Good Night's Sleep to Sleep It Off

Let's remove the phrase "sleep it off" from association with too much of a good thing. Or from exhaustion resulting from experiencing trying times. Scientists have performed considerable research on the reasons we sleep and the importance of sleep in our existence as human beings. Research on sleep reveals the reasons humans and animals need a certain amount of sleep. Studies show the brain needs sleep to repair and recharge itself.The quality of the sleep is also important.We actually need sleep more than we need food. Can you believe that!

Looking at sleep from a restorative process helps show how much the body does during sleep to keep us functioning at a level that keeps us mentally and physically well. During sleep the brain is believed to be busy sorting out problems from the day, archiving and organizing data. Sleep seems to be as much a restorative process as it is a rejuvenation of the entire person.

During sleep the chemicals in the body repair muscles. The growth hormones in children and young people are released. The cardiovascular system is restored and slows during sleep. The circadian rhythm is maintained. It is the timing for the amount of sleep an individual needs to obtain quality sleep.

So, the expression "sleeping it off" is a literal term when considering the activity that goes on within the body during sleep.

People need sleep for a number of reasons. Our moods remain positive and less likely to be moody. Our concentration and growth processes occur during sleep. To reach the type sleep that best benefits us as humans happens in stages. There are four stages plus the REM stage. REM stands for Rapid Eye Movement.

Stage 1 is the body entering a light sleep. The muscles are receiving messages from the brain to relax. The heart is receiving the message to beat a little slower. And the body temperature drops.

Stage 2 is a light sleep. The person can be easily awakened.

Stage 3 is the "slow wave sleep.". The individual has drifted into a deeper sleep. The brain the blood pressure lowers. The body is not aware of the temperature in the room. In this stage people are known to sleep walk or talk in their sleep.

Stage 4 is the deep sleep. We call it sound asleep. It is difficult to awaken a person at this stage of sleep. If the individual is awaken during stage 4, for a few minutes, they are dazed or confused.

REM stage is the rapid eye movement. The body muscles are resting but the eyes  are moving rapidly beneath the eye lids. Scientists found the heart beats faster and breathing is less regular during the REM stage. People are believed to be in the dream stage when they are in REM.  People experience stages 2 through 4 and REM every 90 minutes of sleep.

Do you remember your dreams? How much of them do you remember? Don't feel bad if you don't remember any of your dreams? And don't be surprised if you remember every detail of your dreams. The key to dreams is at what stage were you when you were awaken. That is an important factor in how much if any of your dream you remember.

Dreams occur in the REM of sleep. If you are awaken during REM, you will remember er all or most of your dream. If you are awaken during the other stages, it is not likely you will remember your dreams.

Scientists have tried to explain what dreams mean. They propose dreams are the brain's way of sorting out activities that occurred during the day. Dreams may be storing information and getting rid of information it determines not to be important. Dreams my be indicators of something an individual may be worried about.

Some people fall asleep as soon as their head hits the pillows. They enter sleep at will and sleep for as long as they wish. For others getting to sleep may be more a wish than a reality. You may help yourself to naturally fall asleep by practicing a few basic routines.

• go to bed at the same time each night
• only use the bedroom for sleeping
• do not exercise at night
• no caffeine at night
• listen to relaxing music before going to bed
• don't read scary or adventure books before bed
• allow your mind to quiet down
• take slow deep breathes and slowly release them-repeat as needed

It will take a while for the body to accept this routine and fall asleep. Don't give up. You are retraining your brain. You are training the mind to relax and get in the sleep mode. Hopefully you will avoid sleep medications that often have negative side affects.

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