Sleep helps plays a vital role in the way our body operates, changes and grows. Sleeping regularly and for good periods of time each sleep is pivotal to keep you healthy. If you’re sleeping pattern and routine isn’t the best at the moment we’re here to help guide you in the right direction.
HOW DOES SLEEP WORK?
There are many discussions in what scientists believe is the perfect length of sleep each night for an adult. At the moment the two theories they have are five sleep cycles (8 hours) of sleep. Sleep cycles are broken down into Non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and Rapid eye movement (REM). 90 minutes for each sleep cycle. NREM is a light sleep that gets deeper through the cycle period. Cycles end with REM sleep, that’s where your brain is active and you began to have dreams. Around about this time is when you have a deep sleep. Now you know the science behind it try get 8 hours each night of delightful sleep.
WHAT MAKES SLEEP SO VITAL FOR US?
It’s clear to us that sleep is crucial for health. We’re fatigued and irritable mostly when we’ve had little sleep. Our central nervous system needs sleep to help regulate it, sleep helps the brain function of course and not only that it helps us with our immune system! A study shown by UCFS (UC San Francisco) in 2015. They found out that people who sleep less than 6 hours are 4 times more like to catch a cold compared to people who got 7 or more hours of sleep. So try get more that sleep to keep us feeling fit and healthy!
WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES SLEEP MAKE ON EXERCISE?
In our body we have growth hormones that helps us grow our body and repair. While we are sleeping the growth hormone is at its best and highest volume. If you’ve been training in the day for example doing a weights/strength session, sleep helps us strengthen and repair those muscles to become bigger and better for next time! Also the reverse if we don’t get enough sleep we’ll be fatigued which will affect our strength and higher the chance of injury.
TIPS FOR BETTER SLEEP
Give these tips a test and see if they help you get five cycles each night.
- No caffeine after lunch time. (Coffee or Pre-workout drinks)
- No screens before sleep. (Phone, tablets or laptops)
- Try not to drink fluids before bed (Drink enough through the day)
- Read before bed or meditate to help calm the mind
- Follow a similar pattern each night for what time you go to sleep
- Create a routine for bedtime to get the mind and body to start switching off for sleep
