by Taetske | 4:07 pm
(Last Updated On: April 16, 2021)

How your sleeping habits reflect your health

 

Pedestrians

Pedestrians image Brian Merrill

 

It is quite amazing but our modern lifestyle does not really promote health-giving sleep. People do not seem to realize how important sleep actually is and when you lack sleep, you are prone to get a lot of nasty things. We need to sleep because a lack of sleep during a 24-hour period causes the body to go funny.

It seems that the longest period a person stayed alive was with a maximum of 11 days without this necessary rest.

 

The danger of not sleeping

Sleep deprivation is an awful form of torture that has been practiced thru out the ages and even if it seems less important than immediate bodily harm, the far-reaching effects are more damaging and painful, if forced to continue.

In some people, it can even cause hallucinations, so it becomes clear that humans need a good amount of restful hours to remain normal and to function at their best level.

 

Alcove Bed

Alcove Bed image Anja

 

Sleeping habits in old times

The funny thing is that in the past people did not sleep the whole night. The 7 or 8 hours which are normally recommended to sleep only came about when the industrial era started.

In old times people used to sleep in 2 parts. The time between the 2 periods of sleep was used to talk, eat, pray, and make love. It was meant to entertain yourself and then when you got tired again start your second sleep.

People used to sleep half sitting up so that when the enemy approached, one could jump out quickly with a sword in hand. The old-style box-beds or alcoves were short and people could not lie down. One possible reason for not lying down could be that they associated this position with death.

I have seen those types of beds, be it with a curtain or little door, in old farmhouses in Holland. In those times, one often shared the house with farm animals. These types of beds made some kind of privacy possible.

 

Sleep repairs your body

While you sleep, you are not conscious of all the things that are happening in your body. There are so many things happening while you are asleep that one could compare it to a stopover in the garage. Your body is being repaired while you are in deep sleep.

Your body, including the muscles, organs, and other cells, are getting a checkup and when needed, are patched up. Chemicals will circulate in your blood to strengthen your immune system. Deep sleep represents about a fifth of your total night’s sleep.

I think it is interesting to know the difference between the kinds of sleep. We divide sleep patterns into two basic types, REM (Rapid Eye Movement) and non-REM. Non-REM usually consumes most of your sleep and can vary between light and deep sleep.

Scientists believe that during REM a kind of brain decluttering is taking place, and the information you do not need is taken out. You will have most of your dreams while being in REM. Another important thing is taking place. Your hormones are re-balanced. Your growth hormone will go up while your cortisol, the one related to stress, goes down.

From experience, I know that the room temperature for a good night’s sleep is very important. A bedroom that is too hot will not let you sleep well. A cool bedroom between 15 to 20 C is, at least for me, the ideal temperature.

Something which is also important is that your bedroom should be dark, the darker the better. No little nightlights or those alarm clocks with a strong glow. Needless to say that noise-free is also necessary and the double glass windows can be a great help.

I live upcountry and natural noises like birds singing or a dog barking in the distance normally do not disturb my sleep. I must say that during the wintertime when it is still dark, and the rooster kicks up a shindy, I can still get a good night’s sleep. But when the neighbors have a summer party, which can last till the early morning hours, then it might be a tic difficult to fall asleep.

Obviously, when you are sick or have any health issues, getting a good night’s sleep might be difficult. There are solutions to sleeping better, keep reading.

 

Old style alarm clock

Old style alarm clock image Juraj Varga

 

Nightly concerts

Snoring could be a problem and yes ladies also snore. You might poke your partner to change position and that will end the snoring session.

Have you heard about sleep apnea? This is a potentially dangerous condition in which your breathing stops and starts out of the normal rhythm. You may also have a condition in which your throat muscles relax, partially closing the air pathways and that can lead to snoring or breathing problems.

One possible way to circumvent this condition is to sleep with your torso inclined relative to the rest of your body. You might try to avoid sleeping on your back or avoid eating late at night and do not drink too much alcohol late at night.

In case you always wake up feeling tired, having a dry mouth, perhaps even a headache, it might be a good idea to visit the doctor.

 

Man in despair

Man in despair image Gert Altmann

 

Depression, anxiety, and stress

If you are depressed, it is difficult to sleep because negative thoughts keep turning around in your head and you cannot shut them off. A few changes in your lifestyle can be of help, such as meditating before going to bed. The quietening down after a hectic day can do wonders. Get your share of good air and do not forget to exercise.

