Sleep Research Nap 13022015

8/9/2019 Sleep Research Nap 13022015

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TouchA great night's sleep can depend

on the comfort you feel

in your bedroom environment

MATTRESS

93% of Americans say a comfortable mattress is important to a good night s sleep!

"earn more #

$ ""& S

()% of Americans rate their o*n pillo*s as better than a +uality hotel s!

"earn more #

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90% of Americans change their sheets at least every other *ee1!

"earn more #

M&RE RESEAR2

More information on napping #

More information on sleeping *ith a 4problem sleeper5 #

hat temperature should your bedroom be6

Many sleep e7perts say that a cool room8 some*here around ( degrees8 ma1es for

the best sleep8 and research bac1s this notion!

-uring the course of a normal day8 your body temperature rises and falls slightly! This pattern is tied to your sleep cycle! As you become dro*sy8 your temperaturegoes do*n8 reaches its lo*est level around :;; a!m!8 and climbs slightly asmorning begins! This is *hy the air in your room can a


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associated *ith an improper regulation in body temperature! &f course each of ushas a slightly di$$&RT ./ RESEAR2

The relationship bet*een insomnia and body temperature #

$revention and treatment of sleep disorders #

The sleep?evo1ed decrease of body temperature #

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Shivering and s*eating at night

-uring the night8 your body uses its o*n heating and cooling mechanisms to 1eepyour temperature in a healthy range! ,ut the sensations that come *ith this natural@thermoregulation@ can ma1e it hard to sleep peacefully! More #

o* bed surfaces a

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hen to buy ne* mattresses and pillo*s

There is no strict rule about *hen to replace your mattress8 but most have alifespan of around eight years! Some e7perts say this timeframe is shorter if you'reover F;8 because your body may need a better foundation for sleep! More #

Ma1e your bed for better sleep


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e tend to thin1 of ma1ing our beds as a routine morning chore8 but it turns out theritual may be more meaningful than that! The results of a recent ,edroom $oll bythe .ational Sleep Coundation found that many people believe clean8 neat andcomfortable elements of the bedroom environment are important to getting a goodnight's sleep!

.ot surprisingly8 over 9; percent of people said a comfortable mattress and pillo*sare important to the sleep e7perience! ,ut more than three +uarters of people alsobelieve that the comfortable feel of sheets and bedding are important to a goodnight's rest8 and () percent said that a clean bedroom ma1es the di$$&RT ./ RESEAR2

.ational Sleep Coundation ,edroom $oll #

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$regnancy8 postpartum8 menopause and sleep

$regnancy brings Guctuating hormones *ith body temperature changes8 nausea8the increased urgency to urinate8 and trouble getting comfortable at night!

f you =nd yourself overheating or s*eating *hile you sleep8 *ear light cotton

pa amas and 1eep a spare set ne7t to you at night8 along *ith a glass of ice *ater! Agood set of pillo*s *ill be your friend during pregnancy8 especially as your bellygro*s! "ie on your left side if you can Hbest for your circulationI8 and e7periment*ith putting a pillo* or t*o bet*een your legs8 behind your bac18 or even a thin oneunder your abdomen! Bou can =nd long body pillo*s that also support your upperbody *hile you sleep! Remember that light can send alerting signals to your brain8so leave a nightlight in the bathroom or hall*ay for nighttime trips instead ofturning on overhead lights!

ot Gashes are very common for *omen in menopause and can ma1e sleep diDcultas *ell! Many scientists believe that dropping estrogen levels and other altered

hormones tric1 the hypothalamus Hthe brain's temperature regulating regionI intothin1ing the body is overheating! To get rid of e7cess heat8 blood vessels dilate andblood Go* increases to the s1in8 causing a Gushed and s*eaty feeling! ear lightcotton pa amas or those designed to *ic1 a*ay moisture8 and consider 1eeping ane7tra set near your bed! f you s*eat a lot at night8 1eep an e7tra pillo*case8 ato*el8 or even a spare set of sheets near the bed as *ell! ave a cold facecloth anda glass of ice *ater on hand and follo* tips for 1eeping your room cool! f symptomspersist8 consider consulting *ith your gynecologist!


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S>$$&RT ./ RESEAR2

2ircadian rhythms8 sleep8 and the menstrual cycle #

Sleep in *omen across the life cycle #

$redictors of sleep +uality #

2lose #

o* to dress your child for sleep

Cor safety reasons8 the American Academy of $ediatrics recommends babies sleep*ithout any loose blan1ets8 so at night it's best to choose an out=t that 1eeps yourbaby comfortable *ithout e7tra layers! More #

o* to cool the room in the summer

Cor cooler summer sleeping8 prepare during the day by avoiding heat buildup inyour house! More #

- - B&> J.& 6

93% of Americans rated a comfortable mattress8 90% rated comfortable pillo*s andK(% rated a comfortable feel of sheets and bedding as important to good sleep inthe .ational Sleep Coundation s );0) ,edroom $oll!


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Hear Listen. Are noises keeping you awake?

S O U N D C O N T R O L

5% of Americans report using a sound conditioner in their bedrooms .Learn more ►

N O I S E B A R R I E R S

74% of Americans say a quiet bedroom is important to a good night’s sleep.Learn more ►M O R E R E S E A R C H

More information on shift work and sleep ►

More information on snoring ►

More information on sleeping with a “problem sleeper” ►

More information on helping your baby sleep ►

• How noise affects your sleepWhile you sleep, your brain continues to register and process sounds on a basic le el. !oise can "ostleyour slumber#causing you to $a e, mo e, shift bet$een stages of sleep, or e&perience a change inheart rate and blood pressure#so briefly that you don't remember the ne&t morning. Whether soundsdisturb your sleep depends on factors such as the stage of sleep you're in, the time of night, and e enyour feelings about the sounds themsel es.!oises are more li ely to $a e you from a light sleep (stages ) and *+, than from a deep sleep (stages and 4+, and tend to be more disrupti e in the second half of the night. -f you share a bed $ith someone,

http://www.sleepfoundation.org/2012bedroompollhttp://www.sleepfoundation.org/2012bedroompollhttp://www.sleepfoundation.org/2012bedroompollhttp://www.sleepfoundation.org/what-makes-good-nights-sleephttp://www.sleepfoundation.org/what-makes-good-nights-sleephttp://www.sleepfoundation.org/what-makes-good-nights-sleephttp://www.sleepfoundation.org/article/sleep-topics/shift-work-and-sleephttp://www.sleepfoundation.org/article/sleep-related-problems/snoring-and-sleephttp://www.sleepfoundation.org/article/ask-the-expert/partners-and-sleephttp://www.sleepfoundation.org/article/ask-the-expert/sleep-infants-and-parentshttp://www.sleepfoundation.org/what-makes-good-nights-sleephttp://www.sleepfoundation.org/article/sleep-topics/shift-work-and-sleephttp://www.sleepfoundation.org/article/sleep-related-problems/snoring-and-sleephttp://www.sleepfoundation.org/article/ask-the-expert/partners-and-sleephttp://www.sleepfoundation.org/article/ask-the-expert/sleep-infants-and-parentshttp://www.sleepfoundation.org/2012bedroompoll


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you no$ that there is indi idual ariation in sensiti ity to noise. -n fact, a recent study found that soundsleepers ha e characteristic brain acti ity that may ma e them more imper ious to noise.-nterestingly, $hether or not a sound bothers your sleep depends in part on that sound's personalmeaning/ researchers ha e seen that people are more li ely to $a e $hen a sound is rele ant oremotionally charged. 0his is $hy, for e&ample, a parent could sleep soundly through her partner's snoresbut $a e fully $hen her baby fusses.

