What Are Sleep Cycles

Have you wondered why some nights are full of dreams and others are not? Or have you ever thought about whether your brain is resting while you are asleep? The brain waves are made up of several sensor waves alpha, beta, gamma and theta. Some of your questions may be answered if you understand the stages of sleep. Sleep has a cycle of different stages. A normal adult requires 6-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep to carry out a normal routine the next day. The duration varies with age.

Stage 1

The beginning stage of sleep is when we just drifting off and experience something similar to day dreaming is when we go through alpha waves and theta waves. These waves vary with people. Some may experience more of these than others, i.e., a state in which some people may experience even through the entire day. People who engage in deep prayers or meditation often experience the resting phase, Alpha. During this phase, people often feel like they are free-falling after which sudden contractions of muscles can be felt. You may also hear noises like the phone or alarm ringing. These are called hypnogogic hallucinations. Following this, we enter the Theta phase which lasts for 5-10 minutes and is a thin line between being asleep and awake. Research shows that it takes 7 minutes for a normal sleeper to fall asleep. This may vary with person.

Stage 2

This is the stage when the brain starts sending short rhythmic, rapid signals called the Sleep Spindles to help the mind and body disconnect from its surroundings. The body temperature and heartbeat rate begin to reduce and this period lasts for around 20 minutes.

Stage 3

This is the intermediate phase amidst light sleep and deep sleep where the brain begins to send Delta waves through the body.

Stage 4

This is known as the Delta Sleep since these Delta waves are fully flourished during this stage. This is the phase where body energy is replenished, stress is reduced, muscles are relaxed, hormones are released and tissue repair and growth occurs. This stage lasts for about 30 minutes. Sleep-walking & bed-wetting occur during this stage of sleep.

Stage 5: REM (Rapid Eye Movement)

This stage is commonly called Paradoxical sleep or REM sleep with reference to the fact that this is the deepest stage of sleep where the brain and body systems increase their activity and the voluntary muscles like the legs, arms, etc. begin to relax or paralyze. This is the phase where the dream actually occurs. This state of paralysation occurs to protect you against involuntarily injuring yourself while you are in your dream which is why you actually can’t run or escape in your dream even if you really wanted to. At this stage your body gets as much deep sleep as possible and this generally occurs 90 minutes after falling asleep.

Cycles

The stages of sleep do not generally proceed through all sequences in order. We start with stage 1 and advance to the next three stages, after which stages 3 and 2 are repeated followed by REM sleep. When the first REM is complete, stage 2 reoccurs and the cycle continues. We go through 4-5 REM sleeps in one night. However, the length of each REM cycle increases as we proceed when compared to the previous. If you are thinking, your dream is taking time. Well then, it is!

Causes of Insomnia

Insomnia has various causes which may be psychiatric or medical causes, unhealthy sleep practices, biological factors, etc. Several studies are being done on the causes of insomnia. Following are a few common causes that we need to understand.

Insomnia caused by medical effects

Sleep may be disrupted due to certain mild or serious medical conditions or symptoms of certain conditions. Some of the health disorders that lead to insomnia are nasal allergies, gastrointestinal issues, hyperthyroidism, arthritis, asthma, Parkinson’s disease, chronic pains and lower back pains. Medications are taken for insomnia caused by these disorders.

On the other hand, insomnia may also occur as a symptom for diseases like Restless Legs Syndrome, a nervous disease wherein an individual has a sensation of wanting to move their legs and Sleep Apnea, a disorder in which a person’s airway gets blocked while sleeping.

In case you frequently find trouble sleeping, you need to trace the cause first before you go for a treatment be it behavioural treatment or a doctor’s treatment.

Insomnia caused by depression

Psychiatric conditions like depression, anxiety, etc. also lead to insomnia.  Insomnia can make depression worse and vice versa. However, you do not have to worry since both are curable.

Insomnia related to anxiety

Adults are filled with fear or worries about several things which in turn affect their sleep pattern as these thoughts continue to run in their heads as they lie in bed. Insomnia is caused by tension from work or home, thoughts about the past or future, pressure of responsibilities, etc. Fears caused by these thoughts keep the person awake or keep them up waking up frequently. When this continues, these fears and thoughts turn into panic and dread making the disorder worse. Cognitive mind-body techniques and hygiene sleep habits may aid in getting rid of the disorder.

How lifestyle affects sleep

Unhealthy lifestyles may also trigger insomnia. Following are a few examples of an unhealthy lifestyle.

1. Working in the evening after you get home. After a whole day’s stress, it is important to take time to relax to follow with a good night’s sleep rather than being exposed to lights emitted from the television, laptop or mobile phones.
2. Taking short naps during the day. For some, it is hard to get sleep at night after having slept in the afternoon. It may not be the same for all.
3. When you sleep to compensate lost sleep of the previous night, it may confuse your body and disrupt sleep the next night.
4. When your work is such that your shift keeps changing (day and night shifts), again your body gets confused and you lose out on sleep.

