Loe raamatut: «The Art of Sleeping»

12

introduction

DREAMING OF SLEEP Most of us spend one-third of our lives asleep, but not all of us sleep well. e amount of time we sleep and the quality of the sleep we get on a nightly basis can lead to tiredness and fatigue, the effects of which can filter into all aspects of daily life, affecting our emotions, our ability to focus on daily tasks, appetite, relationships and memory recall. Many people underestimate the importance of sleep and live with the daily symptoms of fatigue, masking them rather than getting to the root of the problem. us, sleep deprivation has become an issue that’s easily ignored, but if poor sleeping is le untreated it can have serious implications on diseases that can impact on your long-term health. Sleep is the natural state of rest in which your eyes are closed, your muscles are relaxed, your nervous system is 13

14 inactive and consciousness is practically suspended. is is a vital period of replenishment and repair for your body and a time when your brain is given the opportunity to process information, memories and experiences. Sleep is essential, and it is undoubtedly one of the key pillars of good health. While our commitment to eating well and exercising regularly is ultimately down to personal choice and conscious decision-making, sleep is influenced by factors that are sometimes out of our control. You can make yourself a healthy lunch, you can find the drive to get yourself to the gym for an early-morning workout, but lying in bed and trying to fall asleep may be a little more tricky. Many of us are victims of the 24-hour culture in which we live, as the modern-day demands and expectations of work and life in general, as well as the impact of social media, very much influence how we live our lives. is way of living can take its toll on our ability to sleep well and whilst you may think you are managing to survive on very little sleep, take it from me that you are not. Many of us have developed coping strategies to function on a daily basis (does that third cup of coffee before 11am sound familiar?) rather than taking a step back to address

the real problem, which is not being able to sleep. Aer years of struggling with insomnia, I became particularly interested in researching the different approaches to achieving the best possible sleep and one of the best pieces of advice I can give you is that one size never fits all. In this personal, practical guide, which references the latest scientific research and expert opinion, I will break down the art of sleeping into three main pillars: Behaviour, Environment and Diet, which can be given the acronym, BED. Once you understand what your daily lifestyle looks like, it’s possible to develop a sleep ritual that is personal to you. My personal battle with sleep is what drove me to write e Art of Sleeping ; however, I intend this book to be for everyone, whether you are similarly struggling with insomnia, looking for a better quality of sleep or are simply interested in the mechanics of sleeping well. I hope that by reading these pages you will be able to achieve the sleep of your dreams. 15

CHAPTER ONE

sleep

18

‘Sleep is

that golden

chain that

ties health

and our

bodies

together.’

Thomas Dekker

19 Sleep is a condition of body and mind that typically recurs for several hours every night, in which the nervous system is inactive, the eyes are closed, the postural muscles are relaxed, and consciousness is practically suspended.

doze slumber nap zizz siesta

rest drowse kip snooze catnap bye-byes

22 Sleeping is considered to be a time of rest, but your body is working hard to ensure you are kept in good health. Your brain processes information, memory and experiences. Growth hormone increases to help repair your body’s tissues.

23 WHY SLEEP? Protein is replenished at a faster rate to support growth and repair. Production of skin cells, red blood cells and immune cells increases.

Sleep is essential

to everyday life

and influences

many areas

that impact

on our day-

to-day health

and wellness,

including:

24

25

Attention

Concentration

Creativity

Insight

Learning

Memory

Decisions

Emotions

Relationships

25

26 THE CIRCADIAN RHYTHM Ever wondered why you feel sleepy at around the same time every night or wake up at the same time every day? It’s simply part of your circadian rhythm at work. Circadian rhythms are roughly 24-hour cycles that occur in the physiological processes of living beings – including plants, animals, fungi and cyanobacteria – and exist in every cell in the body, helping to set sleep patterns by governing the flow of hormones and other biological processes. Circadian rhythms are controlled by the body’s internal clock and influenced by environmental factors such as light and temperature; the sleep/wake cycle is an example of a light-related circadian rhythm that determines our pattern of sleep. 26

27 2.00 Deepest sleep 21.00 Melatonin secretion starts 19.00 Highest body temperature 17.00 Greatest cardio- vascular efficiency and muscle strength 14.30 Best co-ordination 15.30 Fastest reaction time 4.00 Lowest body temperature 6.45 Sharpest blood pressure rise 7.30 Melatonin secretion stops 12.00 Midnight 12.00 Noon 18.006.00 10.00 Highest alertness 18.30 Highest blood pressure

28 e modern human is thought to have originated just north of the equator in Africa, which is a region that has a constant 12 hours of daylight, and research has shown how evolution has impacted on our body clock. As humans migrated into a range of latitudes, they became exposed to variations in the length of daylight, which is thought to have influenced their biological clocks. ese rhythms are ingrained in us and make up the very fabric of our being. Wherever you live, the processes in your body are driven by the basic fact that every 24 hours the Earth pirouettes on its axis, creating a fixed pattern of sunlight and darkness. e knowledge that this clock keeps on ticking regardless of what’s going on in our lives is quite comforting. Under normal circumstances, the biggest energy dips happen in the middle of the night (somewhere between 2am and 4am) and just aer lunchtime (around 1pm to 3pm), which is when many people crave a post-lunch nap. However,

these times can vary slightly depending on your chronotype, which defines whether you’re a morning lark or a night owl, which I will explain later (see page 59). Sleep deprivation can make these fluctuations in sleepiness and alertness more noticeable, so if you’re a good sleeper you’re less likely to feel the dips as strongly as someone who doesn’t get enough sleep. Routine is essential in our day-to-day lives, as it helps us to keep in sync with the natural flow of our circadian rhythm. Going to sleep and waking up at the same time every day will keep your body in a steady state of flux, maintaining energy levels and ensuring proper regeneration throughout the body. Interrupted or erratic sleep will inevitably leave you feeling fatigued and out of sorts, while the effect of light can also influence your biological clock and circadian rhythm. 29

30 THE BODY CLOCK Yes, this really is a thing! Your circadian rhythm can be thought of as a cycle of established events working in the background of your brain, but it’s the complex action of nervepathways in response to light that ensures they occur like clockwork. Exposure to light stimulates a nerve pathway from the retina in the eye to an area in the brain called the hypothalamus. ere, a special centre called the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) works like a clock that sets off a regulated pattern of activities that affect the entire body such as the regulation of body temperature, heart rate, blood pressure and the release of hormones that help us to sleep.