S U P P O R T I N G R E S E A R C Ho Auditory alerting threshold in REM and NREM sleep stages ►

o Auditory pro essing a ross the sleep!wake y le ►

o "pontaneous brain rhythms predi t sleep stability in the fa e of noise ►

o Autonomi arousals related to traffi noise during sleep ►

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• What is white noise? White noise $or s by reducing the difference bet$een bac ground sounds and a pea sound, li e adoor slamming, gi ing you a better chance to sleep through it undisturbed. -f you ha e difficulty fallingasleep or staying asleep, creating a constant ambient sound could help mas acti ity from inside andoutside the house.-n your bedroom, $hite noise can be created by a sound conditioner, a fan or an air purifier, anything thatis a consistent and soothing bac drop throughout the night. 2ou might $ant to e&periment $ith the olumeand type to find the $hite noise that $or s best for you, or if you ha e a sleeping partner, the sound that$or s for both of you.S U P P O R T I N G R E S E A R C H

o #he influen e of white noise on sleep in sub$e t e%posed to &'( noise ►

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• Television and your sleepWhether or not you reali3e it the ne&t day, sounds can alert your brain and disturb the continuity of yoursleep. o creating a quiet bedroom en ironment is ey to a full, healthy night's rest. -f you feel as thoughyou' e slept 7 6 hours but are still dro$sy the ne&t day, sound is a possible culprit.-deally, the sounds to $hich you drift off at night should be the ones that stay $ith you until morning.alling asleep $ith the tele ision on, for e&ample, could interrupt your sleep because, unli e $hite noise,08 sounds are constantly changing in tone, olume, and so forth. 08 can be especially bothersome if youneed to $a e up to turn it off and resettle into bed. or a better night's sleep, eep the tele ision out ofyour bedroom and turn it off before you start your bedtime routine. 9se $hite noise for bac ground

sounds instead.-f you need a morning alarm, consider one that is loud and distinct enough to arouse you, but doesn'tshoc you a$a e # you $ant to start your day alert but not an&ious.S U P P O R T I N G R E S E A R C H

o National "leep )oundation *+,, "leep in Ameri a -oll ►

o Media use and hild sleep ►

http://www.amsciepub.com/doi/abs/10.2466/pms.1966.22.3.927http://www.amsciepub.com/doi/abs/10.2466/pms.1966.22.3.927http://www.amsciepub.com/doi/abs/10.2466/pms.1966.22.3.927http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0896627300001690http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0896627300001690http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0896627300001690http://www.cell.com/current-biology/abstract/S0960-9822(10)00778-5http://www.cell.com/current-biology/abstract/S0960-9822(10)00778-5http://www.cell.com/current-biology/abstract/S0960-9822(10)00778-5http://www.journalsleep.org/ViewAbstract.aspx?pid=27123http://www.journalsleep.org/ViewAbstract.aspx?pid=27123http://www.journalsleep.org/ViewAbstract.aspx?pid=27123http://sleepfoundation.org/bedroom/hear.phphttp://sleepfoundation.org/bedroom/hear.phphttp://sleepfoundation.org/bedroom/hear.phphttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1389945704002242http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1389945704002242http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1389945704002242http://sleepfoundation.org/bedroom/hear.phphttp://sleepfoundation.org/bedroom/hear.phphttp://sleepfoundation.org/bedroom/hear.phphttp://www.sleepfoundation.org/sites/default/files/sleepinamericapoll/SIAP_2011_Summary_of_Findings.pdfhttp://www.sleepfoundation.org/sites/default/files/sleepinamericapoll/SIAP_2011_Summary_of_Findings.pdfhttp://www.sleepfoundation.org/sites/default/files/sleepinamericapoll/SIAP_2011_Summary_of_Findings.pdfhttp://www.pediatricsdigest.mobi/content/128/1/29.shorthttp://www.pediatricsdigest.mobi/content/128/1/29.shorthttp://www.pediatricsdigest.mobi/content/128/1/29.shorthttp://www.amsciepub.com/doi/abs/10.2466/pms.1966.22.3.927http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0896627300001690http://www.cell.com/current-biology/abstract/S0960-9822(10)00778-5http://www.journalsleep.org/ViewAbstract.aspx?pid=27123http://sleepfoundation.org/bedroom/hear.phphttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1389945704002242http://sleepfoundation.org/bedroom/hear.phphttp://www.sleepfoundation.org/sites/default/files/sleepinamericapoll/SIAP_2011_Summary_of_Findings.pdfhttp://www.pediatricsdigest.mobi/content/128/1/29.short


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• How to manage noise pollution:specially if you li e in a city or a busy neighborhood, outside noise is a fact of life. ome people gro$accustomed to en ironmental noise if it's constant enough. ;ut for many of us, sudden or periodic noisesoutside our bedroom $indo$s can "ostle us a$a e, e en if "ust briefly.

Airport noise, a igilant neighborhood dog, or the other$ise pleasant sound of chirping morning birds canbrea the continuity of your sleep. !ot only can noise pollution steal your slumber and ma e you feeldro$sy the ne&t day, there is some e idence that sounds such as those from constant, loud urban trafficor close pro&imity to an airport may ha e a negati e effect on health. or e&ample, some studies ha esuggested that long term e&posure to intense noise pollution could be associated $ith hypertension.


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74% of Americans rated a quiet room as important to getting a good night’s sleep in the !ational leepoundation’s *>)* ;edroom @oll .

"mellWhat you breathe while you sleep can affect how you feel the ne t day

A L L E R G Y B A R R I E R S

B % of Americans say fresh air free of allergens is important to a getting a goodnight’s sleep.Learn more ►

A I R Q U A L I T Y

http://www.sleepfoundation.org/2012bedroompollhttp://www.sleepfoundation.org/2012bedroompollhttp://www.sleepfoundation.org/what-makes-good-nights-sleephttp://www.sleepfoundation.org/what-makes-good-nights-sleephttp://www.sleepfoundation.org/what-makes-good-nights-sleephttp://www.sleepfoundation.org/2012bedroompollhttp://www.sleepfoundation.org/2012bedroompollhttp://www.sleepfoundation.org/what-makes-good-nights-sleep


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7?% of Americans say they are more e&cited to go to bed if their sheets ha e afresh scent.Learn more ►M O R E R E S E A R C H

More information on seasonal allergies ►

More information on snoring ►

More information on sleep disordered breathing ►

More information on asthma and sleep ►

• How smell affects your sleepWhile you're designing a bedroom for better rest, don't lea e your nose out of the picture. -nterestingly,there is some e idence that certain smells may ha e an effect on your sleep. or e&ample, la ender hasbeen sho$n to decrease heart rate and blood pressure, potentially putting you in a more rela&ed state. -none study, researchers monitored the brain $a es of sub"ects at night and found that those $ho sniffedla ender before bed had more deep sleep and felt more igorous in the morning. Another study of infantsfound that they cried less and slept more deeply after a bath $ith la ender scented oils. Cf course,la ender is not a cure for insomnia, but ha ing oils, candles, or sachets in your room could be a calmingpart of your bedtime routine.urrounding yourself $ith the scent you li e could help you drift off and, in fact, one study found thatsmells (both good and bad+ influence our dreams.


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"ee A great night!s sleep can depend on the visualconditions in your bedroom environment

C U RTA I N S &S H A D E S

5% of Americans say they don’t use bedroom curtains or shades.Learn more ►

http://www.sleepfoundation.org/bed-conditionshttp://www.sleepfoundation.org/bed-conditionshttp://www.sleepfoundation.org/bed-conditionshttp://www.sleepfoundation.org/bed-conditions


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L I G H T I N G

7 % of Americans say a dar bedroom is important to getting a good night’s sleep.Learn more ►M O R E R E S E A R C H

More information on your ir adian rhythm ►

More information about ele troni s use before bed ►

More information on dreaming►

More information on $et lag ►

More information on melatonin►

• How light affects sleepDa e you e er $o en up "ust minutes before your alarm goes off and mar eled at your body's sense oftime= Dumans (and most li ing creatures+ ha e an internal cloc that mirrors nature's cycles of day andnight.!estled deep in an area of the brain called the hypothalamus, this time eeper regulates many of ourbody's functions, such as sleep, energy, and hunger.unlight detected by cells in the retina of the eye sends messages to the brain that eep us in a roughly*4 hour pattern. 0hese light cues trigger all inds of chemical e ents in the body, causing changes in ourphysiology and beha ior. or e&ample, as e ening approaches and the light in our en ironment d$indles,the hormone melatonin begins to rise and body temperature falls#both of $hich help us to become lessalert and more li ely to $elcome sleep. With the help of morning light, melatonin le els are lo$, bodytemperature begins to rise, and other chemical shifts, such as an uptic in the acti ating hormone cortisol,occur to help us feel alert and ready for the day.tephan , Euc er -. 1ircadian rhythms in drin ing beha ior and locomotor acti ity of rats are eliminated by hypothalamiclesions. @roceedings of the !ational Academy of ciences. )67*F B?(B+/)5? )5?B.