Depression can cause anxiety and vice versa. It is a good idea to have your hormones checked. We all will experience stressful situations in our life. That is normal. As long as you understand what causes your anxiety, you will be able to tackle it. Some people find benefits with Yoga or having some acupuncture sessions. This can eliminate stress.

In general, the modern human leads a stressful life, running back and forth to work. Sitting in a car driving to work or spending time on the train getting there. When you arrive, you might be stressed already.

Taking your work home is not a good idea and if you have to, then do not concentrate on work just before going to sleep. Much better is to read a pleasant book with some relaxing music in the background.

One thing one really should not do is work on your laptop or mobile while sitting in bed already. Working in your bedroom should be avoided. The same applies to have a TV in your bedroom. Keep your bedroom free of gadgets.

The blue light interrupts with your circadian rhythm and sends the wrong signals to your brain. If you must have a night light, the use of amber-colored lights in the evening, signal your brain it soon will be bedtime.

 

Such a helpful book

Do you suffer from insomnia? Then perhaps you are willing to follow this 5 week plan. Dr. Guy shares his unique five-week plan to cure your problems wether is is a few restless nights or a lifetime of insomnia. A natural program so you will sleep like a rose again.

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How to avoid acid reflux

It seems there are people who suffer acid reflux. When you lie down and want to sleep but cannot due to this awful burning acid which comes up in your throat. Anti-acids are not the answer to this problem. They only treat the symptom and give money to “Big Pharma.” One has to find the cause.

Take care of what you eat and avoid foods such as spices, caffeine, alcohol, and tomatoes at least 3 to 4 hours before bedtime. Often the problem is caused by having too little stomach acid, not too much.

 

The effect of alcohol and caffeine

We all know when we have been drinking too much, we normally have a restless night and wake up feeling really not on top of the world. Drinking a couple of glasses of water before going to sleep does help me, as alcohol dehydrates your body. During the evening, while you are enjoying an alcoholic beverage, it is a good idea to drink water as well.

Some people have a problem when drinking anything with caffeine in the afternoon. Personally I can have my booster coffee at 16.00 hours, but other people will sleep better if they do not drink caffeine after 2 pm.

Also, check if you take your supplements, which might contain B vitamins, too late in the day. Especially B12, which has an energizing impact and will not let your brain relax. That is why you should take this type of supplement in the morning.

I like TEDTALKS; they are good and interesting. This is a short one of just over 6 minutes.

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Conclusion

It is so important to sleep well. By taking the right steps, it will be possible. I sleep like a rose even if I have problems, just like the rest of humanity.

I have made a special page for you. It holds a collection of things you might find interesting. Before you leave, visit Recommendations.

 

Source: Aimee McNew for Paleo Hacks

Photo Source: Pixabay

 

Radiation is present in our modern-day life. You might find the following post interesting, have a look.

What You Can Do In The Battle Against EMF Radiation

Comments

Henderson

I find this post a very good one and I feel like more people should read this. Sleep is very important for everyone who wants to live a healthy life. The fact that you can give such awesome information is very good. I should want to stop taking coffee too much or take it away from my evenings. I like the post and I will definitely share it.

Nov 28.2019 | 08:10 am

    Taetske

    Good afternoon Henderson,

    Nice to see you again. Thank you for your comment.

    Thank you for wanting to share the information about my article. It is quite amazing that people often do not sleep well. With a few adjustments in their life they would be able to improve the quality of their sleep. It is actually not difficult at all.

    I think it is a good idea to skip coffee in the evening. You could try rooibos tea instead.

    Regards, Taetske

    Nov 28.2019 | 04:26 pm

Benson

Hello Taestske, this is an amazing article that would make us all understand why it is important for us to have enough sleep. So many people suffer from headaches, weakened muscles and even itching eyes as a result of lack of sleep. Still, we give little regard to sleep. I’m glad you have stated how sleeping habits can help us.

And in some cases, I have heard that when you deprive your body of sleep the brain only gets a message of survival and the person tends to become violent, how true is it?

Nov 28.2019 | 08:12 am

    Taetske

    Good afternoon Benson,

    Thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment. Nice to see you again.

    A lack of sleep can change a person to become more irritable. Like when you drive a car, somebody does something stupid and you start shouting. We will not have much patience with the behavior of our partner, etc.

    When you are not rested it is not a good idea to take important decisions or sign a contract. 

    Regards, Taetske

    Nov 28.2019 | 04:35 pm

Success Business Online

This is indeed a very good article on the importance of sleep.

