Introduction:
A fresh mind leads to a better day, and this can be achieved by having a good sleep. Most of the people have tendency to wake up in between the night or have difficulty sleeping, which makes them sleepy the next day as the sleep feels incomplete though they would have slept for long hours. This article will help you to understand the ways to have a deep sleep.
There are basically two stages of sleep. Non-REM sleep lasts for several minutes between the person being awake and falling asleep. REM sleep happens after 90 minutes of going through non-REM sleep. Deep sleep helps in attaining long-term memory and overall learning along with the regeneration of cells, blood supply to muscles are increased, enhances growth and repair of tissues and bones, improves the immune system.
In a healthy adult, approximately 13 % to 23 % of sleep is found to be a deep sleep. So as per research, an 8-hour sleep at night is required for a person, and deep sleep takes 62 to 110 minutes of it. During deep sleep, a lot of beneficial processes happen, like consolidation of memories, processing of learning and emotions, physical recovery, balancing of sugar levels and metabolism, the immune system is enhanced, and detoxification of the brain happens. The sleep tracking device, a sleep study can be used in case of sleep difficulties.
Infants need the maximum sleep, approximately 16 out of 24 hours, for toddlers, it is 11 to 14 hours, preschoolers need 10 to 13 hours, school children require 9 to 12 hours, and teenagers require 8 to 10 hours of sleep.
How to Get a Deep Sleep?
Some of the best ways to have a deep refreshing sleep at night are as follows:
1. Make a Routine:
The body and mind tend to adapt to what a person do regularly. So, whatever a person do before sleeping that helps to improve their sleep or helps them to fall asleep like reading a book, meditation, bath, washing face, etc.can be done.
2. Proper Comfortable Pillow:
The more comfortable a person is on their bed, the better sleep. Neck pillows are one of the ways to achieve it. A soft supporting pillow can make a person feel cozy and enhance their quality of sleep.
3. Eat Banana Before Bed:
Banana is believed to be a great source of melatonin which is a sleep hormone and also tryptophan. They provide a relaxed feeling to the whole body.
4. A Hot Bath Before Bed:
Taking a bath before bed, especially a hot bath helps to promote good sound sleep as it plays a role in changing the body temperature. It increases the core body temperature, which comes down instantly once a person comes out of the bath and makes them sleep.
5. Wear Comfortable Clothing:
Warm skin slows down the blood circulation and brings down the internal temperature and helps to improve the sleep. During sleep, the body undergoes various changes in temperature, thus instead of being naked, wearing some clothes or having covers or bed sheets will keep a person comfortable during those changes. Tight jeans might cause difficulty in air circulation. Buy separate night wears for sleep.
6. Clean Bedroom With a Soothing Paint:
Removal of clutter from the bedroom will remove distraction and hence, improves sleep too. Also, a pleasant or soothing color relaxes a person when they lie down reading or trying to sleep and, thus enhances their sleep.
7. Pets To be Kept Out of the Bedroom:
Pets are cute and become our buddies but they can also be a disturbance in getting deep sleep. And studies show that most of the dogs and cats snore, and again, cause a distraction in sleep.
8. Massage:
Massaging is known to have amazing benefits in relaxing the body. One way to massage is running the fingers in slow, circular motions around the eyes, followed by mouth, neck, and back of the head till they feel relaxed and sleepy. This will beautifully make them sleep and also, enhance the quality of their sleep. One might use coconut oil or olive oil for massage.
9. Use of Lavender Water or Some Soothing Scents:
Again, these are known to have relaxing and soothing benefits. A person can spray them over the freshly washed bed sheets or pillow-cases.
10. Listening to Soothing Music or Audio-Book:
It follows the soothing principle of lullaby and bed-time stories in making a person fall asleep. One can try some poetry or biography but avoid horror novels or stories.
11. Do Not Use Mobile Phones:
Using phones before sleeping is definitely not the right choice. The radiation emitted from mobiles is known to affect the brains. This might affect the quality of sleep.
12. Do Simple Exercise:
If a person works on the computer all the time his sleep might be disturbed because of the sedentary lifestyle. Try doing mild exercises. This will pave the way for better sound sleep.
13. Do Not Eat Heavy Meals:
Eating lite meals before bed will aid in better digestion. Eating heavy food at night will lead to feeling bloated and interrupt the sleep.
14. Drink Milk Before Bed:
Drinking warm milk will put a person to bed soon. One might also add turmeric to milk for additional benefits. It helps to secrete serotonin, thereby enhancing the sleep.
15. Lower the Room Temperature:
If a person sweats or feels too hot in their bedroom, they might have trouble falling asleep. Turn on the air conditioner or cooler. Make sure a room should have proper ventilation, so a person can get fresh air.
16. Dim the Lights:
Bright lights can prevent a person from falling asleep. Certain people who share their room with others have the ability to sleep even in bright lights. However, sleeping with dim lights can give a more soothing sleep.
17. Wear Sleep Masks:
If someone has a roommate who studies the whole night, it would not be polite to switch off the lights for the betterment of their sleeping pattern. In such cases, where a room is shared, appropriate sleep masks should be worn. It can also prevent from developing dark circles.
18. Use Ear Plugs:
This is not recommended for daily use. When someone has a disturbing neighbor who turns on the loud music and at suitable times, they might need the help of earplugs. In noisy places, earplugs can significantly reduce sound. But continuous usage of them can cause a build-up of earwax.
19. Cuddle With the Partner and Have Sex:
Researchers have shown that cuddling with the loved ones can help a person fall asleep faster. During sex, a hormone called prolactin gets released after orgasm. This hormone play a vital role in inducing calm sleep.
20. Follow Proper Directions:
Sleep by having the head pointed towards the south. Sleeping in a North-south direction can cause lots of negative vibrations. This can affect the health of the body.
Conclusion:
Deep sleep is a natural medicine for fitness and freshness. With the stress occuring nowadays, a temporary disturbance in sleep can be overcome with these methods. If a person is struggling with sleep even after following these tips, consult a doctor, and this process is much easier currently, with the help of online medical platforms.