S U P P O R T I N G R E S E A R C H

o Light2 sleep2 and ir adian rhythms. together again ►

o #ransition from dim to bright light in the morning indu es an immediate ele5ationin ortisol le5els ►

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• "aking your room dark

http://www.sleepfoundation.org/what-makes-good-nights-sleephttp://www.sleepfoundation.org/what-makes-good-nights-sleephttp://www.sleepfoundation.org/what-makes-good-nights-sleephttp://www.sleepfoundation.org/article/sleep-topics/sleep-drive-and-your-body-clockhttp://www.sleepfoundation.org/article/sleep-america-polls/2011-communications-technology-use-and-sleephttp://www.sleepfoundation.org/article/hot-topics/your-dreamshttp://www.sleepfoundation.org/article/sleep-topics/jet-lag-and-sleephttp://www.sleepfoundation.org/article/sleep-topics/melatonin-and-sleephttp://www.plosbiology.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pbio.1000145http://www.plosbiology.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pbio.1000145http://www.plosbiology.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pbio.1000145http://jcem.endojournals.org/content/86/1/151.shorthttp://jcem.endojournals.org/content/86/1/151.shorthttp://jcem.endojournals.org/content/86/1/151.shorthttp://jcem.endojournals.org/content/86/1/151.shorthttp://sleepfoundation.org/bedroom/see.phphttp://sleepfoundation.org/bedroom/see.phphttp://sleepfoundation.org/bedroom/see.phphttp://www.sleepfoundation.org/what-makes-good-nights-sleephttp://www.sleepfoundation.org/article/sleep-topics/sleep-drive-and-your-body-clockhttp://www.sleepfoundation.org/article/sleep-america-polls/2011-communications-technology-use-and-sleephttp://www.sleepfoundation.org/article/hot-topics/your-dreamshttp://www.sleepfoundation.org/article/sleep-topics/jet-lag-and-sleephttp://www.sleepfoundation.org/article/sleep-topics/melatonin-and-sleephttp://www.plosbiology.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pbio.1000145http://jcem.endojournals.org/content/86/1/151.shorthttp://jcem.endojournals.org/content/86/1/151.shorthttp://sleepfoundation.org/bedroom/see.php


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Gight and dar ness are po$erful cues that tell your body it's time to rest, or get you ready for a producti eday. o it's no surprise that light in the bedroom (as $ell as light pee ing in from outside+ has an impacton the quality of your sleep.

Artificial light after dar can send $a e up messages to the brain, suppressing the production of thesleep inducing hormone melatonin and ma ing it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep. -n fact, a recentstudy sho$ed that e en bright room light could ha e this chemical effect. And early sunrays begin toacti ate the body and can cause some of us to rise before $e're ready.With a little thought and creati ity, though, you can use the body's light sensiti ity to your ad antage.1onsider lo$ $attage, incandescent lamps at your bedside to help you $ind do$n in the hours beforesleep. ur ey your room for any other sources of artificial light, for e&ample, streetlamps or porch lights,or e en the glo$ from the po$er buttons of electronics li e 08's or bright alarm cloc s. 1onsider bloc ingthese to ma e the room completely dar $hile you sleep. -f you go to the bathroom during the night, do soby nightlight, instead of turning on stronger o erhead lights.-f you can $a e up rested $ith the sun after 7 6 hours of sleep, then by all means $elcome the earlymorning rays. -f not, use dar ening curtains or shades to eep your body in sleep mode until it's time to$a e up and start the day.S U P P O R T I N G R E S E A R C H

o E%posure to Room Light before 6edtime "uppresses Melatonin 7nset ►

o Non!5isual effe ts of light on melatonin2 alertness and ogniti5e performan e ►

o Limiting the &mpa t of light pollution on human health ►

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• How electronics affect sleepCur $orld is full of gadgets. or both $or and entertainment, technology use is increasingly popular, andthe e ening hours are no e&ception. or e&ample, a recent poll by the !ational leep oundation foundthat 65% of people use some type of computer, ideo game, or cell phone at least a fe$ nights a $ee$ithin the hour before bed.;ut scientists are no$ finding that light from electronics has the potential to disrupt sleep, because itsends alerting signals to the brain. 0he circadian rhythm seems to be especially sensiti e to light $ithshort $a elengths#in particular, blue light in the 4B> nanometer range of the electromagnetic spectrum.0his light, $hich is gi en off by electronics li e computers and cell phones, and also by energy efficientbulbs, has been sho$n to delay the release of melatonin. -n other $ords, electronics could eep youfeeling charged past bedtime.-f you ha e difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, consider eeping electronics out of the bedroom andturning them off#especially those used at close range#for at least an hour before bed. -t can ta e sometime for the body to come do$n from technology's alerting effects. @rotect your e ening $ind do$n timeby reading a boo , for e&ample. Get your body chemistry settle for the night.S U P P O R T I N G R E S E A R C H

o National "leep )oundation8 *+,, "leep in Ameri a -oll. 'ommuni ations#e hnology and "leep8 4ashington 9:';. #he )oundation< *+,, Mar =8 ►

o E5ening e%posure to a light!emitting diodes 9LE:;!ba klit omputer s reen ►

o E%posure to Room Light before 6edtime "uppresses Melatonin 7nset ►

o Limiting the &mpa t of light pollution on human health ►

http://jcem.endojournals.org/content/96/3/E463.fullhttp://jcem.endojournals.org/content/96/3/E463.fullhttp://jcem.endojournals.org/content/96/3/E463.fullhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3027693/http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3027693/http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3027693/http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S030147971100226Xhttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S030147971100226Xhttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S030147971100226Xhttp://sleepfoundation.org/bedroom/see.phphttp://sleepfoundation.org/bedroom/see.phphttp://sleepfoundation.org/bedroom/see.phphttp://www.sleepfoundation.org/article/sleep-america-polls/2011-communications-technology-use-and-sleephttp://www.sleepfoundation.org/article/sleep-america-polls/2011-communications-technology-use-and-sleephttp://www.sleepfoundation.org/article/sleep-america-polls/2011-communications-technology-use-and-sleephttp://www.sleepfoundation.org/article/sleep-america-polls/2011-communications-technology-use-and-sleephttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3027693/http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3027693/http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3027693/http://jcem.endojournals.org/content/96/3/E463.fullhttp://jcem.endojournals.org/content/96/3/E463.fullhttp://jcem.endojournals.org/content/96/3/E463.fullhttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S030147971100226Xhttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S030147971100226Xhttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S030147971100226Xhttp://jcem.endojournals.org/content/96/3/E463.fullhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3027693/http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S030147971100226Xhttp://sleepfoundation.org/bedroom/see.phphttp://www.sleepfoundation.org/article/sleep-america-polls/2011-communications-technology-use-and-sleephttp://www.sleepfoundation.org/article/sleep-america-polls/2011-communications-technology-use-and-sleephttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3027693/http://jcem.endojournals.org/content/96/3/E463.fullhttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S030147971100226X


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• #unlight and sleepGight is a po$erful guide for your body. -n part through the connections bet$een the eyes and the brain'sbiological time eeper, light rays influence chemistry and beha ior and eep us in sync $ith the ebb andflo$ of the day.0hin about it/ humans e ol ed spending a lot of time outside, $here they $ere e&posed to lightbeginning $ith the rising sun. -n our modern $orld $e spend more time indoors, but sunlight still helpsregulate our sleeping patterns.When you're ready to begin the day, e&posing your body to the sun $ill not only help alert the brain andset you in motion, it $ill also help you sleep later on. Da e blinds or curtains that can cocoon you indar ness by night, but that you can easily pull bac to bathe the room in sunlight $hen you $a e. ;eforeyou start the day, spend some time in the light, and remember to gi e your body doses of sun throughoutthe day $hen possible.-f you need to $a e before the sun comes up, you can find da$n simulating alarms, or e en use lightsintended for seasonal affecti e disorder#these are particularly helpful during the $inter $hen the sunrises later.1lose ►

• Help your child sleep by controlling light As you thin about crafting a sleep friendly bedroom en ironment, remember that our little ones' bodiesare also ery sensiti e to light cues. 9se your no$ledge of light and dar to help your ids sleep bettertoo.creen time may acti ate the brain, so limit it in the hours before bed and eep technology out of yourchild's room. -nstead, arrange comfy pillo$s in a clutter free, calming space (although ne er in the crib,for safety reasons+ so she can read and rela&. When you start your bedtime routine, eep the lights lo$ tohelp your child $ind do$n, and after lights out, use a nightlight in the bathroom for late e ening ornighttime potty trips. can the room for any additional sources of light, such as those from electronics,and if your child li es to sleep $ith a nightlight, use one that is quite dim. Hoom dar ening shades andcurtains can be ery helpful for bloc ing e ening light during the summer, streetlights, as $ell as morningrays (especially handy if you ha e an early riser+. 0hese can also be useful to dar en the room fordaytime naps.-f you ha e a baby, managing her e&posure to light and dar is ey in the early months $hile the circadianrhythm is maturing. -n the morning, raise the shades and ta e her outside for a dose of indirect sunlight.

As bedtime approaches, ma e the lights dim and eep them lo$ during the night for feedings.1lose ►

• $edroom light and shift workers@lenty of "obs come $ith hours outside the typical 6 to 5 day. hift $or ers#for e&ample nurses, doctors,pilots, dri ers, and police officers#are estimated to comprise almost )5 percent of the 9. . $or force.

