Thomas Dekker, an English Elizabethan writer, once said:
Sleep is that golden chain that ties health and our bodies together.
We all know the importance of sleep. Without a proper night’s sleep you cannot function physically and mentally the next day.
For anyone who has had nights where they can’t sleep due to restlessness, or anxiety or just battling a bout of insomnia, we all have felt the aftermath of the next day. Symptoms of a no-sleep night include mood changes, brain fog, increased irritability, weakening your immune system, high blood pressure and even cardiac issues.
The National Sleep Foundation recommends adults between the ages of 18-64 sleep seven to nine hours every night. Adults over 64 should sleep seven to eight hours every night.
The National Sleep Foundation conducted a poll this year regarding sleep and the American population and here is what they found:
- Half of all individuals who reported less than 7 hours of sleep per weekday night also reported mild or greater levels of depressive symptoms
- Nearly 7 out of 10 (65%) people who are dissatisfied with their sleep also experienced mild or greater levels of depressive symptoms, with 31% reporting moderate-severe symptoms
- Nearly 2 in 5 people who have difficulty falling asleep (37%) or staying asleep (38%) just 2 days a week also reported mild or greater levels of depressive symptoms
The visuals from that poll include:
The world we live in causes high stress and anxiety. That is just a plain and simple fact. We live in a world that glorifies multi-tasking, the “I want it now” attitude (I think of Veruca Salt from the Willy Wonka movie), and the hectic imbalance of juggling our professional lives with our personal lives. So it is no surprise that many people don’t get the recommended amount of sleep. There are too many distractions and too many things to think about. You can’t flip a switch and turn off your brain so you can settle into sleep.
However, there are options out there that can help you to relax and fall into a sleep. With apps like Calm and Better Sleep becoming increasingly popular, it shows that many people are in dire need of a good forty winks!
One trend that is quite popular and being promoted as a tool for better sleep are the “Colors of Noise”.
Per Wikipedia: in audio engineering, electronics, physics, and many other fields, the color of noise or noise spectrum refers to the power spectrum of a noise signal (a signal produced by a stochastic process). Different colors of noise have significantly different properties.
Here are the various colors of noise:
Blue Noise: is analogous to pink noise but in reverse, so the low sounds are reduced and the higher sounds are louder. It sounds a lot like screeching and no one has bothered to test it for sleep, though high-frequency noises may be useful in treating tinnitus. An example of blue noise would be a hissing hose or steam escaping from a pipe. Click here to listen to a sample of blue noise.
Brown Noise: even deeper, even stronger, at the low end and without the high frequency sounds of white and pink noise. It can sound similar to the hard, gentle surf that comes with a storm, a waterfall or river, heavy rainfall or thunder. Click here to listen to a sample of brown noise.
Gray Noise: focuses on both the lowest and highest frequencies, similar to white noise but with more balance. Some report grey noise is softer and quieter than white noise. Click here to listen to a sample of gray noise.
Green Noise: a variant of white noise; while white noise contains equal volumes of all the sound frequencies the human ear can hear, green noise amplifies the frequencies in the middle of that range; similar to ocean waves or a stream, a rustling forest or light breeze. Click here to listen to a sample of green noise.
Orange Noise: useful in alleviating symptoms of depression, orange noise is not really soothing and can sound harsh on the ears. It uses all the frequencies of the spectrum except for the ones that are “in tune”. Click here to listen to a sample of orange noise.
Pink Noise: louder at the low-frequency end of the spectrum, and softer at the high end. The sound of light to medium rainfall or wind are examples of real-world pink noise. Click here to listen to a sample of pink noise.
Violet Noise: it is the opposite of brown noise and is described as a hiss or sizzle; examples include the sound of an open water faucet or the sound of a hydrophone. Click here to listen to a sample of violet noise.
White Noise: broadly spread across the sound spectrum, including low-frequency, midrange, and high-frequency sounds. It can be compared to the sound of a waterfall, with water falling at different speeds and hitting different surfaces, tv static, a vacuum or the hum of an air condition. Click here to listen to a sample of white noise.
Black Noise: described as the lack of noise so therefore it is silence.
The Green and Brown Noises are most popular to use when trying to fall asleep. White and Pink Noises are also helpful as well so it is up to the individual to see what noise would help them in calming their body and readying it for a night of sleep.
