Sleep: The Swiss Army Knife Of Health

What is sleep?

Sleep is a state in which consciousness is altered and there are changes in the body in the following aspects:

1. Reduced mental activity.
2. Reduced physical activity.
3. Decrease in muscle activity.

Sleep is the best meditation.

Dalai Lama

Am I getting enough sleep?

How do you know whether you are getting enough sleep? Ask yourself, two simple questions:

1. After waking up in the morning, do you again feel sleepy at ten or eleven a.m.? If the answer is “yes,” you are likely not getting sufficient sleep quantity and/or quality sleep. 
2. Can you function optimally without caffeine before noon? If the answer is “no,” then again you are likely not getting sufficient sleep quantity and/or quality sleep.

Both of these signs suggest poor sleep or sleep deficiency. 

These situations that compel a person to fall back asleep mid-morning, or require the boosting of alertness with caffeine, are usually due to individuals not getting adequate sleep time.

Sleep is that golden chain that ties health and our bodies together.

Thomas Dekker

Other questions that can point out signs of insufficient sleep are:

1. If you didn’t set an alarm clock, would you continue to sleep past the time, when you wanted to get up? (If so, you need more sleep than you are giving yourself.) 
2. Do you find yourself at your computer screen reading the same sentence again and again? (This is often a sign of a fatigued, under-slept brain)

There is a rare possibility that you may be suffering from an undiagnosed sleep disorder. The most common sleep disorder is insomnia, followed by – disordered breathing, or sleep apnea, or deep snoring. In such cases you should speak to your doctor and seek a referral to a sleep specialist.

REM and NREM sleep

There are two main types of sleep:

1. Non-REM sleep (NREM) and
2. REM sleep. (REM is short form for Rapid Eye Movements)

Four different stages of NREM sleep

NREM Stage 1:

This is the lightest stage of sleep and usually occurs right after you fall asleep. During this stage, you may still be aware of your surroundings and may even feel like you’re drifting in and out of sleep.

NREM Stage 2:

During this stage, your heart rate and breathing slow down and your body temperature drops. This sleep stage is a deeper than Stage 1.

NREM Stage 3:

This is a deep stage of sleep known as slow-wave sleep. During this stage, your brain waves slow down and become more synchronized, and it’s more difficult to wake you up.

NREM Stage 4:

It is called as delta sleep. It is the deepest stage of sleep. During this stage, your brain waves are at their slowest and it’s very difficult to wake you up. In this stage the body indulges in physical restoration and repair.

It is a common experience that a problem difficult at night is resolved in the morning after the committee of sleep has worked on it.

John Steinbeck

REM (Rapid Eye Movement) Sleep

This is the stage of sleep where most vivid dreaming occurs. During REM sleep, the eyes move rapidly back and forth, and the body becomes temporarily paralyzed, except for some muscles involved in breathing and eye movement.

The sleep cycle usually lasts around 90 minutes, and the different stages of sleep occur in cycles throughout the night. The first sleep cycle of the night usually contains more NREM sleep, while later cycles contain more REM sleep. A healthy sleep pattern should contain enough of both types of sleep.

REM sleep is a normal part of the sleep cycle and usually occurs several times throughout the night, with each REM period becoming progressively longer. The first REM period typically lasts only a few minutes, while later REM periods can last up to an hour.

Benefits of REM Sleep

REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep is essential for maintaining good physical and mental health. Some benefits of REM sleep include:

Memory consolidation:

During REM sleep, the brain consolidates and processes information from the day, helping to form and retain memories.

Emotional regulation:

REM sleep is important for regulating emotions, which can improve mood and reduce the risk of depression.

Learning and creativity:

REM sleep has been shown to play a role in learning, problem-solving, and creativity.

Restorative sleep:

REM sleep helps to restore the body, including repairing tissues, boosting the immune system, and regulating hormones.

Better performance:

REM sleep is also associated with improved cognitive function, better decision-making, and faster reaction times.

Sleep is the Swiss army knife of health. When sleep is deficient, there is sickness and disease. And when sleep is abundant, there is vitality and health.

Matthew Walker

What is the recommended duration of sleep?

The ideal sleep duration varies depending on age, lifestyle, and individual needs. The National Sleep Foundation of US, provides general guidelines for recommended sleep duration based on age:

Sleep requirements in some individuals may vary from the above general recommendations. They may require more or less sleep.

More importantly quality of sleep, as well as quantity of sleep is important, in order to feel well-rested and rejuvenated.

Alcohol and Sleep

While alcohol can initially make you feel drowsy and sleepy, it can actually interfere with the quality of sleep, leading to poorer sleep quality.

How does alcohol interfere with our sleep?

Alcohol can interfere with the normal sleep cycle. It interferes with sleep in the following ways:

Affects REM Sleep

It reduces the amount of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and increases the amount of slow-wave sleep. This can lead to disturbed sleep and contribute to feelings of fatigue upon waking.

Causes Sleep Apnea

Alcohol can relax the muscles in the throat, which can lead to snoring or sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a condition where breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep.

Laugh and the world laughs with you, snore and you sleep alone.

Anthony Burgess

Diuretic effect

Alcohol is a diuretic, which means it can cause increased urination. Increased urination leads to loss of fluids from the body leading to dehydration. Increased urination cause frequent awakenings to use the bathroom and disrupt sleep.

Sweating

Alcohol can also cause sweating during the night, which also disrupts sleep and contributes to feelings of fatigue and lethargy the next day.

Therefore, it is best to avoid drinking alcohol within a few hours of bedtime.

Impact of Coffee on Sleep and Health

Read more about the impact of coffee on sleep and health, and the impact of caffeine and milk in coffee.

Spoiler Alert: Get ready to be surprised by the health benefits of coffee!

Note: This information is provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute providing medical opinion.

About the Author

Dr. Ashok Birbal Jain, MD is an eminent Physician of Wardha, India, with four decades of active practice. He graduated from MGIMS, Sewagram, Maharashtra. His research study during M. D. was on Heart-Lung problems. He is the Executive Director of Center for Diabetes Heart & Asthma Care (CDHAC)

Along with his spouse Dr. Aruna A Birbal Jain, MD an eminent Pathologist, he has authored many books. Their books reflect their vast experience in early detection and managing various health problems.

He is a voracious reader and has vast knowledge. Dr. Ashok has a strong hold on holistic sciences of Homeopathy, Yoga, Ayurveda and Reiki also.

Related Read: More tools for your Swiss Army Knife of Health