• problems with immunity, it becomes more vulnerable. During sleep the immune system works and synthesizes special proteins - cytokines. They are needed to fight infections. But if a person does not get enough sleep, then cytokines are not produced enough;
• insomnia stimulates the production of the hunger hormone ghrelin. Because of this, night appetite syndrome often occurs, which leads to the appearance excess weight and obesity.

10 steps for proper organization of a night's sleep

Obviously, healthy sleep contributes to a better lifestyle. Consider 10 factors that will help make a night's rest more rewarding and invigorating.

1. Fresh air in the bedroom. The ideal temperature for sound sleep is 18-22 degrees. Indeed, such a temperature may seem too low to someone, but it has long been proven that it is precisely this temperature regime that contributes to the most complete rest.
2. A comfortable and wide bed with a carefully chosen mattress that should not be too soft.
3. Lack of noise and working devices. Experts do not advise sleeping in a room riddled with electromagnetic radiation, therefore, if there is Wi-Fi, computers, etc. in the bedroom, all this should be turned off at night.
4. The modern lifestyle is hard to imagine without the use of high technology. But before going to bed, you should not sit for a long time in front of a computer or TV. Japanese scientists have proven the fact of the negative impact of such a pastime before going to bed on a night's rest.
5. Instead of a computer or TV, it is more correct to choose a good old book in its traditional paper version. Tactile sensations from touching paper, the smell of a book - all this cannot be replaced by modern gadgets.
6. Certain aromas promote healthy sleep. Strong odors in the bedroom should be avoided. But the aromas of citrus, lavender, sandalwood or lemon balm contribute to sound sleep. Of course, the choice of smells in the bedroom depends on personal preferences.
7. Strong recommendations are widely known not to eat before bedtime, you need to finish dinner 3 hours before falling asleep. Somewhat less well known are the effects of certain foods on sleep quality. For example, a light bite of fresh cherries or a cup of cherry juice can even lengthen your night's rest. This berry contains a lot of melatonin, which even contributes to healthy sleep. Magnesium, which helps calm the nervous system, is also a necessary element, it is very abundant in bananas.
8. Walking before a night's rest helps to calm the nervous system and promote sound sleep.
9. A warm shower will literally “wash away” fatigue and nervous stress. Do not take in the evening cold and hot shower, it will be an ideal option for morning procedures, and in the evening it will only excite the nervous system, and it will be difficult to fall asleep quickly.
10. Very important positive thoughts before bedtime. It is not worth it, even taking into account the busy lifestyle of a modern person, to think about industrial or personal problems before going to bed. In this case, it is better to take the example of the famous Scarlett from the novel "Gone with the Wind" and say to yourself: "I will think about it tomorrow."

Circadian rhythms and sleep

Our way of life depends on certain daily biological rhythms, they are called circadian rhythms. They determine the degree of intensity of all biological processes of the human body. These rhythms depend on sunlight, visual receptors react to it and send a signal to the brain. The consequence of the signals is the production of two vital hormones, melatonin and cortisol, they are responsible for sleep and awakening.

The pineal gland produces melatonin at nightfall. It calms the body, reducing both pressure and body temperature. When it gets light, the production of cortisol begins, it wakes up a person, gives him energy and cheerfulness. Therefore, the correct sleep regimen involves an 8-hour night's rest, it is useful to fall asleep at 10 pm, and the most optimal time to wake up is 6 am.

You may ask, but what about the "owls" and "larks"? After all, the rhythms of sleep and wakefulness can be individual. Unfortunately for some, such a division is rather not a natural feature, but a product of the lifestyle of a person in the post-industrial era. Therefore, it is better to try to rearrange your personal wakefulness schedule in accordance with more natural circadian rhythms for a person.

Healthy sleep rules simple measures to improve its quality, which means maintaining health and youth for many years.

Somatotropin (growth hormone). Thanks to it, muscles grow (fat is also sent there), bones are strengthened, cells are renewed, destructive factors are inhibited, etc. Growth hormone deficiency leads to obesity, early aging.

