Sleep and rest
Did you know that sleep was described by Shakespeare as “the chief nourisher in life’s feast”? This of course was to acknowledge the very fact that for the majority of us, deep rest is extremely necessary for keeping the body, mind and spirit in top form.
Sleep deprivation is not only bad for us, but it’s also bad for people around us: thousands of traffic accidents are attributed to tired, sleepy drivers every year.
But in the UK, the average night’s sleep is about 90 minutes less than it was in the 1920s during which it was 9 hours a night.
Now some of you may ask what sleep is then. Simply put, well, it’s made up of different stages. The 10-minute period of light sleep is called Stage One. Stage Two is a bit deeper and lasts about half an hour. After this are Stages Three and Four and they are types of deep sleep.
Deep sleep is the process that our brain and body needs to recover from the day. It’s often called delta sleep, after the delta waves generated by the brain. We do not dream during such a time. After about 2 hours of deep sleep, rapid eye movement sleep begins.
During a normal night, most people cycle through these various stages a couple of times. Problems arise if and when the pattern is broken.
Those of us who haven’t got the luxury of an afternoon nap tend to get really sleepy at this time. Interestingly though, people increasing their night time sleep find this afternoon dip to disappear. A 15 minute nap at lunch time is just as effective.
Sleep problems can also be a symptom of a few other conditions, from depression to problems with the thyroid gland and even such rare sleep disorders as narcolepsy. As a result, it’s really important to speak to your GP if you’re experiencing insomnia or any other sleep problem, since it could indicate another condition.
Sleep and mood are interlinked so intriguingly that they still aren’t fully understood. But a good sleep, just like a good meal, can leave one content and happy – with room for just a bit more.
Also remember to use your bedroom mainly for sleeping, making it as comfortable, dark and airy as possible.