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How sleep affects our skin

by: Lori Stryker

Sleep is a “natural, temporary loss of consciousness” (Robinson, 1941) necessary for our bodies to build up energy reserves and regenerate body cells and tissues. During sleep, the heart beats more slowly, breathing becomes slower, growth hormones peak, muscles relax and body temperature lowers. Newborn infants sleep almost continuously, gradually decreasing their need for sleep. In early childhood, 12 to 13 hours of sleep are generally required and this amount decreases to approximately 8 hours in adulthood. After the age of 50, sleep is often characterized by frequent night time wakenings, shorter dream lengths and less overall sleep (Bricklen, 1990).

Many consider sleep to be of low priority among the many daily activities engaged in. It is estimated that the world’s population is depriving itself of one less hour of sleep per night than is needed (Awake!, 2004). Despite this view of night-time rest, sleep is a necessary, sophisticated process regulated by the brain. Operating as a 24- hour clock, chemical substances, such as melanin, are released in the body to trigger sleepiness. There are two main stages of sleep classified according to eye movement. The first is REM or rapid eye movement which is a shallow, dream-filled sleep. There are four sub-stages within REM sleep. The first sub-stage lasts 30 seconds to 7 minutes, and during this time the muscles relax while the brain produces irregular wave activity. The second sub-stage lasts 20 percent of the night and brain waves become larger as the body is asleep. The next sub-stage is called delta sleep, where growth hormones peak, and cell and tissue repair take place. Without delta sleep, which accounts for half of a night’s sleep, one will feel tired the next day. Every 90 minutes the brain enters the dream sub-stage, where brain wave activity is similar in pattern to being awake, but muscles are not able to move as when awake. This stage lengthens each repeated cycle during the night, and is crucial to preserving mental health and long term memory, since the brain sorts through short term memory and ‘deletes’ unimportant data. The second major stage of sleep is non-REM, or non rapid eye movement, where blood pressure drops and heart rate slows as the person enters a deep sleep.

Short term sleep deprivation causes little physical harm, since the body compensates for the lack of sleep by increasing its adrenaline levels during the day. The body also attempts to get more sleep at a later time. A temporary shift in attitude may occur, such as feelings of pessimism or negativity (Bricklin, 1990). Sleep deprivation, even short term, can be dangerous if driving a car, or operating machinery. Sleep deprivation is thought to be the cause of half of all traffic fatalities on U.S. highways, and being awake 17 to 19 hours can cause the same limited reaction and ability as having a 0.05 percent blood alcohol limit (Awake! 2004). It is also implicated in many workplace accidents.

Chronic sleep deprivation, which is caused by prolonged shortages of sleep, can lead to paranoia or hallucinations. This is also termed ’sleep debt’, and is characterized by irregular sleep patterns that do not allow the body to enter delta sleep. This can bring on a short attention span, memory and vocabulary loss as well as other symptoms. Among women aged 25-50 who tend to be “perfectionists", many tend to suffer from shallow sleep as the wake centre of the brain remains active when it should be relatively inactive. Other complications from sleep deprivation include obesity, premature aging, fatigue, chronic memory loss and increased risk for diabetes, infection, cardiovascular disease and gastrointestinal disease. It is important, therefore, to obtain an adequate amount of sleep each night, since sleep also helps the body metabolize free radicals, which are thought to accelerate aging and cancerous growths.

Obtaining a good night’s rest can be achieved. The following are suggestions to help towards the goal of night-time rest:

* Avoid stimulants like caffeinated drinks before bed.
* Avoid eating a heavy meal at night. A light snack might help if hunger causes you to wake up at night.
* Create a pleasant, warm (body temperature drops when sleepy), noise-free bedroom with a comfortable mattress and pillow.
* Avoid exercise before bed, however, regular exercise during the day aids sleep.
* Avoid activities that increase anxiety, such as considering financial matters or discussing serious problems before bed.
* If possible, a quick daytime nap lasting 20 to 30 minutes can impart positive physiological benefits. Prolonged naps impair sleep at night and may cause insomnia.
* If experiencing insomnia, try getting up and engaging in another activity for a brief time and then attempt sleep again.
* A warm glass of milk contains tryptophan, a natural substance thought to aid sleep.
* Keep the bedroom dark, since the area of the brain which controls the sleep cycle is close to the optic nerves and thus sensitive to light (feeling awake) and dark (feeling sleepy).
* Quit smoking, which increases blood pressure, heart rate and brain wave activity.