If you are interested in experimenting with sounds and different colored noises, an excellent product would be this found on Amazon.
In addition to sounds helping to lull you into sleep, it is important to treat your bedroom as a sanctuary. Here are some tips on how to keep your bedroom sleep-ready:
- Eliminate Clutter – don’t leave anything lying around that would distract you; keep your space clear
- Choose The Proper Bedding – get moisture-wicking sheets that keep you comfortable, use light colored bedding, or get cooling sheets that pull heat away from your body
- Do Not Work In Bed – your bed should be used for sleeping only; your brain will then associated your bed with sleeping only
- Be Electronic-Free – approximately one hour before bed, turn off all electronics (cell phone, computer, TV); let your eyes adjust from the blue lights and get relaxed for sleep
- Keep Bedroom Dark – light compromises your sleep cycle so keep your room dark so your melatonin is not delayed; use a sleeping mask if you can’t completely darken your room.
- Lower The Temperature – keep your room around 65 degrees; a cooler room helps in making you fall asleep faster and to stay asleep longer; if it is too warm you may wake up sweating and have difficulty getting back to sleep
- Use Aromatherapy – lavender and chamomile are excellent essential oils for aiding in sleep; use them in a diffuser or get them in a spray
Some products that you may consider using:
Foods that may help you to relax and fall asleep include:
- almonds – natural source of melatonin and excellent source of magnesium which can lower cortisol levels
- turkey – rich in the amino acid tryptophan, which increases the production of melatonin
- kiwi – excellent source of serotonin, which plays a key role in regulating the sleep cycle
- fatty fish – rich in Vitamin D and fatty acids, it has been found to increase the production of serotonin
- walnuts – natural source of melatonin
- bananas – like turkey, it is an excellent source of tryptophan and rich in magnesium
- pumpkin seeds – rich in magnesium
Also if you feel you may have sleep apnea, talk to your doctor about having a sleep test conducted and if a CPAP machine would be beneficial. Sleep apnea causes you to stop breathing momentarily during the night, denying oxygen to your brain which is not only dangerous, but will leave you feeling tired and groggy the following morning.
One final tip on getting the proper Zzzzs, is your sleep position not only affects your sleep, but also your health.
Tummy Sleeper: about 7% of adults sleep on their bellies; they are more likely to be restless during the night and it also can produce neck and lower back strain due to the spine not being in alignment.
Fetal Position Sleeper: although sleeping on your side is the best position, it is not recommended to be in the fetal position as it causes your spine to curve more than usual and can restrict breathing due to you being curled into a ball
Back Sleeper: not the best way to sleep, but better than a Tummy or Fetal Position Sleeper, it can cause lower back strain and if you snore or have sleep apnea, it can make those problems worse.
Side Sleeper: the recommended way to sleep as it elongates the spine and prevents neck and back pain the next morning
If Side Sleeper is the best way to sleep do you know which side is the best?
It is actually the left side.
Ali Ramadan, an herbal practitioner, states: “When we sleep on the left side, the stomach and its gastric juices remain lower than the esophagus thus reducing heartburn and digestive upsets.”
Jeff Kahn, co-founder of Rise Science, also says: “it might be advantageous for pregnant women because it can improve circulation to the heart, benefiting both mom and baby. When you’re on your left, gravity can help move food along from your small intestine to your large intestine. When you lay on your left, your stomach is lower than your esophagus, making it harder for stomach acid to rise up into it causing acid reflux.”
Martin Seely of Mattress Next Day states: “Sleeping on the left side can increase circulation and is often recommended for those with heart disease or high blood pressure. This position allows for better oxygenation of the body, which may help improve cardiovascular health.”
Just as a vehicle needs gas to function or just as a battery needs to be recharged, it is the same with our bodies. Sleep is needed for us to function and it is a time to allow the body to rest and repair. During sleep, your body removes toxic waste, repairs cells, and restores energy.
We may all think we can handle the weight of the world on our shoulders and we can do anything and everything like a superhero, but the need for sleep will always be there to pull us back down to reality. God made our bodies that way and He knew we would need rest. Don’t forget even God rested on the 7th day!
Sweet dreams, everyone!
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