Why do we have a dream?

Among Europeans, the French sleep the longest, with less than 9 hours of sleep per night. In the world perspective, they are surpassed only by the Chinese, who sleep a full 9 hours. Poles, on the other hand, occupy 9th place, devoting an average of 8 hours and 28 minutes to sleep. Considering that about 20% of Poles do not go to bed without sleeping pills, the results are not optimistic.

Sleep consists of four phases of NREM sleep and the subsequent REM phase, and the cycle itself repeats several times. It is necessary for us for proper functioning, regeneration of the body, growth, as well as the production of hormones.

During sleep, memory consolidation occurs, responsible for organizing and remembering information, and neural networks are formed so that in the morning we wake up again ready to work. This is confirmed by research by scientists from the Louis Maximilian University in Munich, which show that sleep helps to consolidate the individual information that we have provided to our brain during the day.

We then reinforce our memories and repeat facts that will be useful to us the next day*. An insufficient amount of sleep therefore leads to disruption of physiological processes, worse metabolism, impaired memory and cognitive abilities and even poor mental condition.

Chronotype and amount of sleep appropriate for age

Are you a lark or maybe an owl? Do you have more energy to act when you go to bed early and get up early or are you most productive at the end of the day, so you prefer to lie down later and get up later? Contrary to appearances, it is important to know your sleep chronotype and adapt your circadian rhythm to it. Whether closer to you to an owl or a lark, the most important thing is the right amount of sleep. According to the National Sleep Foundation, adults between the ages of 18 and 64 should sleep 7 to 9 hours, those over 65 years of age a maximum of 8 hours, school-age children 9-11 hours, and newborns and infants 12 to 17 hours a night. The more research that is done on sleep, the more indications that good sleep is worth taking care of.

Constant times of falling asleep and waking

When taking care of sleep, it is good to start from the basics, which is why constant times of falling asleep and getting out of bed are very important. Irregular periods of falling asleep translate into an irregular circadian rhythm, and falling asleep on weekends is the way to nowhere. Neurotherapist Joanna Kamińska mentions this, pointing out that “the body adapts poorly to changes in sleep hours” **.

Exposure to natural light

Before we put our trust in watches entirely, we were informed by our internal biological clock when we got up and went to sleep, adjusting to sunrises and sunsets. And although times have changed, our internal rhythm continues to work the same, which is why exposure to natural light, at least for 30 minutes a day, is so important. Contact with sunlight affects the production of melatonin, a hormone produced by the pineal gland that regulates the circadian rhythm.

While sunlight is the best investment in sleep, exposure of the body to heavenly light, especially in the second part of the day, will be associated with poorer sleep quality, longer falling asleep, as well as metabolic problems.

More and more research is being done on the effects of artificial light on health. In 2014, a publication was published describing the results of a multi-year study conducted on a group of more than 100,000 women in the UK. “Women whose bedrooms were bright enough to read or distinguish objects had a significantly higher risk of being overweight and obese compared to subjects who had a darker sleeping area.”***

A bedroom conducive to good dreams

The room in which we sleep is of great importance for our well-being and the quality of sleep itself. It is recommended that it be maximally darkened, free of waking noises, and its temperature should be maintained at 16-20 degrees Celsius. The World Sleep Medicine Association draws attention to the choice and use of beds - it should be comfortable, cozy and intended only for sleep (not for work or recreation).****

Physical activity and relaxation and sleep

The quality of sleep is also affected by regular physical activity. However, as scientists say, the time of day in which we take it is decisive. Workouts should be scheduled for the first part of the day, as those performed 3 hours before bedtime and after, can affect the autonomic control of the heart during the first hours of sleep.

Falling asleep is also helped by relaxation. Therefore, a few hours before bedtime, it is worth avoiding any engaging activities. It's time for a relaxing bath, reading books or breathing exercises. The brain needs a clear signal that it can slow down the revolutions and go into rest mode.

Bad habits that disrupt sleep

Also, do not forget that the hygiene of the day, the time and abundance of meals consumed, as well as stimulants do not remain unimportant for the quality of sleep, therefore:

• Avoid copious meals and plenty of fluids before bedtime;
• Do not reach for nicotine and caffeine found in coffee, tea, coca-cola, energy drinks 8 hours before going to bed;
• Do not take naps with a total time of more than 45 minutes and do not plan to take naps after 3 pm;
• Do not drink alcohol before bedtime, as it blocks the fall into the REM phase.

* https://portal.abczdrowie.pl/fascynujace-fakty-na-temat-snu
** http://osrodekcemicus.pl/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/sen.pdf
*** https://terapiabezsennosci.pl/niebieskie-swiatlo-a-sen/
**** https://www.nfs.org.pl/index.php/wiedza/zasady-dobrego-snu/10-przykazan-zdrowego-snu-dla-doroslych/