Good sleep is key to health and overall well-being. However, due to work obligations, errands, household chores, and many other daily commitments, people often make compromises when it comes to sleep.
Unfortunately, not getting enough sleep can lead to many unexpected health problems—both mental and physical. Contrary to what many people believe, when you sleep, your mind and body are working.
Sleep repairs your brain and body in many different ways, says Dr. Merrill Mitler, a neuroscientist and sleep expert at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). It serves your body at a molecular level and improves cognition, intelligence, energy, mood, and alertness. Therefore, adequate sleep time is necessary.
Are you struggling to meet the demands of daily life while also losing sleep? Advances in technology have made it possible to easily track and interpret your sleep patterns while helping you get a restful night’s sleep.
Let’s see how sleep tracking technology works SMAinstant watch and ring Can help you sleep better and improve your overall health.
Study on sleep deprivation in India
Let us take you through the findings of ‘Sleep in India’, a nationwide survey conducted by LocalCircles to commemorate World Sleep Day (March 17, 2023). It consists of more than 39,000 participants from 309 districts in India. Here are some findings:
1. 55% of participants reported that they were sleep deprived. Many people report sleeping less than 6 hours a day.
2. 21% said they got Sleep time is about 4 hours
3. Only 2% of participants said they got 8 to 10 hours of adequate sleep.
4. About 43% of people said they get less than 6 to 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep per night.
5. Overall, 61% of Indians do not get enough sleep due to different reasons, including frequent urination, sleep apnea, insomnia, insect bites, poor quality mattresses, use of mobile phones, etc.
Many studies have shown that sleep deprivation makes people prone to poor concentration, mood swings, and sluggish reactions.Lack of sleep may also cause your brain to overturn systemDigestion, metabolismcardiovascular healthycognitive function and mental health.
So, it turns out that those few hours of sleep aren’t just about relaxing; They hold the key to your happiness.
Now let’s move on to the science behind sleep.
read more – Sleep Tracking and Analysis: Using Technology to Optimize Your Sleep
Inner Symphony: Decoding the Harmony of Sleep and Waking
When you sleep, your brain cycles between two sleep types – Rapid Eye Movement (REM) and non-rapid eye movement sleep.
The first stage of sleep is non-rapid eye movement sleep. It has four stages:
1. Stage 1: Between waking and dozing
2. Stage 2: Light sleep (body temperature drops, breathing and heart rate regulation)
3. Stages 3 and 4: Deep Sleep
When you enter REM sleep, the following happens:
1. Your eyes move faster (eyelids close)
2. Your brain waves respond to wakefulness.
3. Your breathing rate increases.
4. Your body enters a state of temporary paralysis or immobility.
This cycle keeps repeating. However, with each transition, the deeper NREM sleep stages decrease, while the duration of the REM sleep window increases. So, typically, you’ll cycle between REM sleep and non-REM sleep about four to five times a night.
Sleep tracking technology notices it all and analyzes your sleep patterns to help you get better sleep.
The body’s built-in sleep switch
According to Dr. Mark Wu, a renowned neuroscientist and sleep expert at Johns Hopkins University, our bodies contain two built-in sleep controls:
circadian rhythm rightRhythm: Your body clock controls these rhythms. The clock is a system of hormones and receptors that respond to light signals. Proper circadian rhythm increases the secretion of melatonin (a hormone that regulates the sleep-wake cycle) at night and decreases it during the day.
sleep Driver: Just like you feel hungry, your body responds to the need for sleep. When it reaches a certain threshold, you fall asleep. Do you know the main difference between hunger and sleep? For example, if you are hungry, it is easy to convince the brain I’m not forcing you to eat it, but it’s different When you feel sleepy or tired. Nodding off becomes easy no matter where you are.
read more – 11 Practical Tips for Improving Sleep Hygiene and Getting Good Sleep
How does restful sleep affect your overall health?
The benefits of quality sleep extend far beyond relaxation. It plays a key role in our overall health, affecting our physical and mental well-being. Here’s an overview of the benefits of restful sleep:
1. Enhance brain plasticity
Sleep gives your brain plasticity-ability adapt to environmentse or adapt to a range of situations. If you don’t get the sleep you want, your brain can’t process the information it receives throughout the day and lock memories into its cells. The cognitive function of the brain is also reduced.
2. Regulate emotions
Researchers say sleep also helps regulate mood. So if you don’t get a restful night’s sleep, you’ll often feel irritable or have mood swings.
3. Provide quick treatment
While you sleep, your body is in active mode while restoring itself by secreting hormones such as growth hormone, melatonin, cortisol, leptin, and ghrelin, as well as proteins that aid in tissue and muscle repair. Therefore, the body of someone who doesn’t get enough sleep recovers more slowly than someone who gets enough sleep.
4. Regulate immunity
While you are sleeping, your body produces anti-inflammatory proteins – cellular hormones. Therefore, sleep improves your immunity, which is your body’s mechanism to prevent disease.
Additionally, researchers found that sleep deprivation increases the production of white blood cells. This response is similar to how your body reacts when you are stressed. Lack of sleep may cause an imbalance in the immune system, increasing the likelihood of illness.
5. Improve appetite-regulating hormones
Good sleep improves appetite-regulating hormones while keeping you healthy and happy. Lack of sleep may disrupt appetite-regulating hormones that increase hunger (ghrelin) and regulate satiety (leptin), potentially leading to overeating and weight gain.
Healthy sleep makes you healthier
Good sleep and health go hand in hand. Your body uses sleep to repair, regenerate, and prepare for daily challenges. A night without sleep can lower your energy levels the next day and lead to a host of health problems. Prioritize those breaks to refuel your body for the day ahead.
Are you looking for something to keep you informed of your sleep timings and patterns? Switching to a fitness tracking device might be just the thing for you. Noise’s Luna Ring can be your quiet fitness companion. This smart ring tracks all your health indicators, including your sleep levels, sleep patterns, activity levels, and more, helping you design the right daily habits for optimal productivity.
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