It is thus important to address your issue rather than making it a habit and deteriorating your body conditions.

Effect of food on insomnia

Alcohol, increased amounts of caffeine through the day, nicotine before bed time and heavy meals before sleeping could disrupt your sleep big time.

Alcohol, being a sedative, initially makes you fall asleep but affects your sleep later with you waking up frequently.

Nicotine and caffeine are stimulants which keep the body awake and disrupt sleep.

Heavy meals and spicy foods may cause heartburn and gastrointestinal issues while sleeping.

Insomnia caused by the brain

In some cases, patients are not able to get rid of insomnia even after following strict healthy sleep conditions. The reason has not been identified but this could be because of certain chemical interactions or neurotransmitters in the brain.

Eleven Tricks For Quick Sleep

Unable to sleep even after a warm tub bath? Here are some natural tips that may help you accomplish the same.

Left nostril breathing

This is a Yoga technique. In ancient science, it was found that both the nostrils denote a different energy, which is why the body is designed with two nostrils rather than one. The left nostril denotes the moon energy (Ida) which is a cooling, calming and reflective female energy while the right nostril denotes the sun energy (pingala) which is a bright, fiery and awakening male energy. For this reason, when you need to calm down or when you are trying to sleep but cannot, block the right nostril and breath through the left. It automatically calms the system and begins putting the body to sleep.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR)

Relaxing muscles progressively starting from the lower extremities and working all the way up to the face, abdomen and chest regions controls anxiety and stress and thus helps patients with insomnia into a sound sleep.

This technique focuses on bringing in calmness to the body and mind by lying down and contracting and relaxing muscles alternatively, starting from the toes. While inhaling, contract the muscle and hold it for 5-10 seconds. While exhaling, give the muscle a sudden release. With practice, this technique will help you identify how to stress your body out and gain a good sleep.

Stay awake!

Lie in bed with your eyes open and constantly tell your mind you will not sleep. The mind tends to rebel to this thought. The eyes muscles will slowly get tired and you begin to fall asleep with time.

Recall your day

Recall the entire day’s routine backwards including all the sights, sounds and conversations. This frees your mind and puts you to sleep.

Close your eyes and roll them

When a person drifts to asleep you will notice their eyes roll before they enter into the phase of deep sleep; this happens naturally. By rolling your eyes with your eyes closed, you can imitate the natural process which actually helps in taking you into a sleep mode and you doze off.

Imagine

What are the pleasant things you like that give you complete peace of mind? Think of those and imagine that you are in a place with all these pleasing things. It could be a pleasant sight, sound or smell, like the sight of greenery, smell of flowers or the sound of water. Try to feel these around you, it will help your body relax and give you a peace of mind. Soon you will drift to sleep.

Yoga

Sit comfortably, eyes closed, relax you muscles and jaws and inhale as deep as possible so that you abdomen rises. Now gently exhale through your mouth with your lips only slightly open so that you hum as you breathe out until you have completely exhaled. You should be able to feel the vibration inside your chest as you do this. Continue this for six breaths and focus on the vibration of the chest. After you have completed this process, remain quiet for a moment; slowly get up and get into bed. Goodnight!

Pressure points for sleep

There are various pressure points in our body that help in falling asleep easily. The dented part between the eyebrows, the dented point between the second toe and the big toe, the point beneath the nail on the second toe, the point below the base of the small finger near the crease of the wrist and the point right before the ear and above the jaw line. Apply pressure with your thumb or index finger on these points for 20 seconds gently but firmly so that it does not hurt and then release. Repeat a few times to help you fall asleep. You could find the point that is most effective for you to continue with.

Practice a trick

During the period where you are going through a normal sleep pattern, start any unusual habit like stroking your cheek or something similar, focussing completely on the feel of the movement. Over a few days, your body gets accustomed to falling asleep with this movement. You could then use this to trick yourself to sleep during your sleepless nights.

Rhythmic breathing

Lights are available which slowly rise and fall. Use this light and sync your breathing along with the rhythmic wave of the light. As breathing becomes slower, you will fall asleep since, by nature, breathing slows down as a person falls asleep. Here again we mimic the natural process to fall asleep.

List it out

Some people go to bed and start thinking about their work for the next day. When they worry about the things undone and fear that they might forget to do some work, their sleep is disturbed. In this case, it is best to list out the things that need to be done for the next day on paper so that the mind is a little relaxed. This makes it is easier to fall asleep.

Foods For Sleep

People fight sleepless nights with the use of various sedatives. It is very important for patients suffering with insomnia to have the right food at the right time.

