A GOOD NIGHT SLEEP ESSENTIAL FOR OVERALL HEALTH

This blog is at the request of my friend innocuous2000.

We all know that a good night sleep refreshes you.It improves the attitude and gives energy that we need for physical activities  to fight off fatigue and stress. It also boosts immune system reducing the risk of  illnesses.Experts say most of us need 8 hours of sleep a night but half of us dont get it.Researchers are discovering that decline in sleep time means decline in health.Some examples here:

Getting just an hour or two less sleep than nedded per night can impair brain function.
Insufficient sleep is associated with cancer,heart disease,diabetes and obesity and not to mention the shortened life span.Scientists haven't grasped all the functions of sleep but they know it is needed every bit as food and water.It enables our bodies to regulate temperature and fight off infections.It may help our brain to retain things we learned the previous day.

Sleep is often interrupted and and we toss and turn and can't go to sleep.Once in a while it is ok but if it happens very often then it should be ckecked out.There are some factors which interfere with sleep.

Factors like stress,stimulant medications,anxiety and regular use of over the counter sleeping pills,depression,alchol,poor sleeping habbits,lack of physical activities and change of envioronment.To improve the quality of sleep it is important to recognize the factor that may be contributing restless sleep night.

STRATEGIES TO HELP YOU SLEEP BETTER.

Before bed take time to relax that might include practicing relaxation techniques.Warm bath,drinking a glass of warm milk and drinking herbal teas like cammomile tea or perhaps light snack,listening to soft music .Relaxation helps calm the nerves so that you can sleep easily.It also let you achieve more restful sleep.

To nap or not to nap: The urge for a midday nap is built in our bodie's biological clock.It generally occurs between 1-4pm in the afternoon when our body temperature dips slightly.Napping is not a substitute for good night sleep .So dont take nap if you have sleeping at night.But if you find it refreshes you and it does not interfere with good night sleep then you should try it to get refresh yourself.

KEEP IT SHORT:30 minutes nap in the afternoon is ideal.Longer than one hour is more likely to interfere with your night sleep.Even if you dont take a nap just lie down and relax.It will refresh you just as well.

Doctors often prescribe sleeping pills when you are unable to sleep.It is ok for a short while until you get back to normal routine. Long term use of sleeping pills have a downfall.They dont allow you to go through the phases of sleep.They also have side effects such as drowsiness,dry mouth and physical dependence.

Tags: good night sleep

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