10 tips that will help you sleep better

Sleeping is like resetting your body, fine-tuning it so it can function properly the next day. But, in order for that resetting to be effective, we must sleep a sufficient number of hours and our sleep must be reparative. In other words, both the quantity and the quality of sleep are important.

What happens while we are sleeping?

When we are sleeping, our organism experiences many more things than we might think.

• The brain gets rid of the toxic elements produced by the neurons over the course of the day.
• Our breathing slows down and the lungs can rest after hours of intense work.
• The heart rate and the arterial pressure are reduced.
• The muscles relax and rest.
• Our body secretes growth hormone, which helps our muscles and joints to recover.

Therefore, sleep is vital to allow our organism to recover. A lack of sleep or bad-quality sleep can have negative consequences on our health. Not only do we feel more tired and less able to concentrate, in the long term we can develop cardiovascular diseases, obesity or diabetes.

How many hours should we sleep?

The number of hours of sleep necessary to feel rested varies from one person to another. Some people can function well with barely 5 hours of sleep, while others need over 9 hours. In general, between 6 and 8 hours of sleep are recommended.

The phases of sleep

Sleep-wakefulness occurs naturally over a 24-hour cycle, coinciding with the natural light. During sleep, we go through different phases, which are interspersed and repeated.

• Phase I (dozing off). It is a phase of transition to sleep: our eyes are closed but we are not yet asleep. It usually lasts for around 10 minutes.
• Phase II (light sleep). Sleep begins, the body relaxes, the temperature falls and the heartbeat slows down.
• Phase III (transition to deep sleep). It is a phase of great relaxation during which the organism secretes growth hormone, which is key for the recovery of muscles and joints.
• Phase IV (Delta sleep). It is a phase of deep sleep in which we achieve the greatest rest. In this phase, it is difficult to wake up.
• REM (rapid eye movement) Phase. In this phase, the eyes are constantly moving beneath the eyelids. Though we are asleep, there is a great deal of brain activity, we dream and capture information from the exterior, despite the fact that our muscles are blocked. This phase occurs for the first time between 70 and 90 minutes after falling asleep and it is repeated several times during the night.  

Recommendations to sleep better

1. Stick to a routine: always go to bed and get up at the same time. If you cannot sleep, do not stay in bed, tossing and turning. Get up, go into another room, try to relax and go back to bed when you are tired.
2. Avoid stimulating substances and drinks such as coffee or tea, especially during the evening and night.
3. Do not drink alcohol before going to bed. Initially, is seems to help us fall asleep, but in fact alcohol causes fragmented sleep, making us wake up many times during the night and preventing us from sleeping properly.
4. Dinner should be light and you should wait 1-2 hours before going to bed. If you feel hungry before going to bed, you can drink a caffeine-free tea or a glass of warm milk.  
5. Do not do exercise at the end of the day. That will only activate you more and make it more difficult to ‘wind down’ before going to bed.
6. Avoid exposure to bright light, such as that of mobile phones, tablets or computers, in the late evening or at night.
7. Check the medications you are taking and talk to your doctor, as some can cause insomnia.
8. Your bedroom should be a ‘sleep haven’ which helps you to relax: without noise, at the right temperature and as dark as possible.
9. If you usually have problems falling asleep, you could do a relaxing activity before going to bed, such as listening to gentle music or taking a shower with lukewarm water.
10. And remember, the bed is for sleeping not working or doing things involving more mental activity, such as reading, checking your mobile phone or watching TV.