An irregular $or schedule can be ta&ing on the body. When you $or late at night and miss out ondaytime light, for e&ample, it confuses the brain, disrupts the circadian rhythm and can ma e forsleepiness, insomnia, and other health problems. Cn top of that, many shift $or ers ha e rotatingschedules, $hich means that their bodies are constantly forced to read"ust to ne$ rhythms.-f you need to sleep and $a e at atypical hours, managing the light in your bedroom can help. Whenyou're $inding do$n for sleep, dim the lights and try to limit your use of electronics. 9se special roomdar ening shades or curtains to bloc daylight and ma e your room completely dar for sleeping or try$earing an eye mas .S U P P O R T I N G R E S E A R C H

o "hift work sleep disorder ►

http://sleepfoundation.org/bedroom/see.phphttp://sleepfoundation.org/bedroom/see.phphttp://sleepfoundation.org/bedroom/see.phphttp://sleepfoundation.org/bedroom/see.phphttp://sleepfoundation.org/bedroom/see.phphttp://sleepfoundation.org/bedroom/see.phphttp://sleepfoundation.org/bedroom/see.phphttp://sleepfoundation.org/bedroom/see.phphttp://sleepfoundation.org/bedroom/see.phphttp://media.mycme.com/documents/20/drake_2004_4856.pdfhttp://media.mycme.com/documents/20/drake_2004_4856.pdfhttp://media.mycme.com/documents/20/drake_2004_4856.pdfhttp://sleepfoundation.org/bedroom/see.phphttp://sleepfoundation.org/bedroom/see.phphttp://sleepfoundation.org/bedroom/see.phphttp://media.mycme.com/documents/20/drake_2004_4856.pdf


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o 6right light2 dark and melatonin an promote ir adian adaptation in night shiftworkers ►

o Health disorders of shift workers ►

o 6ureau of Labor "tatisti s8 4orkers on )le%ible and "hift " hedules in *++>"ummary8 A essed on ?uly *@2 *+,,8 ►

1lose ►

• %oom design for better sleep-magine your bedroom as a sanctuary. When you $al in#or simply thin about your bedroom#it shouldma e you feel rela&ed and peaceful. 0a ing care of your sleep en ironment and putting thought into itsloo and feel is important, and could help you $elcome more restful nights.tart by de cluttering your room and creating a clean and relati ely ordered space (not surprisingly, pilesof unsorted papers could ma e you an&ious or restless+. Arrange your furniture in a $ay that feels naturaland isually pleasing to you. 0ry to eep computers and 08s out, so that you come to no$ your bedroomas a ha en for sleep, free of distractions.

1hoose $all colors that elicit $armth and calm. Although researchers ha e studied the psychology ofcolor and some belie e that certain hues affect our mood (for e&ample, red being stimulating+, no oneno$s your color feeling connections better than you do. @ic colors, art$or , blan ets, and so forth thatare soothing to you.S U P P O R T I N G R E S E A R C H

o National "leep )oundation2 *+,* 6edroom -oll ►

o 6asi hue!meaning asso iations ►

o 'olor and psy hologi al fun tioning ►

1lose ►

D I D Y O U K N O W ?7 % of Americans rated a dar room as important to getting a good night’s sleep in the !ational leepoundation’s *>)* ;edroom @oll .

NappingDome II leep 0opics II !apping


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periods, one for sleep and one for $a efulness. -t is not clear that this is the natural sleep pattern of humans. 2oung

children and elderly persons nap, for e&ample, and napping is a ery important aspect of many cultures.

As a nation, the 9nited tates appears to be becoming more and more sleep depri ed. And it may be our busy

lifestyle that eeps us from napping. While naps do not necessarily ma e up for inadequate or poor quality nighttime

sleep, a short nap of *> > minutes can help to impro e mood, alertness and performance. !appers are in good

company/ Winston 1hurchill, John . ennedy, Honald Heagan, !apoleon, Albert :instein, 0homas :dison and

Keorge W. ;ush are no$n to ha e alued an afternoon nap.

#3-E".

!aps can be typed in three different $ays/

• -lanned napping (also called preparatory napping+ in ol es ta ing a nap before you actually get sleepy.

2ou may use this technique $hen you no$ that you $ill be up later than your normal bed time or as a mechanism to

$ard off getting tired earlier.• Emergen y napping occurs $hen you are suddenly ery tired and cannot continue $ith the acti ity you

$ere originally engaged in. 0his type of nap can be used to combat dro$sy dri ing or fatigue $hile using hea y and

dangerous machinery.• Habitual napping is practiced $hen a person ta es a nap at the same time each day. 2oung children may

fall asleep at about the same time each afternoon or an adult might ta e a short nap after lunch each day.

#&-".

• A short nap is usually recommended (*> > minutes+ for short term alertness. 0his type of nap pro ides

significant benefit for impro ed alertness and performance $ithout lea ing you feeling groggy or interfering $ith

nighttime sleep.• 2our sleep en ironment can greatly impact your ability to fall asleep. minute nap impro ed performance by 4% and alertness )>>%.

• !aps can increase alertness in the period directly follo$ing the nap and may e&tend alertness a fe$ hourslater in the day.

• cheduled napping has also been prescribed for those $ho are affected by narcolepsy .• !apping has psychological benefits. A nap can be a pleasant lu&ury, a mini acation. -t can pro ide an easy

$ay to get some rela&ation and re"u enation.


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dri ing is the ideal, ta ing a short nap before dri ing can reduce a person's ris of ha ing a dro$sy dri ing crash.leep e&perts also recommend that if you feel dro$sy $hen dri ing, you should immediately pull o er to a rest area,drin a caffeinated be erage and ta e a *> minute nap.hift $or , $hich means $or ing a schedule that de iates from the typical 6 to 5 hours, may cause fatigue andperformance impairments, especially for night shift $or ers. -n a *>>B study, researchers at the leep minute nap produced the most benefit in terms of reduced sleepiness and impro edcogniti e performance. A nap lasting > minutes or longer is more li ely to be accompanied by sleep inertia, $hich isthe period of grogginess that sometimes follo$s sleep.

;y no$ you're probably thin ing about $ays to incorporate naps into your daily routine. eep in mind that gettingenough sleep on regular basis is the best $ay to stay alert and feel your best. ;ut $hen fatigue sets in, a quic napcan do $onders for your mental and physical stamina.

;rain ;asics/ 9nderstanding leep

Request free mailed brochure

http://www.drowsydriving.org/http://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-topics/shift-work-and-sleephttp://catalog.ninds.nih.gov/ninds/facet/Health-Topics/term/Sleep-Disordershttp://www.drowsydriving.org/http://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-topics/shift-work-and-sleephttp://catalog.ninds.nih.gov/ninds/facet/Health-Topics/term/Sleep-Disorders


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-o you ever feel sleepy or @Lone out@ during the day6 -o you =nd it hard to *a1e up on Mondaymornings6 f so8 you are familiar *ith the po*erful need for sleep! o*ever8 you may not realiLethat sleep is as essential for your *ell?being as food and *ater!

• Sleep: A Dynamic Activity

• How Much Sleep Do We eed!

• What Does Sleep Do "or #s!

• Dreamin$ and R%M Sleep

• Sleep and &ircadian Rhythms

• Sleep and Disease

• Sleep Disorders

• The "uture

• Tips for a 'ood i$ht(s Sleep

Sleep: A Dynamic Activity

>ntil the 09 ;s8 most people thought of sleep as a passive8 dormant part of our daily lives! eno* 1no* that our brains are very active during sleep! Moreover8 sleep a


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by electrodesI become slo*er8 *ith occasional bursts of rapid *aves called sleep spindles. nstage 38 e7tremely slo* brain *aves called delta waves begin to appear8 interspersed *ithsmaller8 faster *aves! ,y stage F8 the brain produces delta *aves almost e7clusively! t is verydiDcult to *a1e someone during stages 3 and F8 *hich together are called deep sleep. There isno eye movement or muscle activity! $eople a*a1ened during deep sleep do not ad ustimmediately and often feel groggy and disoriented for several minutes after they *a1e up! Some

children e7perience bed*etting8 night terrors8 or sleep*al1ing during deep sleep!

hen *e s*itch into REM sleep8 our breathing becomes more rapid8 irregular8 and shallo*8 oureyes er1 rapidly in various directions8 and our limb muscles become temporarily paralyLed! &urheart rate increases8 our blood pressure rises8 and males develop penile erections! hen peoplea*a1en during REM sleep8 they often describe biLarre and illogical tales dreams!