How can you know if you are a healthy sleeper?

* Sleep comes easily at night.
* You rarely wake up during the night and can fall back asleep with ease.
* You wake at the same time each morning without an alarm.
* You feel alert during the day and do not feel the need to nap.

Getting a good night’s rest refreshes the body, mind and attitude. It is as vital to our health as good food and exercise. The phrase “beauty rest” is more than a quaint idea, it is a fundamental task in the quest for external and internal beauty.

References:

* Bricklin, Mark, (1990). The Natural Healing and Nutritional Annual, Ed., Rodale Press, Pennsylvania.
* Robinson, Victor M.D., (1941). The Modern Home Physician, Ed., Musson Books, Toronto.
* Tleac, Deborah, (2000). Everyday Health Tips, Ed., Rodale Press, Pennsylvania.
* Awake! Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Canada, March 22 2003.
* Awake! Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Canada, February 8 2004.

By Lori Stryker, B.Sc., B.H.Ec., B.Ed. http://www.organicmakeup.ca

About The Author

Lori Stryker has been researching and developing all natural skin care and make-up for the purpose of offering men and women safe, natural cosmetics for everyday use. She brings to her research a specialist in human biology from the University of Toronto, coupled with a professional home economics degree and an education degree from the University of British Columbia, fusing chemical and biological knowledge with food, family and textile sciences.

You may use this article but any modification or publication of this article for fiancial gain must be approved of by the author. The author’s name, Lori Stryker and her company’s name, The Organic Make-up Company, needs to by noted when used.

info@organicmakeup.ca

Top Ten Ways to Get a Good Night’s Sleep

by: Linda Dessau

Sleep – are you getting enough? For some people, enough is four to six hours. Other people just don’t feel right with less than eight hours. People need more or less sleep at different phases in their life. Women may need more or less sleep at different phases of the month.

The simplest way to tell if you’re getting enough is by noticing every morning - do you feel rested? Do you wake up without an alarm clock and feel ready to get right out of bed and start your day?

Not getting enough sleep is one of the most direct ways that we self-sabotage our success and well-being. When we are better rested we not only feel better, but are calmer, smarter, more rational, nicer to be around and we look better. Why wouldn’t we choose to have that every day??

1. Set the Stage - turn off the computer and television at least one hour before you’d like to fall asleep, and turn on some music that you find relaxing. Test what your stereo system will do when the recording is finished – does it SNAP! or does it “wrrrr” – this will make a difference as you’re drifting off. My CD player makes a very soft “wrrrr” noise (though I honestly can’t remember the last time I was still awake when the CD was over).

2. Music without words - words can provoke and direct your thoughts more than instrumental music or pure vocal sounds.

3. Music with natural “breaths” - music where the soloist takes natural pauses to breathe can help you to slow down your own breath - try flute, other wind instruments or voice (either with no words or words in a language you don’t understand).

4. A good book - For bedtime reading, try to stay away from material that gets you thinking about things you deal with during the day. Magazines or stories that distract you from your own life may help you to drift into sleep.

5. Imagery - If you find that your mind is racing when you are trying to sleep, picture a viewpoint where you’re traveling down a road. See your thoughts as signposts that you’re passing. Concentrate on letting them pass right by.

6. Progressive muscle relxation - Imagine that a ball of light is traveling along your body, beginning at the top of your head, going down to the tips of your toes, and then coming up again. As it passes your muscles, they fill with light and relax.

7. Take a nap - If your sleep has been interrupted or there’ve been unavoidable late nights, an afternoon nap can help you catch up. Experts advise that naps should be taken earlier in the afternoon, rather than later, and that we should keep them to 30 minutes or less. This will avoid disrupting your sleep at night.

