Don’t Fight Sleep Time

We tend to take for granted that when we sleep we will perhaps dream a little and wake up relatively refreshed. But why are we asleep and what is happening?

Our wake and sleep patterns are determined by our circadian rhythm, anendogenous (internal) fluctuation that functions on an internal, approximately 24-hour clock. These internal fluctuations are synchronized to the daily cycle of light and darkness. Circadian rhythms are found in most living things, including animals, plants and many tiny microbes. Along with our wake and sleep patterns, circadian rhythm affects our core body temperature, hormonal secretions, heart rate, kidney function and intestinal function. On this rhythm, our mental alertness and our energy levels are highest during daylight hours, and during the night, when activity levels drop, core body temperature also drops and we become sleepy.

However in our modern world of 24-access to food and entertainment it’s no wonder so many of us feel so tired; we are fighting our natural rhythm to sleep. But we need this sleep; this rest and recovery time is programmed into almost all living creatures.

When we sleep we vacillate between two different forms of sleep, Rapid Eye Movement (RE M) and non REM. Non REM sleep start with that twilight between asleep and awake. This is the type of sleep you are in if you have ever felt as if you were falling and woken up with a start.  During this stage of sleep your body is slowing down; your heart rate and body temperature are decreasing. It is during this time that your body repairs and regenerates tissues, builds bone and muscle, and maybe even strengthen your immune system. From non REM sleep you slip into REM sleep. In REM sleep, you’re likely to have intense dreams as a result of heightened brain activity. All night you naturally come in and out these two forms of sleep until your circadian rhythm or alarm clock tell you it’s time to wake.

It has been shown that those who do not sleep enough are, of course, more tired, but are also apt to weigh more and have a myriad of other health complications because they are skipping the time that their bodies are repairing recovering from the everyday stressors. Be sure to get the required 7-8 hours of sleep needed daily to stay healthy.