The =rst REM sleep period usually occurs about N; to 9; minutes after *e fall asleep! A completesleep cycle ta1es 9; to 00; minutes on average! The =rst sleep cycles each night containrelatively short REM periods and long periods of deep sleep! As the night progresses8 REM sleepperiods increase in length *hile deep sleep decreases! ,y morning8 people spend nearly all theirsleep time in stages 08 )8 and REM!

$eople a*a1ened after sleeping more than a fe* minutes are usually unable to recall the last fe*minutes before they fell asleep! This sleep?related form of amnesia is the reason people oftenforget telephone calls or conversations they've had in the middle of the night! t also e7plains*hy *e often do not remember our alarms ringing in the morning if *e go right bac1 to sleepafter turning them o

Since sleep and *a1efulness are inGuenced by di


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How Much Sleep Do We Need?

The amount of sleep each person needs depends on many factors8 including age! nfantsgenerally re+uire about 0( hours a day8 *hile teenagers need about 9 hours on average! Cormost adults8 N to K hours a night appears to be the best amount of sleep! omen in the =rst 3months of pregnancy often need several more hours of sleep than usual! The amount of sleep a

person needs also increases if he or she has been deprived of sleep in previous days! /etting toolittle sleep creates a @sleep debt8@ *hich is much li1e being overdra*n at a ban1! Eventually8 yourbody *ill demand that the debt be repaid! e don't seem to adapt to getting less sleep than *eneedO *hile *e may get used to a sleep?depriving schedule8 our udgment8 reaction time8 andother functions are still impaired!

$eople tend to sleep more lightly and for shorter time spans as they get older8 although theygenerally need about the same amount of sleep as they needed in early adulthood! About half ofall people over ( have fre+uent sleeping problems8 such as insomnia8 and deep sleep stages inmany elderly people often become very short or stop completely! This change may be a normalpart of aging8 or it may result from medical problems that are common in elderly people and fromthe medications and other treatments for those problems!

E7perts say that if you feel dro*sy during the day8 even during boring activities8 you haven't hadenough sleep! f you routinely fall asleep *ithin minutes of lying do*n8 you probably havesevere sleep deprivation8 possibly even a sleep disorder! Microsleeps, or very brief episodes ofsleep in an other*ise a*a1e person8 are another mar1 of sleep deprivation! n many cases8people are not a*are that they are e7periencing microsleeps! The *idespread practice of@burning the candle at both ends@ in *estern industrialiLed societies has created so much sleepdeprivation that *hat is really abnormal sleepiness is no* almost the norm!

Many studies ma1e it clear that sleep deprivation is dangerous! Sleep?deprived people *ho aretested by using a driving simulator or by performing a hand?eye coordination tas1 perform asbadly as or *orse than those *ho are into7icated! Sleep deprivation also magni=es alcohol'se


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Sleep appears necessary for our nervous systems to *or1 properly! Too little sleep leaves usdro*sy and unable to concentrate the ne7t day! t also leads to impaired memory and physicalperformance and reduced ability to carry out math calculations! f sleep deprivation continues8hallucinations and mood s*ings may develop! Some e7perts believe sleep gives neurons used*hile *e are a*a1e a chance to shut do*n and repair themselves! ithout sleep8 neurons maybecome so depleted in energy or so polluted *ith byproducts of normal cellular activities that

they begin to malfunction! Sleep also may give the brain a chance to e7ercise important neuronalconnections that might other*ise deteriorate from lac1 of activity!

-eep sleep coincides *ith the release of gro*th hormone in children and young adults! Many ofthe body's cells also sho* increased production and reduced brea1do*n of proteins during deepsleep! Since proteins are the building bloc1s needed for cell gro*th and for repair of damage fromfactors li1e stress and ultraviolet rays8 deep sleep may truly be @beauty sleep!@ Activity in parts of the brain that control emotions8 decision?ma1ing processes8 and social interactions is drasticallyreduced during deep sleep8 suggesting that this type of sleep may help people maintain optimalemotional and social functioning *hile they are a*a1e! A study in rats also sho*ed that certainnerve?signaling patterns *hich the rats generated during the day *ere repeated during deepsleep! This pattern repetition may help encode memories and improve learning!

Return to Index

Dreaming and !M Sleep

e typically spend more than ) hours each night dreaming! Scientists do not 1no* much aboutho* or *hy *e dream! Sigmund Creud8 *ho greatly inGuenced the =eld of psychology8 believeddreaming *as a @safety valve@ for unconscious desires! &nly after 09 38 *hen researchers =rstdescribed REM in sleeping infants8 did scientists begin to carefully study sleep and dreaming!

They soon realiLed that the strange8 illogical e7periences *e call dreams almost al*ays occurduring REM sleep! hile most mammals and birds sho* signs of REM sleep8 reptiles and othercold?blooded animals do not!

REM sleep begins *ith signals from an area at the base of the brain called the pons Hsee fgure2 I! These signals travel to a brain region called the thalamus, *hich relays them to the cerebralcortex the outer layer of the brain that is responsible for learning8 thin1ing8 and organiLinginformation! The pons also sends signals that shut o< neurons in the spinal cord8 causingtemporary paralysis of the limb muscles! f something interferes *ith this paralysis8 people *illbegin to physically @act out@ their dreams a rare8 dangerous problem called REM sleep behaviordisorder ! A person dreaming about a ball game8 for e7ample8 may run headlong into furniture orblindly stri1e someone sleeping nearby *hile trying to catch a ball in the dream!

REM sleep stimulates the brain regions used in learning! This may be important for normal braindevelopment during infancy8 *hich *ould e7plain *hy infants spend much more time in REM

sleep than adults H see Sleep: A Dynamic Activity I! "i1e deep sleep8 REM sleep is associated*ith increased production of proteins! &ne study found that REM sleep a


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from the pons during REM sleep8 the corte7 tries to interpret these signals as *ell8 creating a@story@ out of fragmented brain activity!

Return to Index

Sleep and "ircadian hythms

Circadian rhythms are regular changes in mental and physical characteristics that occur in thecourse of a day H circadian is "atin for @around a day@I! Most circadian rhythms are controlled bythe body's biological @cloc1!@ This cloc18 called the suprachiasmatic nucleus or SCN Hsee fgure2 I8 is actually a pair of pinhead?siLed brain structures that together contain about );8;;;neurons! The S2. rests in a part of the brain called the hypothalamus, ust above the point *herethe optic nerves cross! "ight that reaches photoreceptors in the retina Ha tissue at the bac1 of theeyeI creates signals that travel along the optic nerve to the S2.!

Signals from the S2. travel to several brain regions8 including the pineal gland, *hich respondsto light?induced signals by s*itching o< production of the hormone melatonin! The body's level of melatonin normally increases after dar1ness falls8 ma1ing people feel dro*sy! The S2. alsogoverns functions that are synchroniLed *ith the sleepP*a1e cycle8 including body temperature8hormone secretion8 urine production8 and changes in blood pressure!

,y depriving people of light and other e7ternal time cues8 scientists have learned that mostpeople's biological cloc1s *or1 on a ) ?hour cycle rather than a )F?hour one! ,ut becausesunlight or other bright lights can reset the S2.8 our biological cycles normally follo* the )F?hourcycle of the sun8 rather than our innate cycle! 2ircadian rhythms can be a


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be possible to reduce shift?related fatigue by using bright lights in the *or1place8 minimiLing shiftchanges8 and ta1ing scheduled naps!

Many people *ith total blindness e7perience life?long sleeping problems because their retinas areunable to detect light! These people have a 1ind of permanent et lag and periodic insomniabecause their circadian rhythms follo* their innate cycle rather than a )F?hour one! -aily

supplements of melatonin may improve night?time sleep for such patients! o*ever8 since thehigh doses of melatonin found in most supplements can build up in the body8 long?term use ofthis substance may create ne* problems! ,ecause the potential side e


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Sleep Disorders

At least F; million Americans each year su


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night! The fre+uent a*a1enings that sleep apnea patients e7perience leave them continuallysleepy and may lead to personality changes such as irritability or depression! Sleep apnea alsodeprives the person of o7ygen8 *hich can lead to morning headaches8 a loss of interest in se78 ora decline in mental functioning! t also is lin1ed to high blood pressure8 irregular heartbeats8 andan increased ris1 of heart attac1s and stro1e! $atients *ith severe8 untreated sleep apnea are t*oto three times more li1ely to have automobile accidents than the general population! n some

high?ris1 individuals8 sleep apnea may even lead to sudden death from respiratory arrest duringsleep!