Ghrelin and leptin, antipodal digestive hormones. If sleep is not complete, the synthesis of leptin (the satiety hormone) is reduced by 20%, which is fraught with weight gain due to an unnatural feeling of hunger. No diet will help you lose weight until your sleep improves.

Cortisol, which regulates protective reactions, provides us with energy. Both tall and low level stress hormone is dangerous.

Serotonin and dopamine, hormones responsible for stress resistance and psycho-emotional mood of a person.

During sleep, the concentration of hormones takes a favorable rate and ratio for us. If we sleep right.

Thus,

normal sleep is the key to health and the ability of the body to recover and renew itself.

Principles of healthy sleep

Mode- the first condition for a good sleep. Go to sleep and wake up at regular hours, even on weekends.

This constancy creates conditioned reflex: You will always fall asleep easily and wake up rested and alert.

How much to sleep. The amount of sleep each of us is individual, with age it increases. Determine how much sleep you need to get enough rest and try not to compromise your sleep in favor of other pressing matters.

Remember, only moderate sleep is beneficial. and insufficient sleep equally harmful.

What time to go to bed. There is no universal time. You should take into account your biorhythms, work schedule, age.

It is during this period of time (from 22 to 02) that the production of the most important hormones, melatonin and somatotropin, reaches its peak. And their deficiency is dangerous for early aging, baldness, obesity, osteoporosis, oncology, etc.

daytime sleep. Many people wonder if it is needed and if it will disturb the night's rest. no doubt. If you feel tired and sleepy, a small siesta does not hurt at all.

In that case when night sleep disordered, it is better to refuse a long daytime sleep. You can allow yourself a maximum of 15-20 minutes to cheer up.

Nutrition. It is worth stopping eating two to three hours before bedtime so that the body has time to digest it and is not distracted by this process at night.

Do not pass or eat hard-to-digest foods before bed: fried, spicy, fatty, whole grains.

The drinks. It is better to refuse from stimulating drinks containing caffeine (coffee, tea, tonics, sweet soda) in the afternoon.

The effect of caffeine decreases only after 4-5 hours, and in older people it may not decrease for a day. At sleep disorders it is better to exclude such drinks altogether or take them 6-7 hours before bedtime.

Smoking. Nicotine is an activator of the psyche. It has been observed that non-smokers fall asleep easier than smokers.

If a bad habit- your case, try not to smoke before going to bed.

Alcohol. It is popularly believed that alcohol -. Actually it is wrong. Alcohol for sleep is very harmful:

Small doses for severe sleep disorders are not effective. Large doses of alcohol excite brain activity, a person wakes up ahead of time and cannot fall asleep again.

Alcohol actively removes water from the body, the heart, pumping it, works in emergency mode.

Snoring and sleep apnea may lead to death. Under the influence of alcohol, the muscles of the palate and larynx relax, closing the airways.

Suppresses the production of melatonin three times. In people who constantly drink alcohol, melatonin is almost not synthesized at night.

If you have to drink alcohol, and you cannot avoid it, then after drinking it, at least 4 hours should pass to neutralize the toxins contained in it.

Physical activity to improve the quality of sleep is very useful. Loading the muscles of the body, we unload the psyche from the accumulated tension, negativity, anxiety.

However, three hours before bedtime, physical exercise and any actions that activate the body must be completed.

Mental activity, especially new to the brain (solving problems, collecting and studying information, preparing reports, term papers, etc.), drives away sleep. Especially if you work on a computer.

Somnologists advise completing such activities 1-2 hours before a night's sleep. The same applies to news from TV shows, they often contain information garbage that does not contribute to good sleep.

Bedroom - sitting area. Well, if you only sleep here. Unfortunately, not everyone can afford such a blessing.

Often, a bedroom is a study, a creative workshop, and a home cinema.

And if your soulmate lives according to biorhythms that differ from yours, when you are an owl, and he is a lark, or vice versa, the situation is not easy.

In this scenario, they will help you fall asleep: a sleep mask over your eyes, white noise from headphones (rain noise, for example).

