Easy sleep hacks for your best night's shut eye
Do you lie in bed unable to sleep? Are you exhausted and unable to concentrate all day? Everyone knows such nights. But what can you do if it happens often? How much sleep do we need?
Most people do best on seven hours a night. But the quality of sleep is more important than the quantity.
When it gets dark, our body releases the sleep hormone melatonin to initiate sleep. Supported by the growth hormone BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) and other hormones, our brain recovers mainly during the first four hours of the night. It stores memories and the body rids itself of accumulated toxins. Melatonin frees the cells from aggressive oxygen radicals. Preventing our bodies from going into this deep-sleep phase can cause serious damage.
In the second part of the sleep — the dream phase — our brain processes the day. Interconnections form between nerve cells and the brain regenerates.
Sleep skincare
So what can you do to get a good night’s sleep? It is important to develop a regular sleep pattern. Go to bed and get up at the same time. If you can’t get enough sleep during the week, recover at the weekend. Take a 20-minute power nap during the day if you work at night.
An optimal room temperature is 17– 22°C. Drink alcohol moderately as it inhibits the release of the BDNF hormone. You won’t recover.
Do not eat too much protein before going to bed or drink coffee too late, and do not work late on your computer or watch TV for too long — light inhibits the release of melatonin. Most importantly: go to bed with happy thoughts.
Dr Kubenz’s column appears monthly.
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