An estimated 0K million Americans have sleep apnea! o*ever8 fe* of them have had theproblem diagnosed! $atients *ith the typical features of sleep apnea8 such as loud snoring8obesity8 and e7cessive daytime sleepiness8 should be referred to a specialiLed sleep center thatcan perform a test called polysomnography ! This test records the patient's brain *aves8heartbeat8 and breathing during an entire night! f sleep apnea is diagnosed8 several treatmentsare available! Mild sleep apnea fre+uently can be overcome through *eight loss or by preventingthe person from sleeping on his or her bac1! &ther people may need special devices or surgery tocorrect the obstruction! $eople *ith sleep apnea should never ta1e sedatives or sleeping pills8*hich can prevent them from a*a1ening enough to breathe!

"#ac$%

Hestless Gegs yndrome

Restless legs syndrome HR"SI8 a familial disorder causing unpleasant cra*ling8 pric1ling8 ortingling sensations in the legs and feet and an urge to move them for relief8 is emerging as one of the most common sleep disorders8 especially among older people! This disorder8 *hich a


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to itI is usually hereditary8 but it occasionally is l in1ed to brain damage from a head in ury orneurological disease!

&nce narcolepsy is diagnosed8 stimulants8 antidepressants8 or other drugs can help control thesymptoms and prevent the embarrassing and dangerous e


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Avoid drin1s that contain ca


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ow Much Sleep Do We Really Need toWork Productively?

-y $eo (idrich A>/>ST K8 );0) 0;N 2omments

Every o ne o f us, on average, will be sleepin$ +, years in our lifetime . That’s apretty long time if you ask m e and makes i t even m ore important to know exactly how thephenomenon of sleep impacts us.And still, there are so many unanswered questions evolving around sleep an d how muchwe n eed of it. In fact, Most of what we kn ow about sleep we’ve l earned in the p ast 25 yea rs.

One o f the b iggest problems I ’ve d iscovered is t hat sleep is s uch an over talked topic. We ge tthe gen eral idea t hat we kn ow all about it: how much w e n eed of it, how it impacts us andwhy this or t hat happens w hen we sl eep. Once I took a st ep back to really think aboutwhere o ur kn owledge about sleep comes f rom, I realized that nearly all of it is based onhear-say or w hat my mom told me when I was in elementary school.

With this p ost, I’ve set out to uncover once an d for all what the m ost important research hastaught us abou t sleep. And of course, how you can u se this kn owledge t o cr eate anunbeatable d aily routine.

Share stories li1e this to your s ocial media f ollowers when they’re m ost likely to click,favorite, and reply ! Schedule you r rst post with Buffer.

Eliminating the 8 hour per night leepmythEveryone I’ve asked the qu estion “how much sleep d o I need” h as an answer to thequestion. A common one – and one that I have given on many occasions – is to respond “Ohyes, I need my 8-9 h ours of sleep every n ight, I know that”.

https://blog.bufferapp.com/how-much-sleep-do-we-really-need-to-work-productivelyhttps://blog.bufferapp.com/how-much-sleep-do-we-really-need-to-work-productivelyhttps://blog.bufferapp.com/author/leohttps://blog.bufferapp.com/how-much-sleep-do-we-really-need-to-work-productively#disqus_threadhttp://bufferapp.com/?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=sleephttp://bufferapp.com/?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=sleephttps://blog.bufferapp.com/how-much-sleep-do-we-really-need-to-work-productivelyhttps://blog.bufferapp.com/how-much-sleep-do-we-really-need-to-work-productivelyhttps://blog.bufferapp.com/author/leohttps://blog.bufferapp.com/how-much-sleep-do-we-really-need-to-work-productively#disqus_threadhttp://bufferapp.com/?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=sleep


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It turns o ut, that m ight not be t rue a fter al l:

'(e)ve all #een told you oug t to sleep * r+, #ut t ere -as never anyevidence+.

Says on e of the m ost acclaimed researchers about sleep Daniel Kripke i nan intervie*

. Inhis most recent study Kripke found that -people who sleep between ./0 hr/ and1/0 hr/ a ni$ht2 live the lon$est2 are happier and most productive3/

What’s even more interesting here is t hat sleeping longer than that might actually be w orsefor your health mentioning that: -Sleepin$ 4/0 hr/ mi$ht really be a little worsethan sleepin$ 0 hr/3Personally, as an 8 h our/night sleeper, this d enitely opened my eyes an d I have st arted toexperiment by decreasing my sleeping time sl ightly and see if 7.5 hours m akes a d ifference.

Of course, the g eneral idea about the “o ne-ts al l sleeping amount” i s p articularly odd, as Jim Horne, one of Europe’s most acc boo1 : “It’s li ke

saying everybody should have si ze ei ght shoes, or be ve f oot eight inches.”

http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1812420,00.htmlhttp://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1812420,00.htmlhttp://www.amazon.com/Sleepfaring-Journey-through-Science-Sleep/dp/019922837Xhttp://www.amazon.com/Sleepfaring-Journey-through-Science-Sleep/dp/019922837Xhttp://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1812420,00.htmlhttp://www.amazon.com/Sleepfaring-Journey-through-Science-Sleep/dp/019922837X


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It seems that nding your optimal sleeping t ime in between K ripke’s nding is a good wayto go. It’s certainly something I’m giving a g o now.

!he trap o" too little leep# What happento our $rain i" we don%t have enoughleep?

'(or$ing overtime doesn)t increase your output+ It ma$es you stupid+.

Now this p art is on e o f the m ost fascinating aspects ab out sleep I believe. Did it ever h appento you that someone w ho got only 4 h ours of sleep a n ight looks just as at tentive, fresh andup to his gam e like you, who spent your 7.5 hours in bed?

Well, the an swer i s – t hat someone w ho is s everely sleep deprived is in fact as at tentive andawake as yo u are. With one bi g difference to you. Here is w hat a r ecent study found: Thesleep deprived person can in fact deliver the e5act same results assomeone who isn6t sleep deprived in any e5ercise/ That is2 $iven it is anon repeated e5ercise and they $ive it their best shot/ Odd right? Now ontothis t hough:The problem lies elsewhere . Whether we ar e sl eep deprived or not, we lose f ocus attimes. And that is precisely where the sl eep deprived person lands in a t rap. Once w e startto lose f ocus an d have rec eived the ri ght amount of s leep, our brain can compensate for that

and increase a ttention (see t he image b elow for the increased yellow bits t hat shift yourfocus b ack.). If we a re sl eep deprived, our brai n can’t refocus.“The m ain nding is t hat the b rain of the sl eep-depri ved individual is w orking normally sometimes,but intermittently suffers f rom something akin to p ower f ailure,”

says C lifford Saper from Harvard. In the following image yo u can see what this means. Asyou lose f ocus an d your attention is d rifting, the yel low bits show how people w ith enoughsleep, activate p arts i n their b rain to refocus at t he t ask at ha nd. Sleep deprived people w illhave b arely any activity in that area ( the a mygdala react ivity) and will struggle t o regainfocus:

http://www.sfn.org/index.aspx?pagename=news_052008&print=onhttp://www.sfn.org/index.aspx?pagename=news_052008&print=on


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So really, this can turn into a h uge trap. The p erson bragging that they only slept 4 h oursand still do great work, well, they are act ually right with what they are s aying. The o nlyissue is t hat, they h ave n o brainpower to steer them back to focus on ce t hey lose

attention. %ven worse so2 sleep7deprived people don6t notice theirdecrease in performance/Sleep-deprived w orkers may n ot know they ar e impaired. “The periods of apparently n ormal

functioning could give inconsistency could have d ire consequences,”

Sleeping your way to ucceNot getting enough sleep is a p ain. So now, onto the g ood stuff of what we can act ually do,to optimize o ur sleeping habits to n ew heights and sleep our way t o success as A riannaHuffington puts it.When it comes to developing focused techniques that help you work on a b etter sleepinghabit, the w eb isn’t short of answers. Querying some o f the sm artest brains I know, here arethe t op 3 things t o do, in order to have b etter sleep and work more p roductively:

&'( Start napping every day ) here i why and how#

http://www.ted.com/talks/arianna_huffington_how_to_succeed_get_more_sleep.htmlhttp://www.ted.com/talks/arianna_huffington_how_to_succeed_get_more_sleep.htmlhttp://www.ted.com/talks/arianna_huffington_how_to_succeed_get_more_sleep.html


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There i s a co nfession I have t o make, at l east at t his p oint. For t he p ast 2 y ears, since I startedworking on ,u• Timing is of course very important! n fact8 in the video above8 thecommon sentence of 4napping doesn t *or1 for me5 is often do*n to the factthat people nap too long! Don6t let your naps e5ceed 9 minutes ma5 8personally8 ); minutes has proven to be the optimal timing for me!

