Sleep cycles information and
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Sleep aid tips about sleep cycles for information and remedies for your better sleep which may also cure any mild sleep cycles you may want natural sleep aid remedies for. It’s a basic necessity of life, as important to our health and well-being as air, food and water.
When we sleep well, we wake up feeling refreshed, alert and ready to face daily challenges. When we don’t, every part of our lives can suffer. Our jobs, relationships, productivity, health and safety (and that of those around us) are all put at risk. And lack of sleep due to sleep loss or sleep disorders is taking a serious toll. The 2002 National Sleep Foundation (NSF) Sleep in America poll found that 74 percent of American adults are experiencing a sleeping problem a few nights a week or more, 39% get less than seven hours of sleep each weeknight, and more than one in three (37 percent) are so sleepy during the day that it interferes with daily activities. In the past century, we have reduced our average time in sleep. Though our society has changed, our brains and bodies have not. Sleep deprivation is affecting us all and we are paying the price.
Sleep Quantity and Quality Count Getting enough continuous quality sleep contributes to how we feel and perform the next day, but also has a huge impact on the overall quality of our lives. Getting enough sleep refers to the amount of sleep you need to not feel sleepy the next day. If sleepiness interferes with or makes it difficult to do your daily activities, you probably need more sleep. Although sleep experts generally recommend an average of 7-9 hours per night, some people can get along with less while others need as much as ten hours to feel alert the next day. Sleep requirements vary over the life cycle. Newborns and infants need a lot of sleep and have several periods of sleep throughout a 24-hour time period.
Naps are important to them as well as to toddlers who may nap up to the age of 5. As children enter adolescence, their sleep patterns shift to a later sleep-wake cycle, but they still need around 9 hours of sleep. Throughout adulthood, even as we get older, we need 7-9 hours of sleep. Sleep patterns may change, but the need for sleep remains the same.
Sleep Needs over the Life Cycle Infants/Babies* 0-2 months: 10.5-18.5 hours Toddlers/Children* 12-18 months: 13-15 hours Adolescents – Teens Sleep requirements 8.5-9.5 hours Adults/Older Persons On average: 7-9 hours *Total time includes naps. For a detailed breakdown of Lifetime Sleep Cycles and common sleep disorders as we age, go to Navbar for “common Sleep Disorders”
You Are How You Sleep Quantity of Sleep – Sleep Deprivation has Consequences Planning your day so that you allow enough time to sleep is essential to your overall well-being and quality of life. Such planning includes allowing enough time to awaken naturally – without an alarm clock – so you get as much sleep as you need! According to the 2002 poll, over 80% of American adults believe that not getting enough sleep leads to poor performance at work, risk for injury and poor health, and difficulty getting along with others. Often, people become irritable due to lack of sleep, resulting in serious consequences. Studies show that lack of sleep leads to problems completing a task, concentrating, making decisions and unsafe actions. Recent research suggests that sleep deprivation impacts on aging and diabetes. Insufficient sleep may also make it difficult to exercise and can reduce the benefit of hormones released during sleep. Just as compelling are the serious consequences of sleep deprivation that lead to approximately 100,000 sleep-related vehicle crashes each year and result in 1,500 deaths. Why Nighttime Sleep is Important Sleep is regulated by two brain processes. One is the restorative process when sleep occurs naturally in response to how long we are awake; the longer we are awake, the stronger is the drive to sleep. The second process controls the timing of sleep and wakefulness during the day-night cycle. Timing is regulated by the circadian biological clock that is located in our brain. This part of the brain, the SCN or suprachiasmatic nucleus, is influenced by light so that we naturally tend to get sleepy at night when it is dark and are active during the day when it is light. In addition to timing the sleep-wake cycle, the circadian clock regulates day-night cycles of most body functions, ensuring that the appropriate levels occur at night when you are sleeping. For example, important hormones are secreted, blood pressure is lowered and kidney functions change. Research even indicates that