Sleep

Sleep is a necessity and an essential biological need, along with the need for oxygen, water, food. We spend a third of life in a dream, i.e.about 20-25 years, and we should use this time as fully as wakefulness. When a person is awake, information of two types constantly comes to the brain cells: from the sense organs( hearing, sight, taste, touch and smell), due to which the person presents a picture of the world around him, and from internal organs( from muscles, vessels, joints, etc.).).The information of the second type is not realized by us, but its quantity is enormous, and the brain, comparing the received information with data on the external environment, directs the activity of the whole organism, adjusting the work of organs and systems in such a way that it most fully meets the needs of the entire organism at the moment.

To enable the brain cells to perform their functions, they need an inflow of oxygen and basic nutrients. These substances are needed in the brain in large quantities, than cells of other organs, for example, the skin.

Almost all cells in the body are able to accumulate a significant supply of nutrients;Exceptions are cerebral cortex cells in which the stocks of such substances are extremely insignificant, so they need a constant supply of nutrients and oxygen with blood. Thus, brain cells, on the one hand, are extremely active, and on the other - do not have sufficient nutrient reserves, they need a good rest at regular intervals. So rest is a dream.

With the help of sleep, the cells, on the one hand, protect themselves from further inflow of information, and on the other - tend to at least to a small extent to restore the supply of nutrients. At the same time, during the sleep period, almost all the cells of the internal organs of the person renew their vital forces.

Modern studies show that there are two phases of sleep. The first, which always begins to fall asleep, is a light sleep( slow).After 45-90 minutes after falling asleep, there is a phase of fast sleep, which lasts from a few minutes to half an hour. Most people in this period see the first dream. During the night, a slow and rapid sleep changes 4-6 times. Slow sleep takes 75-80%, fast - 20-25%.Slow sleep is deeper in the first half of the night, closer to the morning its duration becomes shorter. During sleep, there is complete relaxation of muscles, a sharp drop in blood pressure, a decrease in breathing, and heart rate.

It is necessary to say a few words about dreams. Perhaps, not a single phenomenon of the human psyche caused so many differences as an attempt to interpret the content of dreams. On the one hand, it was impossible to deny the obvious connection between the content of dreams and real events, on the other - this connection was expressed in a fantastic form, which made it possible to see a special prophetic meaning in dreams.

What are the modern scientific views on dreams? Dreaming is a natural phenomenon that reflects the mental activity of the brain during sleep. Some people claim that they never have dreams. This is obviously due to the fact that dreams are forgotten in the morning. Most people remember only their last dream. Most of the dreams are visual, much less often they are associated with hearing or smell. According to researchers, about 16% of people see colored dreams, about the same amount of dreams of unpleasant content. The causes of the so-called nightmarish dreams can be a nervous overstrain, an anxious past day, overeating before going to bed, an uncomfortable bed, an unprotected room, etc. In dreams one can see the troubles experienced, heard or read once horrors( "Do not tell me before bedtime anything terrible,but it will be a dream ").

It is recommended to sleep on elastic mattresses, because on the soft feather bed the spine strongly bends, which can lead to its curvature or early development of osteochondrosis. Too hard mattress is also unsuitable: it disrupts the blood supply to the skin. As a blanket, do not use the feather bed, because the person under it overheats and sweats. It is necessary to give preference to light, thin and warm blankets made of wool or fluff. The cushion should be chosen not too hard, so that it fills the notch between the shoulder and the head. The head should be raised so that the cervical part of the spine does not warp.

A good stomach is hindered by a full stomach. It is not recommended to have late supper, because during a dream digestion proceeds slowly, and the overflowed stomach can prevent breathing and cardiac activity. The heavier the digestion of food, the more there should be a break between eating and sleeping. For example, after a cup of tea, a glass of juice, rice porridge, soft-boiled eggs, it is recommended to go to bed not earlier than 1-2 hours, and after dinner consisting of roast beef or ham - only after 4-5 hours.

Sleep disturbing and copiousdrinking, forcing to get up at night, sometimes repeatedly. From strong coffee and tea, exciting the nervous system of drinks, late at night it is better to abstain. However, it should be emphasized that for some people( and there are a lot of them), coffee is soothing or not affecting at all.

Many before going to bed read in bed. Often during the day for reading there is no free time, so some try to fill this gap in public transport and a little before bed. Reading in bed, lying down, is not recommended by ophthalmologists and hygienists, as this spoils the eyesight. However, if you still decide to read a few pages before going to bed, then take care of good lighting.

Before going to bed, you should brush your teeth, if possible take a warm or slightly cool shower( quenching procedures should not be carried out, as cold water disturbs sleep).A walk and easy gymnastics are useful.

What can I do if I can not sleep? Difficulties with falling asleep, superficial intermittent sleep - quite a frequent phenomenon. Often, in almost healthy people, there are periods when sleep does not come.

Sleep disorder most often arises from thoughts associated in most cases with events or troubles of the immediate past. A man goes to bed, and a struggle begins for a dream. It is impossible to find a comfortable pose, a difficult dream is interrupted. A person is looking for a comfortable place for hands, torso and does not find, looking again, etc. There are a thousand methods to combat insomnia. All of them are insufficiently effective and not universal.

Perhaps the most effective method can be considered active or passive muscle relaxation, in which along with relaxation of the muscles comes peace of mind, as a result, a person easily falls asleep. A good remedy for insomnia may be honey. For 1-1.5 h before bedtime, you need to drink 3/4 cup of warm water, in which a spoon of honey is dissolved. You can drink a concentrated solution of sugar( 2-3) tablespoons of sugar in a glass of water), but this is contraindicated for people with obesity and diabetes. A warm foot bath also contributes to falling asleep.

Sleepless watches are worse carried alone. It is established that in such a state it is useful to get out of bed, write on paper what you care about,

or what you think about. This is done in order to transfer some of its internal tension to paper.

It is necessary to use sleeping pills only on the recommendation of a doctor. Attempts to cure sleep disorders on their own are either futile, or lead to addiction and dependence on sleeping pills.

It is necessary to say a few words about snoring. Snoring occurs more often as a result of great physical fatigue, but sometimes this is due to the anatomical features of the upper respiratory tract.

Snoring is the trembling of the soft palate that occurs when inhaling and exhaling, snoring often occurs when a person lies on his back. Snoring should learn to sleep on their side or in a position where there is no snoring. Then it is enough to wake the sleeping person or change his posture, and snoring will stop. In the most extreme case, you should plug your ears or put a snorer to sleep in a separate room.