Are You Sleep Deprived?
We all need it, yet we rarely get enough. No, I’m not talking about sex. Sleep! Sleep is essential to our existence, yet we not only don’t get enough, we often sabotage what little we do get.
According to numerous studies, most adults need at least seven hours of “Good” sleep per night. Teens require at least eight. Most don’t get nearly the required amount.
In this age of technology, our lives are so connected that we seldom, if ever, get the chance to relax without something binging, chiming, beeping near our heads.
So how do you get that required sleep?
First, it’s decision time. We have to make the conscious decision that we are going to get the sleep our bodies require.
Second, we need to disconnect! Yeah, as hard as that may seem, our brains are stimulated by light and every bit of technology we use, with few exceptions, emits light. Most of them emit blue light, which is the worst.
Turn off the TV an hour before your anticipated bedtime. Don’t do any serious exercises. Relax with a book, not on a back-lit tablet, laptop, or phone. Don’t play mentally strenuous games. The idea is to disconnect. Allow your mind and body to relax and welcome the sleep it is soon to have.
Third, we need to limit the electronics that are in our bedrooms, especially near our heads. As harsh as that sounds, technology may be killing us. So put your cell phones, tablets, e-readers, and other electronics in another room.
EMF (Electromagnetic fields) are not very conducive to sleep. EMF has been shown to not only interfere with sleep patterns, but to have serious adverse affects on our brains.
So what emits EMF? Good question so let’s delve into that a bit more. All cellphones emits some form of EMF. They are always connected to the nearest cell tower. Even when the phone is not in use, it is signalling the nearest tower, requesting updates, signalling that it is ready to receive a call, text or message.
Tablets and cell phones that use Blue Tooth, are also in constant communication; looking for the nearest device to connect with, waiting for information over the Blue Tooth channel, etc.
WiFi is another culprit. Devices that are WiFi connected are in constant query mode, looking for their connected partner, waiting for or receiving a signal, and continuously emitting EMF radiation.
In another post, I discussed the effects tablets have on our sleep patterns. Read it here: Reading on a screen might be killing you. When your eyes are bathed in light, the brain does not release the necessary hormones for sleep. Our body needs melatonin to fall asleep. Light turns off that production of that powerful sleep inducer. Numerous studies have shown that without melatonin, we have difficulty falling into and staying in a restful sleep pattern.
While there are many different stimuli that affect our sleep patterns, most professionals agree that these are serious disruptors. Our bodies treat us well, when we give them the essentials they need to operate at peak performance. Sleep is one of the most important items on that list.
Check out these articles for more in-depth information of sleep, how to get what you need, and how to overcome the challenges that our sleep deprived bodies face daily.
How Much Sleep Is “Enough”? – an article by Dr. Mercola
The Many Different Ways Technology Affects Sleep by
How to Sleep Better – Tips for Getting a Good Night’s Sleep
What does natural melatonin do in the body?