memory is consolidated during sleep. This “clock” in the brain runs on a 24-hour cycle with the result that we feel most sleepy around 2:00-4:00 am and in the afternoon between 1:00-3:00 pm. We need to have continuous sleep that becomes restorative and results in feeling refreshed and alert for the day ahead. Quality of Sleep Quality sleep also means that it is continuous and uninterrupted. As we get older, sleep can be disrupted due to pain or discomfort, the need to go to the bathroom, medical problems, medications, and sleep disorders as well as poor or irregular sleep schedules. Establishing a regular bed and wake schedule and achieving continuous sleep helps you sleep in accordance with your internal biological circadian clock and experience all of the sleep stages necessary to reap the restorative, energizing and revitalizing benefits of sleep. States and Stages of Sleep As we sleep, we pass through different states and stages of sleep – more likely to be experienced with continuous sleep. This “sleep architecture” follows a predictable pattern of REM (rapid-eye movement) and NREM (Non-Rapid Eye Movement) sleep throughout a typical 8-hour period. Each of these states alternates every 90 minutes. Both states are important to experiencing quality sleep. Again, getting the right mix and enough of both REM and NREM sleep will help you maintain your natural sleep architecture and have restful and restorative sleep. NREM: 75% of night* As we begin to fall asleep, we enter NREM, which is composed of Stages 1-4. Stage 1
Establishing a regular bed and wake time helps promote sleep by getting you in sync with your circadian clock so that you experience all of these sleep stages. Here are some additional practical tips for promoting quality sleep: Sleep aid tips web directory is the best way to find information about sleep cycles disorder remedies and sleep cycles information. This web page takes the legwork out of finding great sleep cycles information resources. We have compiled great links to sleep cycles information and sleep cycles remedy information and sleep cycles pages dedicated to sleep cycles information here. . . On this directory page you will find links to various sleep cycles information and sleep cycles remedy related pages. There you will find great information about sleep cycles .
TIPS FOR GOOD SLEEP Our 24/7 Society and Nature’s Clock The Perils of Shift Work The body never adjusts to shift work! Working nontraditional schedules is a risk for on-the-job accidents and car crashes. It is often difficult to get quality sleep during the day and support from others is important. To help themselves adapt, shift workers can follow the sleep tips at left and create a good sleep environment at home during non-working hours.
Jet Lag Shifts Your Sleep Schedule The shift in time and light forces the brain and body to alter from its normal pattern and adjust to the new time zone. Try to shift your sleep and wake times gradually to the new schedule a few days before you leave home and adopt the sleep/ wake cycle of your destination upon arrival. When to Talk to Your Doctor
SLEEP CHANGES AS WE GROW OLDER
HOW SLEEP CHANGES Sleep typically begins with stage 1 before progressing into the later stages. Sleep deepens with each stage achieved; stages 3 and 4 (also called delta sleep) provide our bodies' deepest sleep. Our fifth stage is REM sleep, where dreaming occurs. WHAT DO SLEEP STAGES HAVE TO DO WITH SLEEPING WELL? By age 60 or 70, many adults experience a decrease in the proportion of time spent in delta sleep. This is particularly true for elderly men. However, the percentage of REM sleep remains relatively stable. In late adulthood, the first REM sleep periods come faster than in earlier years. Are the kinds of dreams experienced different? Some research suggests that older men tend to have more passive, inner-directed dreams, while older women tend to dream more active, outgoing dreams. ARE YOU SLEEPING MORE, BUT ENJOYING IT LESS? Interestingly, the average total sleep time increases slightly after age 65. But so do reports of difficulty falling asleep. One study found that after 65, 13 percent of men and 36 percent of women reported taking more than 30 minutes to fall asleep. What causes this difficulty? Research suggests that physiological and lifestyle changes are at fault. The elderly generally secrete lesser amounts of certain chemicals that regulate the sleep/wake cycle. Both melatonin (a substance produced by the pineal gland that promotes sleep) and growth hormone production decrease with age. There are also changes in the body temperature cycle which occur with age. These factors may cause, or be a consequence