How Sleep Affects Us
Everyone needs their beauty sleep, and there are many different factors that go into this. Yes, there is a correct and an incorrect way to sleep and everyone’s needs vary. Factors include time of day, temperature, how/what you eat, and even the way you lay affect the quality of sleep you get. Day to day life can wreak havoc on your sleep quality, and while improving this can seem like a privilege, there are small changes you can make that have a positive impact.
We each have a circadian rhythm in our body that controls our sleep/wake cycle. This rhythm is affected by light that our eyes take in and input into our brain’s hypothalamus. When it gets dark outside, our brain releases the hormone melatonin to tell our bodies that it’s time to wind down. Some things that can affect our circadian rhythm are jet lag, blue light exposure and genetic mutations. Our circadian rhythm is also the reason we get that mid-day slump or have bursts of energy throughout the day. When our rhythm is balanced, we feel rested in the morning and all of our body’s processes run a lot more smoothly.
Other factors that affect the way we sleep include different chemicals we ingest like caffeine and alcohol. When you have high stress levels, hormones like adrenaline, cortisol and norepinephrine raise our blood pressure and make it harder for us to fall asleep. Keeping your room dark and slightly warm can make you fall asleep faster, and it’s important to avoid taking melatonin supplements as this can decrease our bodies production of natural melatonin.
When it comes to our sleep positions, sleeping on your back is best to avoid lines, wrinkles and loss of muscle elasticity. Sleeping on your side can crimp and curl eyelashes and eyebrows in undesired positions, though laying on your left side can help alleviate stomach aches due to the way the stomach is shaped in the abdominal cavity. Lastly, laying on your stomach can cause lower back and hip pain due to the curvature of the spine being shifted.
Overall, the quality of sleep you get will not only affect the way you look, but also the way you feel. If your day to day schedule doesn’t allow you to have the most optimal sleep, there are still changes you can make in your lifestyle to overall improve your quality of health and life.