I often have to resort to such tricks to fall asleep, because my husband is an owl who can stay up half the night while watching TV. I can't fall asleep in the light or in the noise. So I save myself with a mask and the sound of rain, under which I fall asleep perfectly.

Somehow a comical incident happened: I heard a strong thunderstorm outside the window, and I wanted to tell my husband about it: “Go, see what is happening outside the window!” I didn’t have time ... I “got it” that this was a dream, and the rain was in my headphones.

By the way, such a masking of external sounds (the hubbub of neighbors, the rumble of the freeway, the snoring of a partner) is very useful. It helps you fall asleep faster and keeps your sleep stable throughout the night.

Microclimate in the bedroom - essential condition healthy sleep. These are temperature, humidity and air quality.

The most favorable temperature is 13-17 degrees, says Dr. Myasnikov.

Humidity is optimal 50-60 percent.

Air quality. It should be understood what we breathe in a residential area. These are chemical emissions from furniture, laminate, carpet, plastic products, cleaning products and even paper towels. Volatile compounds of trichlorethylene, formaldehyde, benzene, etc. destroy our health, cause allergies, asthma, oncology.

Ventilating the bedroom before going to bed is an urgent need. Even if you are a resident of a metropolis, the air outside the window is much cleaner than in an apartment.

Clean up and improve the atmosphere in the bedroom beautiful way , place in it . They absorb poisons, neutralize pathogenic bacteria, release oxygen and phytoncides, and humidify the air.

Darkness. Try to create complete darkness for sleep: blackout curtains on the windows, turn off TVs, PCs, hide phones, electronic alarm clocks so that their blue, green, red “eyes” do not disrupt melatonin production. Stocking up on them overnight is our main task. This hormone is of great importance for health.

The darkness should be such that the hand can barely be seen. A sleep mask over the eyes can be a good solution.

About the role of melatonin for health, why sleep in the light and nighttime wakefulness are fraught with oncology.

Bed. The mattress and pillow should not be too soft, "enveloping" the body like a feather bed. Their average rigidity will create the correct support for the spine during sleep.

Bed dress(mattress, pillow, blanket, pajamas, linen) prefer natural, ecological materials that allow the body to breathe. Choose a blanket and pajamas according to the season so as not to overheat.

positive attitude. Try to discard all the troubles if they happened during the day. Say to yourself: “I will certainly think about this tomorrow.” Falling asleep, think about the good and pleasant, what you dream about, what you strive for. Time, when we fall asleep, the best for making wishes and dreams, use it to your advantage.

Awakening can shape the mood for the whole day ahead. In order not to hear about yourself “got up on the wrong foot”, create the conditions for a gradual, soft awakening. You can use alarm clocks with increasing lighting, aromas or melody.

Help to fall asleep

Release from any tension(physical, emotional, mental) at bedtime. For this, any means are good.

Warm bath. It's warm, not hot. Helps to relax and tune in to rest. If add essential oils, the bath will have both a sleeping pill and a healing effect.

An evening walk. Not fast, measured walking, evening nature, Fresh air calm and soothe. The main thing - do not overwork.

Book reading . Neurophysiologists have found that fatigue oculomotor muscles improves sleep.

A light snack is allowed if you can’t fall asleep on an empty stomach. It's all about stabilizing blood sugar levels, which promotes relaxation.

BUT! Consider your individual response. Some of these measures help to relax, others, on the contrary, excite.

Herb tea. A good sedative result is given by mint, lemon balm, hops, lavender, thyme, willow-herb, chamomile, etc. You can add a spoonful of honey. And, of course, one should take into account the possible allergic reaction. Drink a warm drink an hour or two before bed.

It is argued that a full-fledged healthy sleep allows you to preserve beauty, prolong youth.

If we consider the phenomenon of sleep from the point of view of human physiology, it acts as the most important state of brain activity. For this reason, healthy sleep is important.

When a person sleeps anxiously, his brain does not completely relax, hence the morning state cannot be called good, and lethargy will be observed during the day.