of, sleep problems. In addition, a decrease in exposure to natural light and a change in diet may exacerbate sleep difficulties. Some researchers theorize that daytime inactivity (lack of exercise) and decreased mental stimulation may also lead to the "aging" of sleep. Falling asleep isn't the only difficulty older people may face at night. Sleep also becomes more shallow, fragmented and variable in duration with age. The elderly wake more frequently than younger adults. Recent research suggests that the aging bladder can contribute to a substantial degree of sleep disturbance in the elderly. A tendency to feel sleepier during the day than when younger results from these increased nocturnal awakenings. It's important to remember that many healthy elderly individuals have no or few sleep problems. PERSISTENT TROUBLE FALLING ASLEEP AT NIGHT OR FREQUENT DROWSING BY DAY IS NOT NORMAL OR INEVITABLE WITH AGE. Sometimes, age-related changes mask underlying sleep disorders. For example, sleep apnea, a breathing disorder, is more common in the middle and elder years. The repeated awakenings caused by a literal lack of breath lead to daytime sleepiness. How to tell whether daytime drowsiness is a result of a sleep disorder, sleep deficit or depression? By consulting a sleep specialist, who is skilled in diagnosing the problem and treating both symptom and cause. Many older people consider poor sleep not worth complaining about and as inevitable and constant as death and taxes. ACTUALLY, THERE ARE MANY THINGS YOU CAN DO ABOUT POOR SLEEP, AND THERE ARE MANY REASONS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT SLEEP.
THE IMPACT OF SLEEP PROBLEMS Sleep deprivation has measurable negative effects on performance and physical and mental health. If you haven't had a good night's sleep, you're likely to pay for it. The price may be high: Reduced energy, greater difficulty concentrating, diminished mood, and greater risk for accidents, including fall-asleep crashes. Work performance and relationships can suffer too. And pain may be intensified by the physical and mental consequences of lack of sleep. MEDICAL PROBLEMS AFFECTING SLEEP All these medical problems can interrupt, delay and/or shorten sleep. For example, arthritis patients may have difficulty falling asleep because of painful joints. Or they may be awakened by pain. A 1996 National Sleep Foundation (NSF) Gallup Poll found that 30 percent of all nighttime pain sufferers experience arthritis pain at night. The number rises to 60 percent for those over age 50. Nighttime pain sufferers in this age group who experience difficulty sleeping lost an average of 2.2 hours of sleep, 10.7 nights a month. If you suffer from arthritis, ask your doctor about treatment. Other types of chronic or occasional pain can be sleep-stealers too. In the 1996 NSF Gallup Poll, back pain was cited by 64 percent of those who had nighttime pain in the past year. Headaches, muscular aches and pains, leg cramps and sinus pain were cited by 44 percent to 56 percent. Behavioral and pharmacological approaches may help. Heart patients often suffer sleep difficulties as well. Most stable congestive heart failure patients suffer sleep-disordered breathing. Almost half in a recent study had apneic (loss of breath) attacks. (More on apnea later.) Apnea requires treatment as well. When GER whose chief symptoms are heartburn and regurgitation occurs during sleep, nocturnal awakenings may follow. About five percent of Americans suffer from heartburn nearly every day. Daytime GER is normal after eating. Nighttime GER can be problematical and marked by wheezing and chronic cough. Repeated awakenings and daytime sleepiness may ensue. Raising the head of the bed may alleviate symptoms. Or drug treatment may be indicated. Other medical conditions affect sleep too: asthma, chronic interstitial lung disease, neuromuscular disease, etc. Individuals with asthma may experience frequent awakenings due to bronchospasm. One study found such awakenings weekly in 74 percent of asthmatic patients.
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Sleep aid tips web directory is the best way to find information about sleep disorder remedies and sleep cycles information. This web page takes the legwork out of finding great sleep cycles information resources. We have compiled great links to sleep cycles information and sleep aid remedy information and pages dedicated to sleep cycles information here. . . On this directory page you will find links to various sleep cycles information and sleep aid remedy related pages. There you will find great information about sleep cycles .
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