Good Health By Sleeping

Sleep is the indispensable condition to the recuperation of energy. We go to bed fatigued and get up refreshed. Sleep repairs the wear and tear of the body and mind incurred during waking hours. Nothing is so restorative to the nerves as sound and uninterrupted sleep. Sleep is thus a vital element in a total way of life.

Sleep is one of nature’s greatest inventions and blessings of life. It is a periodic rest of the body which is absolutely essential for its efficient functioning. It has been called “most cheering restorative of tired bodies."

During sleep most of the functions of the body are carried on at the lowest level possible in health like: 

•  Heat production is from 10 to 15 per cent below the basal level.

• The mechanisms regulating the body temperature are less sensitive than in the waking state and are depressed by 0.5 to 1.0 degree F. 

• The rate of the heart is reduced by 10 to 30 beats per minute and a decline in blood pressure of about 20 mm occurs in quiet restful sleep.

• The eyes are usually rolled upward and the pupils constricted.

• The urine volume is considerably reduced, but its concentration in solids is increased.

• Many organs which work during rest suspend their activities in sleep. 

Sleeping is partial loss of consciousness and also by what is called “dream protection.” One useful purpose of the dream is to convert outside noises that might awake the sleeping person, into fantasies that do not disturb him.

Sleeping person changes his position about 35 times in one night, without knowing it. 

Theories of sleep

The oldest theory is that sleep is induced by a reduction in the blood supply to the brain or at least to conscious centers. This is known as ischemic theory. Even the ancient Greek physicians were aware that the carotid artery was in a way concerned with the onset of sleep.

Another important theory about sleep is the chemical theory. As a result of experiments in the metabolism of sleeping subjects, it is considered that the fatigue inducing sleep may be a mild form of blood poisoning or toxaemia. This "poisoning" is believed to be brought on by the expenditure of energy during the waking hours.

According to this theory, every contraction of a muscle and every impulse passing through the brain or the nerves break down a certain amount of tissue. The debris from broken down tissue is then thrown into the bloodstream. In the waking state, much of the waste from broken down tissue is got rid of through the natural eliminating processes of lungs, kidneys, bowels and skin.

Another theory places a sleeping center in the hypothalamus. Many of the bodily changes in sleep such as constriction of pupils, reduced frequency of heart beat, increased gastric tone and secretion are manifestations of the activity of hypothalamus nuclei, especially parasympathetic centers. Perhaps some of the sleeping pills affect this center in the brain.

Duration of sleep:

According to Dr. Demmis Williams, a noted authority on sleep, the amount of sleep needed for an individual’s well-being, is determined by what he feels he needs, not by what other people, including the doctor, think is reasonable.

On the whole, women sleep from 45 minutes to one hour more than men. The amount of sleep required varies at different ages as follows:

New Born : 18 to 20 hours

Growing children :10 to 12 hours

Adults : 6 to 9 hours

Aged persons : 5 to 7 hours

Sleeping positions:

There are many theories about good and bad sleeping positions. Practically everyone changes positions several times during sleep. Hence how one starts out is of no consequence. It is a good thing we do turn about in our beds. If we did not, we would awake in the morning stiff, having maintained the same position all night. For proper sleep, however, one should not sleep on one’s back but on the side with one or both legs brought well up and the head and the shoulder slightly forward.

Sleeping Pills:

Sleeping pills are no remedy for sleeplessness. They are habit-forming and become less effective when taken continuously. They lower the I.Q. dull the brain and can prove fatal if taken in excess or before or after alcohol. The side-effect of sleeping pills include indigestion, skin rashes, lowered resistance to infection, circulatory and respiratory problems, poor appetite, high blood pressure, kidney and liver problems and mental confusion.

Remember:

Unpleasant situations at bed time such as arguments, quarrels, watching a horror movie, listening to loud music which would create anxiety, fear, excitement and worries should be avoided. Such situations stimulate the cerebral cortex and tend to keep one awake. The sleeping place should be well ventilated, with balanced temperature and free from noises. The bed should be neither too hard nor too soft, but comfortable. The pillow should not be too hard or too high. The bed clothes should be loose-fitting and light colored. Another important rule is not to have heavy food shortly before bed time.