• The last tip =nd most crucial is to ma8e nappin$ a consistent habit !

Jeep both the fre+uency H daily I and the time of day H 9pm seems to be a verypopular time as productivity dipsI the same and consistent!

*'( Develop a leep ritual ) here i how and why#

How can y ou make t his as easy as br ushing your teeth every evening? I t’s ver ysimple: develop a sleep ritual that will set you up for a g reat night of sleep ahead.Rituals, different from habits can be something a lot more c ompelling:“Whilst habits are of ten seen as acti vities yo u have t o f orce yo ursel f to d o, rituals are i nsteadactivities w hich y ou are pu lled tow ards.”

Writes J oel in this g reat post on developing a sleep ritual . When it comes to creating asleep ritual, one o f the k ey things i s t o have the last activity completelydisen$a$e you from the tas8s of the rest of your day . H ere are a fewactivities yo u can try t o properly disengage:– One o f the t hings Joel is d oing every n ight before g oing to bed is a + minute wal8 ona set down and specic route an d time. It is a g reat way t o clear your head and be ready forsleep. For a sp ecic w ay t o develop your evening walk, try Coelho’s speed e7ercise .

http://bufferapp.com/http://michaelhyatt.com/why-you-should-take-a-nap-every-day.htmlhttp://michaelhyatt.com/videos/the-value-of-naps-from-a-scientific-perspectivehttp://open.bufferapp.com/create-sleep-ritual/http://joel.is/post/5303723252/creating-a-sleep-ritualhttp://joel.is/post/5303723252/creating-a-sleep-ritualhttp://leostartsup.com/2012/05/slowing-down-2/http://bufferapp.com/http://michaelhyatt.com/why-you-should-take-a-nap-every-day.htmlhttp://michaelhyatt.com/videos/the-value-of-naps-from-a-scientific-perspectivehttp://open.bufferapp.com/create-sleep-ritual/http://joel.is/post/5303723252/creating-a-sleep-ritualhttp://leostartsup.com/2012/05/slowing-down-2/


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– Another part that has w orked greatly and Joel has t aught me is to read ;ction .Different to non-ction books i t is a great way to completely disengage, enter a d ifferentworld and mindset and then b e ready for gr eat sleep.– The l ast point I had great success w ith is t o have a clear w ake-up time by tyin$ it to animmediate event afterwards . If you just set your alarm for say 7 .30, but you alwayshit the sno oze b utton, try something else. Keep the al arm, but plan the rst thing you willdo and tie i t to a sp ecic t ime. For me, this i s for example, that I have b reakfast immediatelyat 7.40. Or t hat my support session starts at 7.45. Joel hits t he g ym exactly 5 m inutes af terwake-up time. Those t hings can help a g reat deal to get over t he i nertia o f getting out of

bed.

+'( Making ure you are tired in every dimen ion#

A key part of the book by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwarz abou t The $o*er of CullEngagement , is t o be aw are t hat for the h ighest quality of sleep, you need to be d rained,

both physically and mentally Making sure that you have b oth at least one m entally ch allenging exercise as well as aphysically challenging one, can make al l the d ifference t o falling into a deep sleep thatrecovers al l areas of your bo dy.

Here i s al so a great article ab out whether e7ercise is a re+uirement for sleep .

,uick la t "act# Women need more leepthan menHere is a s uper interesting last fact. Women need a tad bit more s leep than men:

“The aver age i s 20 minutes more, but some women m ay n eed sl ightly more or less t han this.”

Why? This is because women’s brains are wired differently from men’s and are morecomplex, so t heir sleep need will be sl ightly greater, says H orne in his boo1 .Sleep and how we deal with it every day is a fascinatin$ topic ) believe/What are your tips that you6ve found to ma8e your more productivewhen it comes to sleep! Do you thin8 some of the tips above mi$ht behelpful to tri$$er a better daily wor8


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Alternative Sleep2ycles: Bou -on t Really

.eed (?K ours

ma

ge by -an "ove

=14

Most people only thin1 that there is one *ay to sleep: /o to

sleep at night for (?K hours8 *a1e up in the morning8 stay

a*a1e for 0(?0K hours and then repeat!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/danjlove/51201764/in/photolist-5wqv3-5r2GD-2mndjo-8yUU8https://www.flickr.com/photos/danjlove/51201764/in/photolist-5wqv3-5r2GD-2mndjo-8yUU8


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Actually8 that is called a monophasic sleep cycle 8 *hich is

only 0 of ma or sleep cycles that have been used

successfully throughout history!

The other F are considered polyphasic sleep cycles due to

the multiple number of naps they re+uire each day! o* is

this possible6 o* is this healthy6

ell the most important of every sleep cycle is the Sta$e ,

R%M >Rapid %ye Movement? sleep8 *hich has been sho*n

to provide the bene=ts of sleep to the brain above all other

stages of sleep! hen changing over to a polyphasic cycle8

the lac1 of sleep tric1s the body into entering REM sleep

immediately instead of F to N minutes into sleep li1e in the

monophasic sleep!

This *ay8 you still get the bene=ts of K hours of sleep *ithout*asting all of the time it ta1es to get to REM cycles8 resulting

in a much more eDcient sleep cycle! ere are polyphasic

cycles:

#berman &ycle:


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); to 3; minute naps every F hours8

resulting in ( naps each day! The uberman cycle is highly

eDcient8 and usually results in feeling healthy8 feeling

refreshed upon *a1ing and e7tremely vivid dreams! Many

uberman?users report increased ability to lucid dream as *ell!

o*ever8 the rigid schedule ma1es it near impossible to miss

naps *ithout feeling horribly tired! ,logger Steve $avlina tried

the cycle for ! months and had amaLingly positive

results! e only reverted to monophasic sleep so that he could

be on the same cycle as his *ife and children! Read his

articles and updates on the cycle here !

%veryman &ycle:

&ne longer 4core5 nap that is

supplemented *ith several );?3; minute naps! The most

http://www.highexistence.com/lucid-dreaming/http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/10/polyphasic-sleep-log-day-1/http://www.highexistence.com/lucid-dreaming/http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/10/polyphasic-sleep-log-day-1/


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successful variations that have read about are either one 3

hour nap and three );?minute naps or one 0! hour nap *ith

F? ); minute naps8 all of *hich have e+ual amounts of time

in bet*een each nap! This cycle is much easier to ad ust to

than the >berman and allo*s for more Ge7ibity in nap times

and in s1ipping naps *hen necessary! t is also still e7tremely

eDcient compared to monophasic *ith only 3?F hours of

sleep per day! Many bloggers have tried out this cycle and

reported no negative e


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still stuc1 on monophasic cycles! This is by far the most

e7treme of the F alternate cycles8 but also the most eDcient!

@iphasic Siesta &ycle:.ot even *orthy of a diagram8 the biphasic cycle is basically

that of every college student in America! The biphasic cycle

consists of sleeping for F?F! hours at night8 and then ta1ing

a 9; minute nap around noon! So not all that diberman

cycles8 you *ill be a Lombie from day 3 to around day 0; until

your body fully ad usts to the cycle! ere are some other tips

have gathered from reading other people s accounts:

? t is absolutely necessary to upgrade your bedroom to

ma7imise sleep +uality!

Eat healthy8 avoid fatty foods and the ad ustment *ill be

much easier

http://www.highexistence.com/5-easy-ways-to-upgrade-your-bedroom-and-better-your-sleep/http://www.highexistence.com/5-easy-ways-to-upgrade-your-bedroom-and-better-your-sleep/


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Ma1e sure you have a pro ect to *or1 on during all of your

ne* a*a1e hours as it ma1es the time go by faster

Also ma1e sure you have t*o or three *ee1s of freedom toad ust to the cycle so that you don t go to *or1 or school

completely dead from sleep deprivation

ang in there! Each of the cycles *ill get e7ponentially

easier all of the sudden after the =rst ) *ee1s or so! ust be

patient and diligent -on t s1ip naps or change your nap

times around or you *ill basically have to start your

ad ustment period over!

>se natural cues for being *a1ing up from naps li1e

sunlight and loud music8 *hile using dar1ness and silence for

sleep HobviouslyI

)f you are seriously considerin$ ma8in$ the switch

over the a polyphasic sleep cycle2 a really enBoyable

and informative read is Steve Cavlina6s e5tremely in7

depth report of his e5perience with the #berman

cycle2 available here /

http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/10/polyphasic-sleep-log-day-1/http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/10/polyphasic-sleep-log-day-1/


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tudy/ -nterrupted leep 2 *+,> ,>=2@,+ 5iews

• pread the Word toriends And amily;y haring this Article.