Sleep disturbance is a common occurrence these days. Almost 30% of people suffer various types sleep disorders. As a result, in daytime productivity, efficiency decreases, worsens general state, health. A person who has sleep disorders is often prone to stress and disease.

Characteristics of healthy sleep

Healthy sleep for a modern person is a deep immersion after falling asleep for 7-8 hours, after which it is felt that the body and brain are rested, ready for the day. labor activity.

There are three main signs of healthy sleep:
- a person falls asleep easily and quickly, without making any special efforts;
- intermediate completely absent;
- In the morning, awakening is quick and free, without a long turning from side to side.

Return to a healthy sleep pattern

Healthy sleep is observed in almost all children. school age until it's time to fall in love and test. Nervous experiences, severe stress can bring down the rhythm of sleep. As a result, falling asleep becomes more difficult, and at night there are frequent causeless rises.

To return to a healthy sleep regimen, it is necessary to calm the nervous system, and add a number of procedures to the very process of going to bed. It can be a warm bath, a leisurely walk outside, light music. The main thing is that the procedures lead to relaxation.

For healthy sleep, it is important to determine for yourself what time is optimal for going to bed. Most people show physical and brain activity until 21:00. After that, a gradual attenuation of activity is observed. Physiologists and psychologists advise going to bed between 22:00 and 23:00, and waking up from 6:00 to 7:00. Then the dream will be healthy and full.

Probably, many have noticed that after a long sleep, one feels lethargy in the body, lethargy. This suggests that healthy sleep cannot be too long. In our life, everything is good in moderation, so it is best to sleep in the usual way, without allowing yourself big indulgences.

Many of us spend a lot of time at work. Reinforced and productive work brings many advantages: good wages, respect among the authorities and the team. But there is also back side medals. We all get tired at the end of each working day, someone in more, someone in less. Coming home after a working day, our body needs rest. If you do not rest, then this can lead to chronic fatigue, depression, loss of strength. Therefore, you need to remember that rest is the key to good and good health.

From how people rest, their working day develops, their working capacity, cheerfulness depend. by the most the best vacation considered healthy deep sleep. Good dream depends on many factors: on which bed we sleep, what pillows or rollers we use. As a rule, many of us do not think about it. Most use uncomfortable and small sofas that spoil our backs, and after sleeping on them sometimes you feel “broken”. As for pillows and cushions, almost every family uses outdated products from the last century. They have to be constantly corrected, whipped in order to comfortably sit on them. Currently, there are modern products in the form of pillows and rollers, with the help of which we eventually get good, healthy rest . We are pleased to offer you several products that will significantly improve your holiday.

Thanks to this pillow, you will completely and completely change your mind about a healthy and beautiful sleep. Applying it, you will have a great rest, restore your strength for a new working day.

This pillow takes your head position into account when you sleep, whether you sleep on the side of your body or on your back. The design of the pillow is made in such a way that its central part can be adjusted individually for each person. The center is slightly lower than its sides. The middle of the pillow is designed for sleeping on the back, and the side parts are for sleeping on the side. With the help of a practical pillow cushion, there will be no extra pressure on the neck area.

It is worth noting that this pillow is equipped with two rollers. This will help you determine if you put the pillow correctly and lay down on it. Buckwheat husk filler will relieve excess tension and stress, help you fall asleep faster.

Having slept on such a pillow once, you will no longer want to return to a regular pillow. Every morning you will wake up in a good mood!

Our body is so arranged that when we go to bed, so that our spine is not bent or damaged, we need support. It is also necessary to create comfortable conditions for sleep. All these functions are combined in the Night Symphony pillow. This pillow is designed to give you extra support for your neck and to help you relax. In the manufacture of this pillow, a special mold is made. This contributes to a measured distribution of pressure over the entire surface of the pillow. The pillow also contains natural filler, which indicates that this pillow is environmentally friendly.

Sleeping on such a pillow is very pleasant, no need to beat it again, it will always be desired shape. Waking up in the morning, you will not want to "break away" from her!

