We all know the refreshing feeling of getting a good night’s sleep. You greet the new day with energy, a clear mind and positive mood. But, just what is it about sleep that makes it so critical to good health and how can you get enough? UC Berkeley Professor Matthew Walker captured all the essentials in his book Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams. It’s easy to see why he’s the director of the university’s Sleep and Neuroimaging Lab. Sure, he’s well qualified, but Dr. Walker really loves sleep and wants all of us to love sleep, too. His book is a fascinating read. For me, six facts about sleep really captured my attention.
1. Getting enough sleep benefits your whole body
Scientists have yet to confirm the real reason behind why we need sleep, but what they do know is sleep benefits ALL body functions. For example, when you routinely sleep less than 6 to 7 hours each night, you’ll reduce your body’s immune defense, increase your risk of cancer, adversely affect your blood sugar, and even increase hunger, says Dr. Walker.
Even one day without enough sleep has negative consequences. In areas with Daylight Savings Time, people turn their clocks forward in the spring and lose one hour of possible sleep. It seems insignificant, but the following day, a spike in heart attacks occurs, explains Dr. Walker. In the autumn, the opposite happens when clocks are turned back, and people gain an additional hour of possible sleep. Rates of heart attacks decrease the following day.
2. Wake up naturally to determine the amount of sleep you need
In general, most healthy adults need between 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night. One way to find out your personal sleep need is to go to bed and wake up naturally without an alarm. If you are able to wake up before the alarm sounds, it is a good sign that you are getting enough sleep. If not, you may need more sleep.
Another way to see if you are getting enough sleep, says Dr. Walker, is to ask yourself two questions. After waking in the morning, could you easily fall asleep at 10 or 11 am? Or, do you need caffeine to function optimally before noon? If you answered yes, you are likely falling short on sleep quantity or sleep quality.
3. You can reset your sleep cycle
Humans have an internal clock (circadian rhythm) that many people believe is based on the 24-hour day. In fact, it is slightly longer, about 15 minutes longer. Several factors within your control can help you reset your internal clock, says Dr. Walker. Things like sunlight, food, exercise, temperature fluctuations and even regularly scheduled social interactions.
4. Your genes play a role in your sleep style
About 40% of us are morning people, preferring to get up early and take on the day. Another 30% of us are evening people and the rest of us fall somewhere in the middle, says Dr. Walker. What I found interesting is our genetics plays a role in this preference. If you’re an evening person, it can be difficult to get going in the morning. It’s like warming up a cold car engine on a winter day. It takes awhile. Since school and work days often begin early, evening folks are at a disadvantage. They not only feel chronically tired as they struggle to get up early, but also have a hard time falling asleep. As a result, they have a higher risk for anxiety, cancer, depression and other health concerns.
5. You lose REM sleep when you wake up too early
REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep is the stage of sleep where you dream and where creativity shines, explains Dr. Walker. By contrast, NREM (Non Rapid Eye Movement) sleep is a state in which you consolidate your memories. We cycle between REM and NREM about every 90 minutes as we sleep. However, as the early morning approaches, the time spent in REM sleep increases.
What I found disturbing is that those forced to wake up early (such as with an alarm) lose a staggering amount of REM sleep. For example, if you normally sleep between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., but wake up two hours early, you would lose about 25% total sleep. But, you would also lose 60 to 90% of your total REM sleep.
6. Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day
Dr. Walker shares 12 sleep tips in his book, but felt this one is the most important: You should stick to the same sleep routine every day, if possible. Sleeping more on weekends will not allow you to make up for lost sleep. It will only make it harder to wake up when the workweek begins again.
Take home message
If you are familiar with the Nutrilite philosophy of optimal health, you will recognize daily rest (which includes mental rest as well as sleep) as one of the pillars of healthy living, along with others such as nutrition and supplementation, exercise and positive mental attitude.
In today’s busy world, you may be working two jobs, showing the plan, raising kids and attending to the many activities on your daily to-do list, but during it all, remember one thing. To accomplish more, sleep better.
Sleep well!
