The best temperature for sleep comfort
How warm is too warm for sleep comfort? The ideal bedroom temperature is 60 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit (16 to 18 degrees Celsius). A room that's too warm or too cool can disrupt comfortable sleep.
Sleep deprivation and obesity
About half of adults say they get a good night's sleep almost every night, according to an annual survey released Tuesday by the National Sleep Foundation. But nearly one in six say that they get less than six hours of sleep per night, a 33% increase over the survey's first report in 1998. Stress and overwork are two big reasons why American's find it hard to go to sleep.
How much sleep do we need?
The last third of the night's sleep is dominated by the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep stage. Unless physical exertion raises the demand for deep sleep, your afternoon nap is also likely to be dominated by REM sleep. Waking from the REM stage is the natural process of terminating the sleep cycle and waking in the REM state results in a greater feeling of well-being.
Sleep and your biological clock
Non-REM sleep is divided into four stages. Stage 1 is a transient phase usually occurring at the onset of sleep. If awakened from Stage 1, people may claim that they were not really asleep, but only dozing. This stage is generally regarded as a transition stage between wakefulness and actual sleep. Stage 2 is regarded as actual sleep, although someone could easily be aroused from this stage. Stage 4 is the stage of deepest sleep and, together with Stage 3, is often described as delta-wave or slow-wave sleep.
Avoiding insomnia
Sometimes insomnia is the result of stimulating the brain too close to bedtime. If you like to do crossword puzzles, balance the checkbook, or surf the internet just before bedtime, you might find it easier to get to sleep if you do those things earlier in the evening, and just give your mind time to unwind for an hour or two before bed.
The folklore of sleeping
A well-known superstition involves the direction your bed faces when you sleep. The story goes that you will be healthier if your head points to the south. It's based, at least in part, on the Chinese art of feng shui. Feng shui deals with the idea that the placement of everything in our world has an effect on us, and that includes the placement of our bedroom furniture.
Get more sleep!
Want to enjoy greater sleep comfort and better sleep? Lose some weight. Obese adults are nearly twice as likely as normal-weight adults to get less than six hours of sleep per night. Overweight and obese people are at high risk for obstructive sleep apnea, a disorder in which constant breathing cessations cause sudden arousals and poor sleep. As much as a quarter of the adult population suffers from obstructive sleep apnea, which is a risk factor for hypertension and other chronic illnesses.
Sleeping and napping
Is taking a nap a bad idea? There's nothing wrong with taking a short nap to help refresh you during the day. But if you find you're napping all the time, it could be a sign that you aren't getting as much sleep as you should. Or that you're not getting the deep, restful sleep you need at night.
REM sleep and dreaming
The REM phase of sleep is when dreaming takes place. When researchers woke people up during REM sleep and asked them about their dreams, they found that almost all who awakened during REM sleep could remember their dreams. Also, scientists found that, rather than being fleeting events, dreams vary in length according to the length of REM period.
Risks of undersleeping
Sleep scientists have long warned that too few hours of restful sleep can have a heavy effect on daytime attentiveness, job performance, and even the risk of obesity and related problems. Researchers now say that too little quality sleep time can also cut into other bedroom activities.
Tips to help you go to sleep
Here are some tips for greater sleep comfort that can help you go to sleep. Maintain a regular bed and wake time schedule, including weekends. Establish a regular, relaxing bedtime routine such as soaking in a hot bath or hot tub and then reading a book or listening to soothing music. Create a sleep-conducive environment that is dark, quiet, comfortable and cool. Sleep on a comfortable mattress and pillows.