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leep depri ation is a $ell no$n ris to your physical, mental, and emotional $ellbeing. What ma es sleep depri ation so detrimental is that it doesn’t "ustimpact one aspect of your healthM it impacts many.

When you’re sleep depri ed, you’re not going to react as quic ly as you normally $ould,ma ing dri ing or other potentially dangerous acti ities, li e using po$er tools, ris y.

2our ability to thin clearly is also dampened by lac of sleep, $hich means you $illha e trouble retaining memories, processing information, and ma ing decisions.

http://window.print%28%29/http://window.print%28%29/


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As your reaction time and cognition slo$s, your emotions $ill be ic ed into high gear.0his means that arguments $ith co $or ers or your spouse are li ely and you’reprobably going to be at fault for blo$ing things out of proportion.

;ut much more than that, sleep depri ation has irtually the same effect on your

immune system as physical stress or illness, $hich may help e&plain $hy lac of sleepis tied to an increased ris of numerous chronic diseases.

0here’s an important ca eat to be a$are of that is not yet $idely no$n, ho$e er, andthat is your sleep 'uality is e ery bit as important as your sleep duration . o if you stayin bed for eight or nine hours a night, but during that time you’re $a ing up repeatedly,it’s "ust as bad as getting hardly any sleep at allM

Cne !ight of -nterrupted leep Wrea s Da oc on 2our


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-nterrupted leep to 6> minute cycles.

Any interruptions to this ma e your body start o er, in a sense, $hich means you mightne er reach the most restorati e, deeper phases of sleep.

2ou might as $ell not be sleeping at all, $hich is li ely one reason $hy lac of sleep andinterrupted sleep result in such similar damage. -n a healthy night’s sleep, you shouldprogress through the follo$ing sleep stages (though not necessarily in this order+/

• tage Cne, $hen you’re preparing to drift off

• tage 0$o, during $hich your brain $a e acti ity becomes rapid and rhythmic $hile your body temperature drops and heart rate slo$s

• tage 0hree, $hen deep slo$ brain $a es emerge (this is a transition from light sleep todeep sleep+

• tage our, also no$n as delta sleep, this is a deep sleep stage

• tage i e, or rapid eye mo ement (H:


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-f you’re $ondering "ust ho$ sensiti e your sleep cycle actually is, you might besurprised to learn that it’s incredibly ulnerable to changes, such that e en the smallamount of sleep depri ation caused by Laylight a ing 0ime may be problematic.

Cne Washington 9ni ersity neuroscientist told "


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A imple 0ric to Delp 2ou tay in Leep leep Gonger

Leep sleep is one of the most important sleep phases as your body repairs andregenerates, your immune system is strengthened and much more. 0he more time youcan spend in this crucial sleep phase during the night, the more refreshed you’re goingto feel in the morning, as $ell. ound stimulation has been sho$n to be effecti e forprolonging deep sleep, so if you’re ha ing trouble staying asleep at night, this is asimple tric to try.

@ublished in the "ournal Neuron0 6 the study found that playing Npin noiseO sounds that$ere synchroni3ed to the sub"ect’s brain $a es $hen the sub"ect approached deepsleep allo$ed them to remain in deep sleep longer than $hen the sound $as notplayed. 0he participants $ere also sho$n )*> pairs of $ords before going to bed andtested the follo$ing morning to see ho$ many they could remember.

After sound stimulation, the sub"ects impro ed their memory retention by nearly B>percent, recalling an a erage of ** sets of $ords compared to ) $hen the sound $asnot played. 0he ey, according to the authors, is that the frequency of the sound $assynched to the sub"ect’s brain $a es. 0his produced an increase in the si3e of the brain$a es during deep sleep, and these slo$er brain $a es are associated $ith informationprocessing and memory formation. 2ou can find special Npin noiseO apps to play in your bedroom, or you can simply turn on a fan to get this benefit.

0urn Cff 2our Kadgets and A oid Cther 1ommon leep Listurbances

-f your sleep is being interrupted, the first step is to determine the cause. -f you’re a ne$

parent being $o en by a ne$born, there’s ob iously little you can do, aside fromteaming up $ith your spouse or another family member so you can each ha ealternating nights of uninterrupted sleep. 0hishas a ma"or implication on the quality of your sleep, in $ays you might not e enimagine. 1ertainly, such de ices can eep you a$a e by ma ing noises, but they also

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/07/24/interrupted-sleep.aspx#_edn9http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/07/24/interrupted-sleep.aspx#_edn10http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/07/24/interrupted-sleep.aspx#_edn9http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/07/24/interrupted-sleep.aspx#_edn10


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interfere $ith your sleep $a e cycle, or circadian rhythm, in far more insidious, anddamaging $ays.

:&posure to e en small amounts of light from a tele ision, your computer, tablet, orsmartphone can interfere $ith your body’s production of melatonin, $hich helps regulate

your sleep $a e cycle. @lus, $hen you're connected to the -nternet, your phone orcomputer are communicating $ith nearby cell to$ers, $hich means they're also emittinglo$ le els of radiation. Cne *>>? study re ealed that people e&posed to radiation fromtheir mobile phones for three hours before bedtime had more trouble falling asleep andstaying in a deep sleep. )) , )*

According to the *>)4 leep in America @oll, 5 percent of respondents $ho turnelectronics off $hile sleeping tend to rate their sleep as e&cellent, compared to "ust *7percent of those $ho lea e their de ices on. ) 0his is $hy - recommend a oiding$atching 08 or using a computer or tablet at least an hour or so before going to bed. -fyou do eep your de ices in your room, ma e sure they are physically turned off along$ith your Wi i router. An alternati e, you can try a free computer program called f.lu&(see "ustgetflu&.com+, $hich alters the color temperature of your computer screen as theday goes on, pulling out the blue $a elengths as it gets late.

Do$ to Ket 9ninterrupted, Hestorati e leep

mall ad"ustments to your daily routine and sleeping area can go a long $ay to ensureuninterrupted, restful sleep. - suggest you read through my full set of healthy sleepguidelines for all of the details, but to start, consider implementing the follo$ingchanges. !umber one on my list= As mentioned, turn o$$your electronic gadgets and

eep them out of your bedroom/• A5oid wat hing #C or using your omputerDsmartphone or tablet in the e5ening2 at

least an hour or so before going to bed8• Make sure you get 6R& H# sun e%posure regularly8 2our pineal gland produces

melatonin roughly in appro&imation to the contrast of bright sun e&posure in the day andcomplete dar ness at night. -f you are in dar ness all day long, it can't appreciate thedifference and $ill not optimi3e your melatonin production.

• et some sun in the morning . 2our circadian system needs bright light to reset itself.0en to )5 minutes of morning sunlight $ill send a strong message to your internal clocthat day has arri ed, ma ing it less li ely to be confused by $ea er light signals during thenight.

• "leep in omplete darkness2 or as lose to it as possible . : en the tiniest glo$ fromyour cloc radio could be interfering $ith your sleep, so co er your cloc radio up at nightor get rid of it altogether.


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• Feep the temperature in your bedroom no higher than =+ degrees ) . to B? degrees .

• #ake a hot bath G+ to ,*+ minutes before bedtime . 0his increases your core bodytemperature, and $hen you get out of the bath it abruptly drops, signaling your body thatyou are ready to sleep.

• A5oid using loud alarm lo ks . ;eing "olted a$a e each morning can be erystressful. -f you are regularly getting enough sleep, you might not e en need an alarm.

• 6e mindful of ele tromagneti fields 9EM)s; in your bedroom . :< s can disruptyour pineal gland and its melatonin production, and may ha e other negati e biologicaleffects as $ell. A gauss meter is required if you $ant to measure :< le els in ariousareas of your home. -f possible install a ill s$itch to turn off all electricity to your bedroom.-f you need a cloc , use a battery operated one.

:ffortless Dealing P Cne tep at a 0ime

> pm : 0 on Koogle Dangouts.

;C!9 Q*/

A sneak peek of my new book ;oo s $ill be mailed starting ebruary *4 th, but you$on’t need to $ait until it arri es to get started. ;egin reading my ne$ boo right a$ay$ith your free snea pre ie$S

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All % mercury+ at ris . 1onsumers for Lental 1hoice is $or ing to phaseout amalgam use and to promote access to mercury free alternati es.

• )luoride A tion Network 9)AN; P An international coalition aimed at ending $aterfluoridation and alerting you to fluoride's en ironmental and health ris s. A! eeps youinformed about fluoride to&icity, and monitors go ernment actions that may e&pose you tofluoride.

Are you ready to get started= 0he timing has ne er been better. Crder your copyof !$$ortless Healing today, collect your free gifts, and let your "ourney beginS

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Sleep Research Nap 13022015