Why is it so important for us to sleep and how to improve your sleep pattern

Neuroscientist, sleep researcher and author books Why do we sleep. The New Science of Sleep and Dreaming Matthew Walker explains why a night's rest is so important and how to sleep well.

How lack of sleep affects health

The quality of our sleep directly affects the functioning of the immune system. Research showLack of sleep: Can it make you sick? / Mayo Clinicthat people who sleep 7 hours or less are much more likely to get sick when they encounter a virus, such as the flu. Moreover, the results of perhaps the most impressive study on the subject showedA. A. Prather, S. D. Pressman, et al. Temporal links between self‑reported sleep and antibody responses to the influenza vaccine / International Journal of Behavioral Medicinethat lack of sleep before a flu shot results in only 50% of antibodies being formed. Another study in which over 50,000 women took part provedS. R Patel, A. Malhotra, et al. A prospective study of sleep duration and pneumonia risk in women / Sleep

that 5 hours of sleep or less increase the risk of developing pneumonia.

Sleep deprivation has also been linked to weight gain. It's all about two hormones that control our hunger levels - leptin and ghreline. The first gives a signal to the brain when we are already full, the second - when we have not yet eaten. A poor sleep schedule disrupts the work of these hormones, and they begin to perform the functions of each other. As a result, we overeat. According to Matthew Walker, people who get little sleep consume 200-400 extra kilocalories a day. In addition, poor sleep also changes taste preferences - we are much more drawn to unhealthy foods.

What are the benefits of good sleep

Adequate sleep not only has a beneficial effect on the whole body, but also helps us remember new information and be creative.

Therefore, Matthew Walker advises well get enough sleep not only before training, but also after. Sleep before will prepare the brain for new information, after - it will help him "cement" knowledge and firmly embed it in the complex neural structure of the brain. Just a couple of hours of sleep - and the brain will transfer the necessary data from temporary to permanent storage.

The neuroscientist also adds that while we sleep, our brain analyzes new memories, associates and compares them with old ones. It helps us solve difficult problems that we face during the day. The phrase "Sleep with this thought" exists in many languages ​​for a reason, this approach really works. Sleep is a kind of free therapy that allows you to process emotional impressions. That is why insomnia so often becomes a companion of mental disorders.

What affects the quality of sleep

First of all, stress. This is where the hormone plays a major role. cortisol. In the normal state, it gradually decreases when we fall asleep. However, under stress, after a slight decrease in cortisol, it rises again, and we cannot sleep at all.

The second important factor is the functioning of the nervous system. She has two interesting reactions: "fight or flight" and a much more calm "rest and digest". Perhaps you have at least once been in a situation where you felt so tired that you wanted to sleep, but could not sleep because of the frantic beating of your heart and strange tension. This is precisely due to the fact that your body was in a "fight or flight" state. And this is not the best start for a good sleep.

Another important factor is technology, especially smartphones. The blue light they emit stops hormone production melatonin, namely, it gives our brain a signal that it's time to go to bed. One small study confirmediPad can disrupt sleep, study suggests / Harvard Health Publishingthat using the iPad before bed is bad for the quality of rest.

However, according to Matthew Walker, that's not even the point. The real danger lies in a kind of sleep procrastination, when we are tired and already lying in bed, but we decide to finally watch a couple of TikTok videos and come to our senses only after an hour.

How to fix your sleep pattern

Matthew Walker recommends general sleep hygiene: control the amount of light in the bedroom (the less the better), keep it cool temperature (around 18°C) and monitor your caffeine intake.

It should also be remembered that a healthy sleep rate is 7-9 hours a day. However, in rare cases, for some people, even 5 hours is enough to get enough sleep and feel rested, so be guided by your feelings.

The absolute champion in improving sleep is physical activity. Even in small quantities, it positively affects the quality of sleep and gives us the opportunity to fully relax. The same applies to sex. The feeling of relaxation that comes with intimacy suppresses the fight-or-flight response and allows us to more easily enter the sleep state.

What to do if you don't get enough sleep

Don't sleep longer the next day

Instead, try to wake up at your usual time. Our body follows its internal clock, which loves regularity. You shouldn't beat them.

Don't go to bed earlier

Even if you feel tired from lack of sleep, try to hold out until your usual bedtime.

Don't sleep during the day

In this case daytime sleep similar to a snack before dinner - you will only spoil your “appetite”.

What to do if you have trouble sleeping

Stop trying to sleep

It's like trying to remember something that "spins on the tongue" - the more you try, the less you get. Take a break, like reading a book or listening to a podcast. And go back to bed when you really want to sleep.

Create an evening ritual

Meditate or take a hot shower or bath. The latter works especially well: after leaving the bath, the body temperature gradually decreases, and this helps to fall asleep faster.

Remove all clocks

Knowing that it is already 02:20, and you are still awake, will definitely not help you finally fall into the arms of Morpheus.

If you've tried everything and nothing seems to work, Matthew Walker recommends seeing a professional.

To learn more about the importance of sleep and practices to improve it, check out Matthew Walker's talk with TED head Chris Anderson for the TED Connects series.