The question is easier than it sounds: how did you sleep last night? I mean exactly when did you wake up to sleep or, if you prefer, moments before what happened? How did you get it? How did you feel then? It is always curious that Even though we sleep every day, “falling asleep” is such an unknown process.
And not just by ordinary citizens, but also by scientists. Over the past decade, the leap in technology in neuroimaging tools has brought us much closer to what happens in that enigmatic moment when we dive into the realms of Morpheus.
Yet the web is still brimming with “quick sleep” solutions that are closer to magical rituals and superstitions than anything that looks like scientifically consistent behavioral engineering. What does science tell us about all of this?
A short course in sleep neurobiology
There are a handful of brain structures directly involved in sleep processes: the hypothalamus (which acts as the control center for arousal and contains important neural structures in circadian rhythms), the brain stem (where the transition from wakefulness to sleep takes place), the thalamus (which in some ways this is the structure that supplies sensory information the central nervous system transmits and switches to do not disturb mode during sleep), the pineal gland (which releases a hormone, melatonin, that helps induce sleep by adapting to the day-night cycle) or the amygdala (the emotions “Processed” and plays a very important role in REM sleep).
However, the most interesting thing about all of this anatomical analysis is that we don’t have any structures specifically dedicated to sleep. While there are groups of neurons whose function is geared towards this, the difference between wakefulness and sleep lies more in the functioning of the nervous system than in the structures involved. The main problem with “falling asleep” is changing modes without affecting system performance..
For this reason, within the famous phases of REM and non-REM sleep, there is one (Phase 1) that, while lasting a few minutes, is extremely important. It is light sleep in which the body (heartbeat, breath, movements) relaxes and slows down and in which Brain wave patterns begin to show that the transition from one state to another is being worked on.
This gives us an initial indication of what the body needs to start the process that will put us to sleep. However, a quiet time is not enough. Usually there are two internal biological mechanisms that help regulate sleep and enable synchronization These moments of calm with our physiological needs: circadian rhythms (a kind of “biological clock” that regulates many functions: from body temperature to the release of hormones) and sleep-wake homeostasis (i.e. – saying the need for sleep).
The three most important tips for falling asleep
Those three levers are that basic tools available to us to facilitate sleep not only to be deep and relaxing, but also to be able to reconcile quickly. In general, all of the techniques that help us fall asleep play with them quickly in one way or another.
Relax your mind and body
Unless the need for sleep is strictly necessary, the nervous system will not initiate the sleep process unless we need to sleep. He will also fight back. Hence includes the first phase of sleep neurological, physical and environmental relaxation: is the “trick” our body uses to check whether we can sleep.
What happens is that normally We are unable to divide up our lives enough to go to bed with all that is resolved. Sometimes it is our mind that keeps thinking about open questions or problems that we cannot solve. In other cases, it is the rest of the body that, because of previous activities, has not picked up the signals asking it to relax.
A clear example is practice. There is no doubt that physical activity and good sleep are linked (Loprinzi & Cardinal, 2011), and it seems that 30 minutes of physical activity is a good thing most days (Reid, 2010). However, it is advisable to do this 2-3 hours before going to bed. On the other hand, “Physiological inertia” can work against us.
It is also not a good idea to consume caffeine because This is related not only to lack of sleep, but also to poor quality (Kerpershoek, Antypa and Van den Berg, 2018; Snel and Lorist, 2011). Something similar happens with alcohol (Singleton & Wolfson, 2009) or nicotine (Jaehne, 2009). However, there are people out there who all of these (especially the last two) help you fall asleep.
The reason is easier than it sounds: we often use alcohol or tobacco as forms of emotional management and for the same reason they can help us reconcile. The problem is, they do this at the expense of our long-term sleep ability. If we need to deal with our emotions, it is better to do relaxing tasks before going to bed. (Blanaru et al., 2012; Nicassio and Bootzin, 1974). Things like reading, listening to music or learning the famous relaxation techniques directly.
In reality, Most of the techniques we see on the internet to help you sleep are secret relaxation techniques.. Either the 4-7-8 technique (repeat the sequence “Inhale air through your nose for four seconds; hold it for seven seconds and exhale for eight seconds” until you sleep) or the Sharon Ackerman technique Sleep method in two minutes. You are. Our colleagues at Vitónica have a good mix to find the one that suits us best. You just need to have one idea: mastering it takes practice.
Order our life
If an important part is the psychophysiological disposition during sleep, another part is the vital rhythm: to let our life and our (circadian) rhythms coincide. Let’s face it, as we get older, our sleep deteriorates more and more: more than half of the elderly suffer from symptoms of insomnia (Ohayon, 2002). However, studies tell us so Living a coherent and organized lifestyle can help us sleep better and faster (Zisberg, Gur-Yaish & Shochat, 2010; Monk, 2010).
In addition, this lifestyle has to be daily, the week does not serve as a compensation unit. In other words, there is no point in sleeping late on the weekend. Going to bed and waking up at the same time each day is the best option for regulating sleep be children (Mindell et al., 2015), top athletes (Bird, 2013) or normal people.
Save sleep
As mentioned above, sleep-wake homeostasis is very important. It’s hard to sleep when we’re not tired. For this reason, it is interesting to manage well the hours we sleep throughout the day. Napping without going any further is one of the most amazing things in the world (Rosekind, 1995): an average of 25 minutes of sleep improves our cognitive functions between 16% and 34% (Mednick et al., 2008; Naska, 2007; Saunders and Chaput, 2012).
However, they must be used correctly, otherwise they can prevent us from falling asleep at night (Dhand & Sohal, 2006). After all: The best way to fall asleep quickly is to go to bed tired, relaxed, and at the right time. This isn’t a sleeping magic trick (especially if you’ve been looking for that sleepless, night-time themed theme), but you can start doing it tomorrow.
Image | Jen Theodore
45seconds is a new medium. Do not hesitate to publish our article on social networks to give us a solid boost. 🙂