We all stay conscious about nutrition and exercise to stay and live healthily and put efforts to achieve and understand optimum nutrition for the body. But many times we do not give value to our sleep even though a single night of sleeplessness can put anyone’s system on a toss. We create a mentality inside that the leftover time is to be given to sleep which means sleep is the most underrated aspect of our health. One of the primary reasons behind this could be that we can’t see or measure most of the effects of sleep whether it is good or bad associated. 

Sleep is the time when our body heals and repairs

We assume that when we are sleeping our body is at total rest; actually, the fact is just the opposite of it, which is that when we sleep our body functions and the brain and cells are working hard. All the wear and tear, which happens throughout the day, recovers and gets healed at night while we are asleep. Sleep is a regular detox that takes place every single night which we don’t even realize. When we sleep, there is a process that takes place to wash out the cells of the brain by actually shrinking the cell size a little to make room for the fluid to pass thoroughly.

I would say that the best gift one can give to oneself is the feeling of freshness and energy which is neither acquired by energy drinks nor from any supplements but a good night’s sleep.

Factors that determine a good sleep quality

Certain factors play a role in determining a good sleep which is simple yet effective. To facilitate an optimum sleep quality substantial blood flow to the brain is necessary, blood is nothing but a mixture of raw materials required for the cells to function. To make this blood flow optimum at bedtime other physiological processes mustn’t need extra blood requirement. E.g., If you had a late dinner, digesting, absorption, and elimination of food becomes the primary task for the body, for which extra blood supply is required by the gut. It is this phenomenon that makes us sleepy and lethargic after eating a heavy meal since the blood flow to the brain is compromised not because the brain becomes relaxed due to food but an insufficient supply of raw materials to keep it to the best functional levels and cognitively sound. Hence, to get the brain to work on wear and tear and repair the system, we must provide an environment of better blood supply to the brain. For the body to perform any healing or repair work while we sleep, there must be no food to digest. This is why it is recommended that you have your last meal of the day should also be the lightest and should be consumed at least 3-4 hours before bedtime. 

When the brain is not able to do proper washing and repair at night, it leads to an excessive toxic load in the system which leads to inflammation which could further contribute to many neurodegenerative diseases. Therefore it’s not just important to get a night of sound sleep but also the gap you keep from your last meal is crucial for your day-to-day detox. 

Sleep and chronic diseases

Lack of appropriate sleep is associated with various health issues. Chronic sleep disturbance can lead to poor immunity and makes one prone to infections making the primary organs of detox such as the liver and other glands tired. Also if you are concerned about those extra pounds not shedding off even after diet and exercise, your sleep might be responsible since a lack of sleep affects the hormones that control the feeling of hunger and fullness, also triggering the release of insulin, which contributes to fat storage in the body and increased appetite sometimes. 

Insufficient sleep also triggers the production of the stress hormone (cortisol) which leads to a hormonal imbalance in both men and women. Good sleep helps relax the muscles of the heart and blood vessels. When we are constantly under stress created by lack of sleep, the muscles of our blood vessels become tighter and start to age early leading to various issues like high blood pressure, hardening of arteries, etc making one prone to cardiovascular diseases and chances of stroke. 

There is a long list of diseases and physiological issues linked to sleep deprivation such as: 

• Depression 
• Obesity 
• Diabetes and metabolic disorders 
• Anxiety 
• Poor cognitive function 
• Memory issues and forgetfulness 
• Mood disorders 
• Hormonal imbalances 
• Lower libido 
• Heart diseases 
• Poor liver functions 
• Migraines 
• Skin problems 
• Auto-immune disorders 

Tips to improve your sleep quality and overall health

Avoid caffeine at night.  Avoid consuming any caffeine after 4-5 pm. Caffeine has a half-life period of 6 hours which means that even after 6 hours of intake of it, half of the caffeine stays in your system. It has a great effect on boosting alertness and therefore interferes with the relaxation required to wrap up the day.

Avoid spicy foods for your dinner. They lead to inflammation and interfere with the detoxing effect of the brain and system at night. Spicy foods also irritate the gut and make it sometimes difficult to digest the food properly creating discomfort physically which reduces mental relaxation and peace.

Practice relaxation techniques. 10 minutes of simple relaxation exercises before going to bed can make a big difference to your sleep quality. Try 5 minutes of deep breathing and 5 minutes of mindfulness and concentration on the breathing cycle. This practice reduces mental distraction and helps in sleeping stress-free. 

Sleep in a dark place. Switch off lights and keep the area you sleep in well ventilated to make it peaceful and not suffocating. Darkness helps in the production of melatonin which is a chemical produced by the system assisting in relaxation by creating that mild tranquilized state to feel sleepy.

Avoid usage of any gadgets or phones at least 1 hour before bedtime. Blue light emitted by electronic gadgets is proven to interfere with the production of melatonin which creates an illusion of daytime interfering with its production which leads to sleeplessness. 

Avoid fruits/fruit juices/sugary snacks at night. Fruits are one of the best snacks to be consumed but they are also rich in simple sugars hence may lead to a spike in blood sugar levels, as your pancreas has already reduced its activity of producing insulin and managing sugar levels, extra sugars may not get processed and contribute to excess fatty deposition.

Magnesium for better sleep. A magnesium deficiency contributes to sleep disturbances hence, include magnesium-rich foods in the diet like pumpkin seeds, spinach (green leafy vegetables), peanut butter, almonds, apple, black beans, banana, etc. You can also start taking a good quality magnesium supplement which has been proven to be very useful for sleep disorders. 

Eat your last meal of the day at least 3 hours before sleep. The body should not be in digestion mode when you are going to sleep. 

Herbal teas. Consume a cup of chamomile tea any soothing herbal tea which helps in calming down the system and helps in reducing stress effects which helps in getting better sleep. Few herbs which may help to reduce stress levels and improve sleep quality are Ashwagandha, Brahmi, Shankhpushpi, etc. 

Raised pillow. A simple habit that you may incorporate is to sleep with your head slightly raised by using a pillow so that the fluid drainage happens effectively due to gravity from the head.

A night of good quality sleep is not just to give a fresh feel the next morning, or just to shut the thoughts that bother you for some time, but a day to day ritual which is required to control the side effects of our living, repair, and revive what is damaged and dull, and reboots itself regularly to provide a day which is much more productive, energetic and healthier.