Book 6: Why We Sleep
Hi friends! How is everyone’s reading coming along? Have you found any books you’re loving? I’d love to know which ones! Today’s post is book 6, titled, Why We Sleep (check out part 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 if you missed them). In these reviews, I share a bit about each of these books, my thoughts, how many stars I’d give it (actually it is how many Jericho’s as I’m using his cute face in place of stars. ;) ), and what other books I've read that month. This book answered so many questions I have about sleep and dreaming. It opened my eyes to the true benefits of sleep and what can happen if you’re chronically not getting enough of it. I hope you’ll check it out.
Title: Why We Sleep - Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams
Author: Matthew Walker, PhD
Genre: Non-Fiction | Science | Health
Page Count: 340
Short Synopsis: Why We Sleep gives a detailed overview of everything sleep related. It discusses the benefits of sleep and why it is so important as well as the risks for not getting enough sleep. The sleep stages are explained and what happens during REM and NREM sleep is detailed. All of this is backed-up with cutting-edge scientific studies to prove the accuracy. Most importantly, you learn that sleep is a form of therapy as our brain is able to process our emotions and take the sting out of those (sometimes) traumatizing memories. It is often said that time heals all wounds, but more accurately stated, sleep heals all wounds.
“7-9 hours in bed is what is recommended by the National Sleep Foundation and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.”
Favorite Parts: This book had so many interesting theories, research studies, and conclusions, and what it all boils down to is that sleep is extremely important if we want our whole body to be healthy (physically, spiritually, and mentally). I found it very interesting to know the science behind why we need sleep, what the different stages are, and how much sleep is optimal, and this book delivered! While there were so many things discussed, I only want to touch on a few things I found fascinating, and let you learn the rest yourself by reading this book. ;)
To begin, I love that the author gave this disclaimer: “I offer a disclaimer. Should you feel drowsy and fall asleep while reading the book, unlike most authors, I will not be disheartened. Indeed, based on the topic and content of this book, I am actively going to encourage that kind of behavior from you. Knowing what I know about the relationship between sleep and memory, it is the greatest form of flattery for me to know that you, the reader, cannot resist the urge to strengthen and thus remember what I am telling you by falling asleep. So please, feel free to ebb and flow into and out of consciousness during this entire book. I will take absolutely no offense. on the contrary, I would be delighted.”
Ways to determine if you are getting enough sleep
Can you go back to sleep at 10 or 11 am after waking up earlier?
If you don’t set an alarm clock, would you sleep past that time?
When reading from a book or computer screen, do you have to reread what you just read?
If you answered yes to any of the above questions, you need more sleep and/or better quality sleep.
Can you optimally function without having any caffeine before noon? If no, you need more sleep and/or better quality sleep.
If you answered no to the above question, you need more sleep and/or better quality sleep.
Benefits and Risks
Sleep Benefits: Sleep benefits every organ within the body and inversely affects each organ when we do not get enough. Sleep assists in learning, memorizing, making decisions, and recalibrates our emotions. It amps up our immune system; maintains our diverse microbiome; and is tied to lowering our blood pressure, therefore decreasing our risk for cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Sleep is said to be an effective form of therapy as our brain is processing everything while we sleep.
Lack of Sleep Risks: In short, sleep loss affects many systems of the body including: the cardiovascular system; the metabolism (diabetes and weight gain); the reproductive system for both males (29% lower sperm count and generally more deformed sperm) and females (20% decrease in follicular-releasing hormone, which is essential for conception); the immune system;and genes and dna. It also contributes to depression, anxiety, and suicidality. Ultimately, lack of sleep CAN kill you.
“Sleep is the single most effective thing we can do to reset our brain and body health each day.”
Sleep Stages
There are two different types of sleep: REM (Rapid Eye Movement) and NREM (Non-Rapid Eye Movement). Over the course of your sleep, REM and NREM sleep go through 90 minute cycles. Each cycle contains both types of sleep, but the ratios of each differ. Early in the night, NREM sleep will dominate while later in the night, REM sleep dominates. One of the main functions for why we sleep is because sleep refreshes the brain for new learning. By sleeping, it makes room in the brain so come morning, you can once again fill your mind with new memories.
Upon going to sleep, you will first enter REM sleep, which is the lightest sleep of the cycle and where you do the majority of your dreaming. Additionally, muscle activity is paralyzed, as a safety measure, so you do not act out your dreams. This mechanism sometimes fails, which is why you occasionally witness yourself or someone else sleep walking or moving around in their sleep. Next you will progress through 4 stages of NREM sleep, which is considered deep sleep, with stages 3 and 4 being deeper than stages 1 and 2. Dreaming does not usually happen during NREM sleep. Every 90 minutes a new cycle will begin where you go back to REM sleep and then once again progress through the NREM stages. As more cycles are completed, the REM sleep will dominate and you will not reach the deep sleep that stages 3 and 4 offer.
“Sleep is the universal health care provider: whatever the physical or mental ailment, sleep has a prescription it can dispense.”
3 Mechanisms of Sleep
Circadian Rhythm
Your circadian rhythm is what keeps you awake during the day and then winds you down at night, and is viewed as an internal time clock. When someone’s circadian rhythm peaks, it makes them more awake and inversely, when someone’s circadian rhythm dips low, it makes them more tired. Not everyone’s peak is at the same time which is why some are classified as a “morning lark” and some as a “night owl.” It all depends on the individual’s peak of wakefulness and their trough of sleepiness. Those who have an early peak, wake up earlier and function optimally at this time of day, but they also reach their trough of sleepiness earlier, thus going to bed early. Those who reach their peak later in the day have a harder time waking up in the morning. They function best later in the day and are able to stay awake longer because their trough is later. My husband is 110% a night owl and I am more of a morning lark. What do you think you are? You can also be somewhere in the middle.
Melatonin
Melatonin is a hormone released throughout the body at nighttime and signals the body that it is time to go to sleep. That is all it does. Contrary to popular belief, it does not assist you in sleeping, it only tells the body it is time to start. Come morning, when your eyelids start to see light filtering it, a brake pedal is applied, and the production of melatonin is stopped; it is time to wake up. This cycle repeats itself; dusk signals melatonin to be released and dawn signals melatonin to stop being released.
Adenosine aka Sleep Pressure
Have you ever experienced that overwhelming surge of tiredness? That is thanks to a chemical in the body called adenosine, also known as sleep pressure. When we are awake, adenosine is building up in concentration and as this chemical increases, the desire to sleep also increases. Come nighttime, there is a large store of adenosine or sleep pressure and you experience tiredness. Once you go to sleep, this chemical decreases and the cycle starts all over again upon waking.
12 Tips for Healthy Sleep
Stick to a schedule.
Do not exercise within 2-3 hours before bedtime and aim for at least 30 minutes on the majority of days.
Avoid caffeine and nicotine. Caffeine can take up to eight hours to fully wear off.
Avoid alcoholic drinks before bed as it disrupts your REM sleep (deep sleep).
Avoid large meals and beverages before bed.
Avoid medications that disrupt your sleep.
Do not nap after 3 PM.
Make time to relax and unwind before bed.
Take a bath before bed.
Sleep in a dark and slightly cold room.
Have the correct sunlight exposure during the daytime and when waking up. Try to wake up with the sun or use bright lights if you rise before the sun.
Do not lie in bed awake. If you cannot sleep after 20 minutes, go do something relaxing until you feel sleepy.
What sleep strategy are you going to try? Let me know below!
My Rating:
Other Books I Read in June: The Matchmaker | Crazy Rich Asians
