The Science of Sleep – Everything you need to know to improve your sleep

According to Philips World Sleep Day Survey, answered by more than 13,000 adults in 13 different countries, about 30% of the world’s population suffers from insomnia, and only half of the world’s population is satisfied with their sleep.
Would you like to improve your sleep?

At Recharge.Energy, we invite you to learn all about sleep so you can start taking the right steps to improve your sleep and improve your life.

Have you ever wondered why we sleep? Life is short. Yet, we spend about one-third of our lives asleep. It turns out sleeping is the best way to restore our mind and body and prepare us for the day ahead. We spend one-third of our lives asleep, so that we can fully enjoy the other two-thirds.

Sleep comes with many benefits for the mind and body. Sleep not only restores youth, vitality, strength, and health but also sharpens the mind, improves our memory, and enhances our emotional intelligence. A good night’s sleep can even help us recover from emotional trauma. Not to mention, consistently sleeping well lowers our risk of some of the world’s deadliest diseases, including cancer, Alzheimer’s, heart disease, and diabetes.

Sleep deprivation comes with serious and even fatal consequences, including increased risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity, and Alzheimer’s disease. It’s also tied to all kinds of anxiety disorders and mental illnesses. Not to mention, sleep deprivation is horrible for the brain. We’re simply not as happy or smart when we’re sleep deprived.

Sleep experts and doctors recommend sleeping for 7 to 9 hours each night, but they don’t always explain why. We experience sleep in stages and cycles. From the moment we drift off into sleep until we reawaken the following morning, our body and mind are cycling through light, deep, and REM sleep in approximately 90-minute sleep cycles. Each of these sleep stages serves different functions for the mind and body to prepare us for the following day. The only way to ensure that we experience enough sleep cycles and get enough light, deep, and REM sleep is to sleep between 7 and 9 hours each night.

The modern lifestyle is very different from the lifestyle we’re genetically programmed for. We used to rise with the sun and sleep shortly after the sun went down. We also used to sleep in complete darkness and near silence. These days, we’re fighting bright lights, noise from the street, inconsistent sleep schedules, stress and anxiety, and unhealthy lifestyle habits. All of which can have a seriously negative impact on sleep. Fortunately, there are many ways to improve sleep: Reduce light after sundown; Limit screen time before bed; Try essential oils for sleep; Sip an herbal infusion to reduce anxiety; Try a natural sleep supplement like melatonin to induce sleepiness. Small changes like these can go a long way.

Do you frequently find yourself lying in bed at night, staring at the clock, wondering, “Why can’t I sleep?” There are many conditions, factors, and lifestyle habits that could be negatively impacting your sleep. If you’re not tired enough to sleep, you could be suffering from: lack of melatonin, too much caffeine, too much nicotine, hormonal imbalances, insomnia as a side effect of a medication you’re taking. If you’re tired, but still can’t seem to sleep, stress and anxiety may be to blame. Other causes for inability to sleep despite tiredness include: lack of magnesium, lack of tryptophan, or too much light/noise in the bedroom. If you can’t sleep, there are many factors that might be to blame. One of the best ways to improve your sleep is to find out exactly what is causing your insomnia, so you can tackle the problem head on.

Are you looking for a natural solution to improve your sleep? Supplementing your bedtime routine with natural sleep supplements is one of the simplest and most effective ways to improve your sleep.

Melatonin and tryptophan are among the most popular sleep supplements. They help you fall asleep in less time and stay asleep throughout the night so you can wake up feeling energized and refreshed.

Magnesium is another popular sleep supplement since many people are magnesium-deficient, and magnesium is necessary for sleep. If you don’t get enough magnesium from your diet, or if you have intestinal problems that prevent you from absorbing nutrients properly, you may be magnesium-deficient. If you are, magnesium supplements are the perfect solution.

Valerian is one of the most popular sleep supplements for people who suffer from stress or anxiety. If stress is keeping you up at night, valerian may be able to help you relax so you can fall asleep faster and enjoy a better night’s sleep.

CBD oil is also gaining widespread popularly as a natural sleep supplement. It’s perfect for people suffering from anxiety or chronic pain that impedes sleep. It also seems to help reduce snoring

Although natural sleep supplements help with some sleep problems, they can’t solve all of them, and they’re much more effective when combined with other sleep solutions:

Sleep masks: The eyes can detect light even when they’re closed. If there is any light in your bedroom, you might want to consider investing in a sleep mask.

Anti blue light glasses: Blue light is known to inhibit melatonin production, production of the hormone that makes you sleepy. If you spend time in front of screens after the sun goes down, you should consider investing in a pair of anti blue light glasses.

Earplugs: Just as the eyes can detect light when they’re closed, the ears can detect noise even when we’re sleeping. If noise is keeping you awake at night or causing you to wake up unwantedly, you might want to try sleeping with earplugs.

White noise machines: While some people prefer silence to sleep, others prefer a bit of noise. White noise machines are perfect for those who prefer a bit of hum as they fall asleep. They also serve to drown out unwanted noise.

Essential oils: Humans have been using essential oils to treat their ailments for centuries, and sleep is no exception. In addition, many essential oils such as lavender, chamomile, and bergamot have been proven to improve sleep.

Herbal infusions and teas: Likewise, we’ve been sipping to help us sleep for centuries. Sipping tea is a great way to relax and prepare for bed. Some popular sleepytime teas include lavender, chamomile, valerian, passionflower, and lemon balm. L-theanine in decaffeinated black tea and green tea can also help promote relaxation and improve sleep.

Other sleep solutions include lowering the temperature in your bedroom, changing your mattress, taking a warm bath before bed, and avoiding exercise too late at night. For every sleep problem, there is a sleep solution. Give some of the sleep solutions above a try!