I do agree with you that many people do not realize the importance of sleep.  Having good sleep not only helps to repair one’s mind and body,it also allows the body to repair old cells and to build new cells.

As a coffee lover, I am guilty of the cafeine effects it has on my sleep. That is why I choose to drink it in the morning.

The side effects can be tremendous if one is not rested properly such as depression amd anxiety. One should always take sleep as an important aspect in life that cant be overlooked.

Thank you for the wonderful article.

Nov 28.2019 | 08:12 am

    Taetske

    Good afternoon,

    A shame I do not know your name as I like to address the visitors to my website by their name.

    Thank you for your comment. I hope you have downloaded your free PDF? Tulip widget.

    Here at home, the alarm goes off at 07.00. If I go to bed later than usual I do find it a tic difficult to get up in the morning. I have to as there are some fur friends who are waiting for breakfast.

    Regards, Taetske

    Nov 28.2019 | 04:39 pm

Abul Basher

Hi Taetske, thank you very much for publishing a great article on “SLEEPING HABITS HOW TO IMPROVE FOR BETTER HEALTH
“. I’m facing the problem of snoring myself. I got a great tip from your article that is “You might poke your partner to change position and that will end the snoring session”. I hope you will write more useful article in future. Finally you can change the main menu of your site for a better look.

Nov 28.2019 | 08:14 am

    Taetske

    Good afternoon Abul,

    Thank you for leaving a comment on my website. I hope you downloaded your free PDF? Tulip widget.

    Poking your partner does help, Michael and I are doing that quite often.

    Both my websites have 92 posts each so I think you will be able to find more articles of your interest.

    I would kindly ask you to explain what you mean with change the main menu of my site for a better look?

    Regards, Taetske

    Nov 28.2019 | 04:45 pm

Nimrodngy

Thank’s a lot for such amazing information about improving sleep for our life quality.

Until now I didn’t know much about sleeping. I proposed to myself to sleep 7 house because I need to be fresh the next day. Because I’m a gym lover I know that in sleep my body produces growth hormone (testosterone) and this helps me to increase my muscle, you mentioned already this in your article.

Very interesting is that exist 2 types of sleep, REM and non-REM. I can figure that I had a REM sleep when I wake up and my brain is fresh without any useless pieces of information. That’s cool. About the temperature in the room, I went through it during the summer when it is very hot and I cannot rest at all.

You did a great job with this article. In my opinion, sleeping enough is the best way to extend our life.

Nov 28.2019 | 08:17 am

    Taetske

    Good Morning Nimrod,

    Thank you for your visit and comment on my website. I hope you downloaded your free PDF? Tulip widget.

    Sleeping well is often not valued by people and then they wonder that they are tired and have a bad mood. 

    I find it a little difficult when the alarm goes off and it is still dark outside. In general, I sleep very well and that is a real blessing. The old farmhouse has 50 cm thick walls and that keeps the bedroom nice and cool in the hot summer.

    Regards, Taetske

    Nov 29.2019 | 07:23 am

John

Wow, a very nice post you have here on how to deal with issues relating to sleep. I have had some issues with my sleep and this is due to stress. I like the fact that you can point out the causes of one not being able to sleep. You also mentioned some things about how people slept in the past, that was very educative. I will make sure I take to the advice that you have laid down here. Thanks

Nov 28.2019 | 08:17 am

    Taetske

    Good afternoon John,

    Nice to see you again and thank you for your comment.

    Sorry to hear you have too much stress so you do not sleep well. As I have outlined in my post you can make some changes which should help you to sleep better.

    Life can get in the way, everyday worries and or health issues. I think most people will experience these things in their life. The main thing is that you are willing to make a couple of adjustments and see how it goes. All the best.

    Regards, Taetske

    Nov 28.2019 | 04:51 pm

PeterMinea

Hello Taetske!

A very, very good point about our sleep being tightly connected to our health. Going to bed in time and having a good sleep are very important for our daily mood and overall health! If we don’t sleep enough, we will be physically stressed, and life may start to look awful.

Quite an interesting detail about how people had a 2-part sleep in old times! I did not know this.

Good advice about not eating in the night and avoid sleeping on the back in order to avoid snoring! Not eating too late is, of course, good not only for preventing snoring… it’s simply better.

By personal experience, I prefer sleeping on my left or right side of the body.

I also agree with the benefits of a good sleep when going through depression! And with sleeping without any PC or TV turned on in the room.

Unfortunately there are many times I eat in the evening, and I also don’t start my sleep early enough.

