Good sleep is essential to maintain the body in an optimal state of well-being and good physical, mental and emotional health. Anxiety, uncertainty and fear caused by the health crisis have led to an increase in sleep disorders, which has a very negative impact on overall health. "On the other hand, it causes impairment of all cognitive functions including memory, computation, creativity and spatial vision, makes us more irritable and short-tempered and can even affect our personality and social relationships. And finally, it makes us age prematurely, as people who sleep less have been shown to have shorter telomeres (the ends of chromosomes are considered biomarkers of aging). But this loss of vitality and performance is temporary and is restored when we sleep well again. For example, if you travel a lot at a certain time of year, you are likely to sleep poorly. The good news is that sleep is a habit, and as such, it can be lost or worsened, but it can also be regained. Ideally you should sleep 50 hours a week, at least 35 hours, and sleeping more than that is not a good idea either. However, it is very important to note that sleep is not always synonymous with rest."
There are many sleep disorders, but the doctor explains the three most common patterns:
- There are those who cannot sleep. These are people who go to bed but don't fall asleep and have an additional problem that they are aware of that causes them anxiety.
-There are people who, due to excessive work or family responsibilities, cannot sleep enough hours to get the rest they need for a good night's sleep.
-And there are those who, despite the recommended hours of sleep, do not get enough rest because they suffer from sleep apnea. This group is most at risk because they are unaware that they are not resting; they lie down, fall asleep and snore all night. People who snore are often obese, as being overweight is a major cause of sleep apnea. The reason is that fat on the neck compresses the throat and blocks the airway, so they do not breathe properly or get enough oxygen.
- What to do and what not to do for better sleep
Our experts do not advise using medications to help you fall asleep. "All hypnotics that are not natural change the phases of sleep (light, deep) and although they increase the total number of hours of sleep, they cannot increase the number of hours of restful sleep, which are important. The best option is to resort to natural measures and techniques, such as a healthy diet without stimulants and alcohol, moderate and regular exercise, but never at night, a light dinner two hours before bedtime and preparing for sleep, always before midnight, with practices that help the body relax, such as meditation, yoga and conscious breathing. Moreover, thinking about upcoming commitments has been shown to be the reason why many people cannot sleep. In fact, a very interesting study was conducted with volunteers divided into two groups. Some were asked five minutes before going to bed to write down everything they had done during the day, while others were asked to write down what they had to do the next day. The first fell asleep in 30 minutes, and the second - only in nine."