According to Wikipedia, sleep is a naturally recurring state of mind and body, characterized by altered consciousness, relatively inhibited sensory activity, reduced muscle activity and inhibition of nearly all voluntary muscles during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, and reduced interactions with surroundings. This is one major way our body handles stress and regain itself after a long day. While you may not be able to control this process, some people find it really difficult to sleep (these are called sleep disorders also known as dyssomnias) some dyssomnias include insomnia, hypersomnia, narcolepsy, sleep apnea etc. It is really important to get the most out of your sleep but sometimes due to our daily schedules, we tend to have different sleep patterns. Here are the main three:
- MONOPHASIC SLEEP:
This is the most common sleep pattern among us. As the name implies, it consist of just one phase of sleep. This is usually at night and for a period of 7 – 9 hours. The monophasic sleep pattern happens to be one of the best sleep patterns for adults as it doesn’t interfere with daily work and still gives us enough time to rest.
- BIPHASIC SLEEP:
This sleep pattern is next to the monophasic sleep. It is not too common and it involves having a 6 hour sleep each night and about 20 minutes of nap during the day or having a 5 hour sleep at night and about an hour and half of sleep during the day.
- POLYPHASIC SLEEP
According to the National Sleep Foundation, this pattern of sleep is observed by 85% of mammals. As the name implies, it involves having short sections of sleep throughout the day. Polyphasic sleep is further divided into three cycles, namely; the Everyman Sleep cycle, the Dymaxion Sleep Cycle and the Uberman Sleeping Cycle.
FEW TIPS ON HOW TO SLEEP BETTER
- Say no to late-night television
Not only does the light from the TV suppress Melatonin, but TV shows have been made to be more stimulating then relaxing. Instead of watching TV, you can decide to listen to soft music or lullabies.
- Don’t read with backlight devices
I know we all love to check on our devices at night. We love to read the last messages on our phone before going to bed but this can really harm your sleep because the hormone in our body system responsible for sleep is very sensitive to light. So going through your phone at night can make it difficult for you to sleep.
- Turn off the light when it’s time to sleep
Because the Melatonin hormone is very sensitive to light, turning off the lights can help you fall asleep faster. I highly recommend that you make this a daily habit.
Our brain handles everything about our body system and without proper rest, it will find it really difficult to help us carry out our daily tasks.
No matter how busy your daily schedule may be, it is still recommended to have at least 7 – 9 hours of sleep for adults and children are supposed to have more hours of sleep to promote optimal health.
It said that “As you make your bed, so you will lie on it” so in order to get a proper night sleep, you need to properly dress your dress every morning; don’t wait till evening when you’re tired to do this. If your bedroom need some changes, then make those changes. You can check kallysleep for a variety of amazing pillows, they are one of the best online stores as they provide good sleeping solutions. Always remember that a healthy life can save you a lot of money.