Overall, thanks for the tips you presented us in the article! It is an occasion to learn something new and useful about how to sleep better.

Best regards,

Peter

Nov 28.2019 | 08:18 am

    Taetske

    Good Morning Peter,

    Thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment. Nice to see you again.

    On both my websites I have written about EMFs and what it means to be surrounded by it. After 3G and 4G we have entered the era of 5G and the consequences will be severe. All over the world, people start having problems on a physical level which will influence their total life. Nature is also suffering and I say we are not right in our head and are going in the wrong direction.

    That people try to sleep with laptops, mobile phones, and tv in their bedroom shows how bad it has become. I find all of this extremely worrying and in my home try to reduce radiation. That is why those things are not allowed in the bedroom and at night everything is unplugged in the house. 

    Food-wise, lifestyle-wise, we have disconnected from nature. It is obvious how many problems that has created for our health, not a pretty picture. 

    Regards, Taetske

    Nov 29.2019 | 07:36 am

Bella

This is a very nice post and I am glad to be here. I agree with you when you say sleep deprivation is a form of torture because I have had near experience to it in time past when I was at my old job. I sometimes work overnight and hardly have time to catch a nap at all.

It’s my first time learning about sleep apnea and it sounds really scary to me. Sleeping should be taken seriously and for the right amount of time.

Nov 28.2019 | 09:16 am

    Taetske

    Good Morning Bella,

    Thank you for your comment on my website. I hope you have downloaded your free PDF? Tulip widget.

    Sleep deprivation is a method of torture used on prisoners and applied in many countries worldwide. A very nasty way of torture as it can break a person.. I am sorry to hear you had to work in such inhumane conditions. This is forbidden by law but I do not know in which country you were working. 

    A good night’s sleep is so important so you can recharge your batteries and face the day.

    Regards, Taetske

    Nov 29.2019 | 07:46 am

Kaju

No doubt proper sleep is essential. I have a bradycardia which is triggered by gastric cardia. When the body does not get proper sleep, the body is not in homeostasis. Whenever I get proper sleep, I notice that my heart rate returns to a normal 60-80 bpm. Proper sleep is vital.

Jan 10.2020 | 04:20 pm

    Taetske

    Good Morning Kaju,

    Nice to see you. Thank you for your visit and comment.

    I sleep like a rose most nights but I do know a lot of people who have trouble getting a good night’s sleep. Our modern lifestyle often is a problem as we eat the wrong things also at the wrong time. We stay glued to computer and mobile till we go to sleep and even have the gadgets in the bedroom. I know you live in a big city so I wonder how you cope with the noise. I live upcountry in a rural area so it is mainly quiet at night.

    Regards, Taetske

    Jan 11.2020 | 07:31 am

Cathy Allen

It really is amazing how being depressed and lacking sleep can be a vicious circle. Thank you for sharing all your knowledge and for giving us a link to a helpful book. 🙂

Feb 22.2020 | 02:09 am

    Taetske

    Good Morning Cathy,

    Thank you for visiting my website and for leaving a comment. I hope you have downloaded your free PDF? Tulip widget.

    Nice to hear you have found good information in my post. People often do not realize how important it is to sleep well at night. I hope you will be able to make some changes in your routine and that it will result in sleeping like a rose just like I do.

    Regards, Taetske

    Feb 22.2020 | 07:18 am

JJ

Thanks for a timely discussion about my number one challenge…restful sleep. I have tried all kinds of behavioural changes because I didn’t feel like taking any pills. I must be grateful that for the last few months I have had some good rest most nights.

I stopped watching TV at 8pm every night. I only allowed myself to use the phone if it rang. No scrolling and social media etc. I also have taken up reading and I use an eye cover because there is a bright street light just outside my window. I have no problem falling asleep.

When I do have problems, it is that I wake about 3.30am and am never able to get back to sleep. Thank you for these tips. I am always reading about insomnia. I intend to conquer it.

Apr 16.2021 | 09:02 pm

    Taetske

    Good Morning Jay,

    Thank you for stopping by and for your comment. I hope you downloaded a free PDF of your choice? Tulip widget.

    I see you already have many good habits that help with sleeping well. You might need some fine-tuning, so to speak. You tell me there is a bright street light close to your window. Do you have the possibility to cover your window at night so it does not bother you?

    Before going to sleep I take a Melatonin 10mg time release. This is also helpful.

    Regards, Taetske

    Apr 18.2021 | 07:16 am

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