Many of us do not even realize that sleeping on rollers is much more convenient and healthier compared to conventional pillows. This has long been proven by world scientists. The rollers are small in shape, and thanks to them your spine will always be in an even position.

All these features are covered by the Exclusive cushion, which can also be placed under your knees when you are lying on your back. You can also attach it to the back of the chair in the approximate area where your lower back is. Thus, you will have the correct position of the back when you are in this chair.

Using this roller, you will easily relax and thus give your body a rest after a hard day's work.

These and many other products for good sleep and relaxation, presented in our online store, certainly help to improve your back, strengthen your nervous system and physical abilities.

How does sleep affect health in general and weight loss in particular? How much sleep do you need? How to improve sleep patterns and get rid of insomnia? Read about all this in a new article.

With the modern pace of life good sleep considered a luxury and even an excess. After all, you need to have time to work, and chat with friends, and check the feed in all social networks, and generate new content for these very social networks, and go to fitness, and also English courses, and clubs, and ...

Sleeping in this whole schedule seems like a waste of time, an obstacle that does not allow you to reach your maximum potential.

Is this true? Let's understand how sleep, health and weight loss are interconnected.

During a night's rest, all recovery processes go faster. Ask an athlete, and he will say that it is in sleep that muscles strengthen and grow.
Ask a beautician, and he will answer that during sleep, the skin absorbs nutrients better (for this reason, night and day creams can vary greatly in composition).

The role of sleep in our health is invaluable. It provides normal work nervous system, which every adult was repeatedly convinced of - even without sleeping one night, you can become irritable, gloomy, absent-minded and whiny. A regular lack of sleep leads to increased anxiety, decreased performance, neurosis and depression, and also greatly impairs memory.

A study conducted by California scientists at the San Francisco Institute showed that people who sleep more than 6 hours a day are 4 times less likely to get sick colds. Good sleep helps maintain a healthy heart and immune system.

However, sleeping too long is also not worth it, as well as neglecting sleep. According to research from the University of Cambridge, people who sleep more than 8 hours a night are almost 50% more likely to have a stroke. Too much sleep also reduces physical activity, provokes headaches and worsens the condition of the spine, if there are already problems with it (the third thesis directly follows from the second).

How much sleep do you need?

Based on the foregoing, we can conclude that the optimal duration of sleep is 6-8 hours a day. Moreover, in most cases, it is much better for the body that all these hours are “worked out” at night and in a row. People with a “broken” regime, who sleep 3-4 hours at night and the same amount during the day, are more prone to neurosis and depression.

But do not forget that there can be no ideal universal sleep regimen - each body has its own needs. For example, during intense physical exertion and during rehabilitation after illnesses and injuries, doctors recommend sleeping more.

Sleep and weight loss

Another good news: healthy sleep helps to get rid of excess weight. In a dream, growth hormone is produced more actively, which, among other things, also performs a fat-burning function. In addition, lack of sleep increases the level of ghrelin, the “hunger hormone”.

Therefore, if you do not sleep enough, cravings for overeating will not be long in coming. This does not mean that you will automatically if you start sleeping for 12 hours. Proper nutrition and exercise is still necessary if you want to lose weight. But healthy sleep can be a reliable ally on the path to harmony.

Sleep and mass gain

Another important function of somatotropin is an increase in muscle volume (it is not for nothing that it is a growth hormone). With regular training, the muscles need a full recovery. It is sleep that provides good vacation and stable growth. So, if you want to “pump up”, spend enough time not only in the gym, but also in bed.

How to get rid of insomnia and improve sleep patterns?

2-3 hours before bedtime, stop interacting with any screens, be it a smartphone or a TV. Better read a book, chat with your family, play with your pet
ventilate the room before going to bed
do not drink coffee and strong tea in the afternoon
remove unnecessary light and sound sources
don't overeat or fast before bed
minimize stress (difficult but worth it)

If you are experiencing sleep problems for more than 2 weeks and the reasons for them remain a mystery to you - do not look folk remedies and don't self-administer sleeping pills. Consult a good doctor.