It is also important to know what foods can be consumed before retiring to earn a good night’s sleep.

Many of you may have experienced falling asleep right after the heavy turkey that was served during lunch for thanksgiving! The reason is not because of the overload in your stomach but because of the turkey which is rich in tryptophan.

Foods containing Tryptophan, which is an amino acid, are the best sources for sleep. Other foods that contain this amino acid are meats, poultry, cheese, eggs, fish and yoghurt. However, these foods may not give you the best results unless they are consumed along with an adequate amount of carbohydrates. It is best to have low protein and high carbohydrate foods like whole wheat products, oats, fruits & vegetables, sprouts, low-fat milk & yoghurt, etc.

The science behind this is that, though tryptophan has the ability to create high levels of serotonin (a brain chemical which helps soothing the mind by altering the individual’s mood to a lighter side), it is unable to reach the brain due to the hindrance of other amino acids present alongside that are waiting to enter the brain. This is when carbohydrates play a role. The carbs that are consumed stimulate insulin production that diverts all the other amino acids to the muscle tissues thus aiding tryptophan to enter the brain with ease, where serotonin is produced and it begins to act. The serenity created by serotonin enables the body to gain a good sleep.

Thus, consuming foods that contain tryptophan alone will not suffice. It needs to be consumed along with a rich source of carbohydrates in order to put this natural remedy to work! Now that we know the kind of food that we should eat to trigger sleep, it is equally important to know what we ought not to eat before going to sleep.

I remember the times when I used to stay awake the whole night to study during my exams. The only thing that kept me up through the night was 2-3 cups of coffee. Coffee containing caffeine arouses the CNS (Central Nervous System) and keeps the body awake.  Exactly! Do not have high caffeinated foods before you sleep. For people with insomnia, it is best to avoid coffee since the number of hours you may consume caffeine before going to bed without affecting your sleep differs for each individual based on the severity of the disease and sensitivity of the person. Try avoiding alcohol before you sleep since it may also be a cause for your insomnia.

Eating a heavy dinner just before sleeping could cause gastrointestinal issues or heartburns which may disrupt sleep. Doctors generally recommend patients to eat 3-4 hours before sleeping.

For patients who face difficulties in going back to sleep after waking up, it is recommended not to drink water at least 2 hours before you sleep so that you would not have to wake up to use the bathroom during the night and disrupt your sleep.

Insomnia Basics

Surveys show that millions of people are affected with Insomnia – i.e., Lack of sleep or lack of the ability to fall asleep. This condition is mainly triggered by mental stress – to put it short. Insomnia could be acute (inability to sleep or maintain sleep consistently for less than a month) or chronic (when the condition extends for more than a month).

People experience different kinds of Insomnia. Some find it difficult to fall asleep, others have difficulties in sleeping at a stretch through the night and yet others wake up during early hours of morning or maybe even during the night and find it difficult to go back to sleep. Poor sleep through the night could affect the whole day keeping one feeling dizzy and tired through the entire day causing a feeling of restlessness which disturbs the day’s work. All this leads to frustration and irritability which finally ends up in depression. It becomes very difficult when this condition continues for days since it weakens the body’s immune system. Soon the person becomes prone to various kinds of other diseases. The causes for insomnia are various. To name a few, usage of certain drugs like caffeine, cocaine, nicotine, etc., excessive consumption of alcohol, withdrawal of certain painkillers and anti-anxiety drugs, gastrointestinal issues, mental disorders, mental stress caused from work, events in life that have affected a person in terms of fear, emotions and problems in life, drastic shifts in one’s work timings, etc. Even excessive physical exercise could cause insomnia.

Other causes based on medical backgrounds are hyperthyroidism, rheumatoid arthritis, previous thoracic surgery, brain injury, heat diseases or restless leg syndrome.

Though, Insomnia could be acquired by anybody, certain groups of people are at a higher risk, like, those working at late night shifts, those with a history of any kind of mental disorder, those with high emotional stress and those who are above the age of 60. However, Insomnia can be prevented by sleeping and waking up at the same time every day to make it a habit and by avoiding caffeine.  It is also important not to exercise just before sleeping which arouses the body rather than giving it a calm environment to sleep. Though treatments are available for to recover from this condition, many people use sleeping tablets and sedatives to get rid of the condition as a short-term use. However, it is important to first identify the cause for insomnia and the treatment for these causes need to be addressed instead of taking sleeping pills which will have a long-term effect of the body.

Various studies have proved that Cognitive Behavioural Therapies (CBT) work better than regular medications in the long term since these medications tend to cause the body to become immune to the drug and no longer react to it. However, it is not the same with CBT, which is now much relied on due to its positive results and long lasting effects.

