| If you're anything like me then you won't need to hear | | | | this can prevent you from getting to sleep as well as |
| all the positive benefits of sleep - for some of us sleep | | | | disturbing you during the night. In worst case scenarios |
| is an end in itself. As well as being a great way to | | | | it can cause anxiety dreams (like that one where |
| spend an evening however, sleep also helps us fight | | | | there's an aligator in your room and all you have to |
| illness and recover from a strenuous day and is | | | | defend yourself is a paint-ball gun... no?). Although |
| completely essential if we want to be mentally and | | | | stress can't always be avoided, you can minimise it by |
| physically at the top of our game. This is especially | | | | making your room tidy. Often the clutter in your room |
| true of athletes, who not only exert more energy | | | | reflects your state of mind and vise versa - and |
| during the day, but can really use the extra growth | | | | clearing up can help clear the cobwebs from your |
| hormones that are released during sleep. Growth | | | | brain (brain cobwebs...). Some psychologists go as far |
| hormone not only burns fat, but also helps create | | | | as to suggest keeping your room entirely for sleeping |
| muscle and heal wounds. Just improving the quality and | | | | in to help your brain to associate the place with rest. All |
| quantity of your sleep can be as beneficial to your | | | | other activities should be performed elsewhere and |
| gains as starting a new training programme | | | | you should only retire to your room once your actually |
| (wakefullness and... sleepfullness... have even been | | | | ready to pack it in for the night. That's kind of hard |
| described respectively as catabolic and anabolic | | | | when you're living in a bed-sit, but you can achieve a |
| states). If you put in the work without an equal amount | | | | similar yet more practical effect with a curtain to draw |
| of rest then you're seriously shooting yourself in the | | | | across your bed. |
| foot. Trust me, I'm a psychologist. | | | | I myself had difficulty getting to sleep when I was |
| What happens when we sleep? | | | | younger, not so much because I was stressed but |
| Our sleep is goverened by our 'circadian clock', which | | | | because my mind would be racing with ideas while I |
| is more commonly known as the body clock. This in | | | | was meant to be winding down. What was advised to |
| turn is affected by both internal factors (internal | | | | me was to keep a journal so that I could write all my |
| pacemakers) and external factors (external | | | | ideas down to work with in the morning. This worked |
| zeitgeibers). The 'Suprachiasmatic Nucleus in our brains | | | | pretty well. |
| is sensitive to light and helps to coordinate our sleep | | | | A common cause of stress is lack of sleep itself. A |
| patterns with the world around us. When your body | | | | vicious cycle some would say. Many will find |
| finally deems it beddy-bys it will begin releasing | | | | themselves lying in bed, with an early start the next |
| melatonin, the 'sleep hormone' and you will... begin... to | | | | day, worrying that they can't get to sleep growing |
| feel... drowsy... | | | | frustrated and angry. Obviously at this point they're not |
| During sleep we go through 5 stages as indicated by | | | | going to be getting to sleep anytime soon. In essence, |
| the activity levels seen on an electroencephlograph | | | | the harder you try to get to sleep, the less likely you |
| (EEG - a machine for monitoring activity in the brain). | | | | are to succeed. That's why it's so easy to fall asleep in |
| There stages are: stage 1, stage 2, stage 3, stage 4 | | | | meetings or lectures - you're trying to stay awake! To |
| and REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. Stages 1 | | | | ease your mind you need to remember that even just |
| & 2 are 'light sleep' while 3 & 4 are deep | | | | resting is good for your body. If you can't get to sleep |
| 'slow wave' sleep (named after the long waves | | | | then at least lying with your eyes closed will have |
| produced by the EEG (importantly for athletes this is | | | | some benefit. Try to enjoy the moment and revel in |
| the sleep needed for growth hormone)). These four | | | | the fact that you're not doing anything. You'll be asleep |
| collectively are known as NREM sleep. REM sleep is | | | | in no time. |
| the final stage and the point during which we | | | | Just say no |
| experience dreams (although some evidence now | | | | In extreme cases there are several drugs that promise |
| suggests we can also dream during other stages), | | | | to help you doze off but in general these are best |
| seemingly caused by the rapid firing of 'pons', and is | | | | avoided. One problem with sleeping pills is that our |
| characterised by twitching of the eyes and a spike in | | | | body can become dependent on them and you might |
| brain activity. These stages go through cycles so that | | | | eventually be unable to sleep without them. Pills also |
| you should experience each stage several times | | | | create an 'unnatural' sleep, sometimes suppressing |
| during the night. | | | | certain stages thus failing to fulfill our physiological |
| All you really need to know is that sleep is well good. | | | | needs. They're also expensive and can lead to |
| Seven to eight hours is the recommended dosage for | | | | continued grogginess the next day. If you must take |
| adults. | | | | something however, then make it GABA (technically |
| How can we improve it then? | | | | banned in the UK) as this will at least have benefits on |
| One important thing to consider when going to bed is | | | | strength (it increases the body's natural production of |
| your immediate environment, in particular you should | | | | growth hormone). |
| endeavour to make sure it's as silent and as dark as | | | | Better than supplements though is simply a warm |
| possible. Obviously any noise or light could prevent you | | | | glass of milk, a mug of horlics, or a long hot bath |
| from getting to sleep initially, but they will also affect | | | | showever (which actually encourages the body to |
| the quality of your sleep once your finally conk out, and | | | | produce growth hormone itself). If you really think you |
| the quality of your sleep is just as important, if not | | | | need medication then obviously talk to a doctor, but it's |
| more important, than the quantity. Make sure to turn | | | | far healthier if you can overcome the problem without |
| off any CD players or DVD players and if you have | | | | resorting to drugs. |
| real difficulty it might even be worth turning them round | | | | If you've survived through all that without falling asleep |
| or covering them up with tape. | | | | at the computer I recommend you seek help from an |
| Your state of mind is also important when going to | | | | expert - there's nothing more I can do for you. |
| sleep with stress presenting a major obstacle. Again | | | | |