8. Lavender Bath - Take a hot bath and add a couple of drops of lavender oil. Lavender has naturally occurring relaxing properties.

9. Chamomile Tea - Calms the nervous system and helps to promote restful sleep.

10. Take 500 mg Calcium with 250 mg Magnesium at bedtime - The calcium has a calming effect, and the magnesium works along with it.

The advice and information in this article is not meant to replace medical advice. If you suspect you have a serious sleeping problem such as sleep apnea, or if you experience insomnia or extreme fatigue, please consult a healthcare professional.

Copyright Linda Dessau 2004. All rights reserved.

You’re welcome to reprint this article online as long as it remains complete and unaltered (including the contact information at the end), and please send me a copy or link to your reprint at linda@genuinecoaching.com. Thanks!

About The Author

Linda Dessau, the Self-Care Coach helps hundreds of people every month improve their self-care and make healthier choices. To receive her free monthly newsletter, “Genuine Self-Care”, subscribe at http://www.genuinecoaching.com/newsletter.html
linda@genuinecoaching.com

Foam Pillows are Changing the way the World Sleeps

by: DR. Joseph J. Berke, M.D., Ph.D.

For countless people worldwide, getting a good night’s sleep on a regular basis is an elusive, if not almost impossible, goal. The causes for this malady are numerous, and could consist of overwork, stress, pain, a sleep disorder, and the list goes on. While some people may require a physician’s assistance in developing a normal sleep pattern, many Americans have found great benefit by merely changing one or more of their bedding products.

Of all the different pillows available, memory foam pillows are becoming increasingly popular. The reason for this is simple; these pillows have time and time again been proven to work miracles. Memory foam pillows are attributed for helping in the reduction of snoring, which increases sleep quality not only for the individual suffering from the condition, but for others who have to sleep in the vicinity. In addition, memory foam pillows have also been proven effective because they carefully align the body correctly in order for the sleeper to gain a quality sleep and dream pattern.

Perhaps one of the most effective memory foam pillows is the contour pillow. This pillow is designed specifically to comfortably mold to an individual’s head and neck shape, regardless of whether they prefer to sleep on their side, stomach, or back. The subtle alignment that this pillow provides allows for the opening of airway passages, therefore increasing the flow of oxygen throughout the body during sleep. This feature significantly reduces snoring and can assist those who suffer from sleep disorders in which oxygen has been found to be reduced through the relaxation of throat muscles during sleep. Another fabulous feature of this type of pillow is that it relieves pressure on the spine through the careful alignment of the head and neck. In fact, numerous people who have constant neck and back pain wake up finding that these pillows greatly reduce and even eliminate their pain.

There are a variety of manufacturers and names for memory foam pillows. Some of the more popular are Swedish foam pillows, Tempura pillows, Tempur pillows, Tempurpedic pillows, and Therapedic pillows. Some of these are made from a specific type of foam developed by Nasa. All incorporate the use of materials that are proven to comfortably and accurately align with your head and neck, as well as retaining the memory of your individual shape.

Swedish foam pillows are often categorized as being the first, and according to many people, the best of this innovative design. The majority of companies who make memory foam pillows have a variety of designs that have proven beneficial to remedying a variety of ailments; such as a cervical pillow, maternity pillow, reading pillow, and even a full-body pillow.

If you have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, or if you tend to use your arms to support your head to fall asleep, use more than one pillow, use rolled towels for head and neck support, or fold your pillow, you should consider trying one of these memory foam pillows. Countless Americans and people the world over have experienced a miraculous change in their sleep patterns after just one night of use. Changing a pillow is a small price to pay for quality sleep every night, versus struggling to fall asleep and tossing and turning the night away!

About The Author

Dr. Joseph J. Berke, M.D., Ph.D.
Discover how sleeping on The Better Sleep Pillow can change your life.
Visit: http://www.bettersleeppillow.com

Dr. Joseph J. Berke is an author and inventor dedicated to helping people get a better night rest.
articles@bettersleeppillow.com