Thus, it is extremely important to treat the disease before it gets out of hand since leaving the disease untreated could further increase mental stress and depression.

Can Iron Deficiency Cause Insomnia?

It is widely known that iron deficiency can lead to anemia.  Incredibly, it is actually a major cause of anemia worldwide. However, quite interestingly there is evidence of a new type of condition that is caused by a lack of iron but  it does not appear to cause anemia and instead can be linked to increased tiredness, skin problems, sleeplessness and depression. Startling isn’t it?

What exactly is this condition and why is it linked to depression and insomnia?

The following is based on information garnered from case studies done in Japan. In case study A, a patient was diagnosed with depression and the doctor administered a particular kind of medication. After a one year period, the patient’s condition improved significantly.Similarly, in case study B, a patient exhibited symptoms of insomnia and was given the same type of medication and over time her condition also improved dramatically.

What was the common variable on both cases?

Well, both were found to have had “ferritin deficiency.” Ferritin is extremely important and it is stored  in the spleen, liver and intestines.  Quite interestingly, both saw major improvements in their condition after simply taking iron. So if you have found yourself to be constantly tired, suffering from depression and struggling with insomnia and skin irritations then it could very well be that you are lacking in ferritin.

The Role That Ferritin Plays

Iron enables cell growth and when we eat food that contains iron, it is stored as ferritin proteins. Whenever the body signals a need for iron, then this stored iron (ferritin) is released. Therefore, any reduction in ferritin production will invariably result in reduced iron levels and this can negatively affect the body in the following ways:

• The skin may become rough or patchy.
• It will affect your immune system because there will be a decrease in immune cells which protect your body from diseases and various infections.
• Vital chemical substances such as dopamine and serotonin ( the happy and sleep inducing hormones) will also be reduced.

Ferritin Deficiency but No Evidence of Anemia

This is rather shocking, but neither of the two tested positive for anemia. This is both staggering and enlightening since a good hemoglobin reading does not preclude the fact that you might be anemic. As a matter of fact a below level hemoglobin reading is only usually reflected in severe case of anemia.

Therefore the best possible way to determine whether or you are deficient in Iron is by way  taking a specific blood test  to determine how much ferritin your body is producing.

How to Determine if You Suffer From Ferritin Deficiency in two simple steps

1. If you lower eyelid is white instead of reddish pink then you may be deficient in ferritin.
2. If you are constantly tired, easily annoyed and suffering from persistent depression.

Vitamin C increases Iron Absorption

To safeguard yourself against ferritin deficiency, ensure that you’re getting enough iron and be sure to add Vitamin C so that iron  will be more easily absorbed.

Exercise and Insomnia

A study shows that a simple increase in body temperature before bed time helps you to have good quality sleep. Doing light exercises after midday or around sunset will work wonders for your body as it will divert attention from the rigors of the day. It is particularly recommended for those who have jobs that require long periods of sitting. Quite a significant number of us have jobs that keep us inactive and it is not uncommon for us to list reading, internet surfing or video games as our hobbies and this is why we must consciously make an effort to exercise.

We have seen a shift from doing things that would drive our heart rates up to an overall sedentary and semi sedentary lifestyle. In fact, over the past few years we have witnessed a shift from doing high energy activities outdoors to low level activities, that require us to be solitary and while there is a drive to promote exercise it is often viewed as a chore and in some cases quite justifiably so, because many of the exercise regimes today are brutal, rigorous and unbelievably intense. However, this does not have to be the case and here is an alternative:

Try doing a quick walk (between 20-30 minutes) as soon as you get home from work. However if that is not feasible given the schedule you have, then consider an early morning 15-20 minutes walk and another 15-20 minutes in the evening. The most important thing is that you remain consistent. Never ever give up!

Begin Slowly

Do not rush into doing intensive workouts and do not set unrealistic goals as that will only serve to frustrate you and set you back. Instead you may even choose to walk within the confines of your home and exercise machines can be also used.

Do Not Engage in High Intensity Workouts

If you are not a trained athlete then you should stay away from vigorous and difficult routines. You do not need to be Herculean in lifting weights ( it is not necessary.) Besides if you suffer from insomnia chances are after all those sleepless nights you will not have the energy. On the other hand, if you already have a consistent exercise regime and insomnia is still an issue, then you should change the times that you do the routines and reduce the length of time spent doing them.

Avoid Competitive Sports

Do not get involved in any high level competition if you are still struggling with sleeplessness. It will only serve to mentally spur you on and that is the last thing you need. You do not need to be anymore alert than you already are and if it is chronic then what you really need is relaxation, so do not feed it the opposite. Insomnia can be conquered if you are practical, consistent and make conscious decisions that will benefit you. After all sleep shouldn’t be a rarity it should be a common occurrence.