Healthy sleep is physiologically necessary for a person and is an important condition for physical and mental health. A person spends about a third of his life sleeping, so this part of our life needs to be given close attention and care to ensure that sleep is healthy and proper.
Sleep includes two phases – non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREM) and rapid eye movement sleep (REM).
NREM sleep occurs immediately after falling asleep and lasts about 90 minutes. The body relaxes, the eyes are motionless, you rest.
REM sleep follows NREM sleep and lasts 10-20 minutes. Body temperature and blood pressure rise. The body is immobilized. The eyeballs make circular movements under closed eyelids. The brain is actively working - we dream.
These two phases alternate with each other. With prolonged healthy sleep, a person goes through five full cycles. NREM sleep gradually decreases, and fast sleep increases (from 5 minutes to an hour).
It is advisable for a healthy adult to sleep about eight hours: 5 cycles of 100 minutes (5x100/60=8).
SLEEP FUNCTIONS
- Relaxation of the body.
- Protection and restoration of body organs and systems for normal functioning.
- Processing, consolidation and storage of information.
- Adaptation to changes in illumination (day-night).
- Maintaining a person’s normal psycho-emotional state.
- Restoring the body's immunity.
RULES FOR HEALTHY SLEEP
There are a number of rules that, if followed, will make sleep extremely beneficial for your health. These rules help the body correctly perform its functions during sleep, which certainly has a beneficial effect on a person’s well-being and mood during the waking period.
- Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time, regardless of the day of the week.
- It is best to go to bed between 22 and 24 hours. It is at this time that most people's bodies are set to relax.
- Don't eat food before bed. A couple of hours before bedtime, you can have a light snack, such as vegetables, fruits or dairy products.
- Do not drink alcohol or drinks containing caffeine (cocoa, coffee, tea) before going to bed. Tea with chamomile, mint or warm milk with honey, drunk before bed, will benefit the body and help you fall asleep faster and easier.
- A walk in the fresh air before bed will help you fall asleep quickly.
- Before going to bed, you should not think about problems and worries; you will have time to think about them during the day. In the evening, it is best to relax and help the body fully rest and recover during the night's sleep. If possible, relax your muscles and think about something pleasant.
- You should not take a cold shower before bed; leave this procedure for the morning. In the evening, it is best to take a warm bath or shower.
- To quickly and peacefully fall asleep, you can read quiet literature or turn on soft, slow music, sounds of nature, lullabies, etc.
- Don't forget to ventilate your sleeping area before going to bed.
- Turn off the lights in the sleeping area, otherwise your sleep will most likely be superficial, which will not allow your body to fully rest and recover.
- It is best to sleep more naked, and if you freeze, cover yourself with an additional blanket, rather than putting on warm clothes.
- The sleeping area should be level, not too soft and not too hard.
- It is necessary to sleep in a horizontal position, preferably alternately - either on the right or on the left side. Experts do not recommend sleeping on your stomach.
- In order to give a start to a good mood in the morning, do not lie in bed for a long time; immediately after waking up, stretch, smile and get up. Do it slowly and with pleasure.
