Tips for sleeping well and awakening better

1990/12/01 Agirre, Jabier - Medikua eta OEEko kidea Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Osasuna

(Photo: BIOK).

The dream is absolutely necessary, without that you can not live. Sleep is usually the best way to overcome physical and mental fatigue. But, in some cases, there are people whose sleep hardly benefits; when waking they feel so tired or tired as when they went to sleep. In these cases, regenerative processes associated with sleep are not performed, and there is no recovery of energy and reserves to be carried out in this period.

The dream, through different biological phenomena, serves to obtain rest and relaxation and cleansing of the whole body. What happens in the dream?

• Brain work (ideas, thoughts, images, images) is interrupted, leaving only automatic movements.
• Certain functions of the vegetative life are constantly reduced. The breathing is slower, deeper, and the heart pulses are weaker, decreasing the number of pulsations. Circulation is performed at a slower rate and less blood to the brain. The temperature decreases around a degree. Wear is minimal throughout the body.
• The sweat glands, on the contrary, accelerate and antimicrobial defense and the elimination of toxins (liver and kidneys) is more effective.

In normal conditions all these processes occur in hours of rest. It is then when the dream is profitable. The problem arises when we can't sleep the hours necessary for our body, or when sleep is very light and we can't really rest. That is the difference between people who, despite being little time in bed, take good advantage of these hours and those who being many hours in bed do not recover properly.

Bathe before bedtime. The bathroom is always better than the shower, since the bathroom relaxes.

Of course, the reasons for the latter are different. The disease can be a cause of insomnia. But other times the problem will be on the nose (vegetations, inadequate breaths, etc. ). ). It will suffice, therefore, to avoid the inadequate habits or customs that have developed over the years to take advantage of them much better of sleep. Some tips are:

• Don't change the time to go to bed, because when the time approaches, the body temperature decreases for sleep. If we let that moment pass, then it will cost us more sleep. But neither is it obsessed with this subject of schedule, which can be beneficial and harmful.
• Make dinner two hours before bedtime so that digestion is done. Consume foods rich in vitamins, carbohydrates and phosphorus (eggs, milk, yogurt, cheese) and avoid fats and fried, since they cause intestinal fermentation as exciting (cocoa, alcohol, coffee in particular).
• After dinner, a gentle and quiet walk. Totally upside down from morning jogging. Tired muscles cause a deep and complete sleep.
• Emptying the bladder at bedtime and, if possible, the intestines. Pixalarri, especially in older people, is one of the main reasons to cut sleep and frighten it.
• Smile, especially the smokers. And if you have carcavas, make us with warm water before going to sleep. Due to the phlegm, the escapes generated can fall back the nose, from here to the throat, which can prevent normal sleep and rest.
• Drink grass water before bedtime (verbena, lime, mint) or a glass of warm milk.
• The room temperature is not too high (maximum 18C). Good ventilation. It is important to measure well the ventilation during the night to prevent it from reaching directly to the respiratory tract of the asleep. If the room temperature is too high, the lungs and heart will have to work more than normal to reduce body temperature. In reverse cases, that is, when the person is cold, the body will have to fight against that cold and will not rest properly.
• Bathe before bedtime in warm water (30-35 degrees). The bathroom is always better than the shower, its effect is stimulating.
• Stop smoking to the extent possible. Nicotine is known to be exciting.

GO TO THE BED

Once some or all of the above measures have been taken, the CRITICAL MOMENT has come for us to go to bed. There are those who are afraid, thinking that they cannot reconcile the dream, and that is why they always withdraw that moment. But you have to face him without being obsessed, without thinking too much about the dream...

Entering the bed, relax. Relaxation is, in theory, a simple mechanism, but it must be learned well to be effective. Sleep requires muscle relaxation and mental or mental relaxation.

Muscle relaxation is the best preparation for sleep. To do this, you have to lie in bed, face-up, with very long arms and feet also stretched. Then you have to release all the muscles starting with the eyes: that only the eyelids close, but without forcing them. The darkness facilitates this process. Therefore, a totally dark room is essential for those who have light sleep.

Then you have to relax the muscles of the voice. The ability to think is very related to speech, and relaxing these muscles slows down the thought. Let the chin fall. Those who sleep with very tight gag should provoke the yawn, since the breathing and relaxation that occurs are very good remedies to fall asleep.

We go well, but we have not finished: behind come the other muscles (arms, legs, trunk, etc. ). ). Let the neck not be rigid. Let the members fall as if they were dead, without movement. In the beginning muscle relaxation will require a conscious effort, but after a time the process will become routine.

This step from the sleep to the milk situation is more important than expected. Misawakening can change the normal morning march.

When we have achieved a total muscle relaxation, or even better with it, we also have to relax the mind. Maintain a rhythmic, slow and deep breathing in the same previous posture, similar to that of any sleeping person.

If we do well this process, normally the dream will come. But the idea of sleeping is not always enough. Many times an idea, an image, or pain, are reasons enough to cause insomnia. When it comes to physical discomfort, the logical thing is to discard it first: it is not easy to sleep with toothache, flu or intestinal disease. In these cases, although convenient, relaxation will not be as effective.

If you go to bed with some concern or concern, you will surely not fall asleep. So ruin them. But it is not always possible that the concerns completely disappear. It will be best not to violate the head, that she choose the ideas she wants, even if they are the most incoherent in the world. Problems, concerns or affective problems practically never have a solution in those hours. The next day, with the mind awake, you will see yourself differently.

In childhood it is shown that the relaxation capacity is totally natural. With the years and the increase of consciousness decreases or is lost.

Just or with your friend?

Each one commands his custom. If you have someone by your side, you are at ease with the same signal. But perhaps the discomfort generated by the other person (snoring, etc.) There are sufficient reasons to awaken. In this case, better only than bad with your friend.

How many hours should we sleep?

You cannot say exactly the number of hours to sleep. There are many factors involved: age, climate, work, physical activity, customs, food, family or social environment, etc.

Cleaning is step 5 after the alarm clock. The steps we propose are to wake up, perform physical exercises, shower and drink something liquid to clean up and then have breakfast calmly.

Age is important: newborns sleep almost 20 hours a day. Only hunger, urine, or inadequate postures awaken and when they are saturated or clean they go back to sleep. As we grow older, the need for sleep is less and less in old age.

Sleeping more than 9 or less than 5 hours a day can be harmful to the adult. You also have to choose the best moments and places to sleep. And do not forget that the dream does not accumulate. If a person sleeps every three consecutive days two hours less than usual, one cannot think that the fourth day sleeps six more hours. These hours were performed and must be given for losses.

START THE DAY PROPERLY

The effect of adequate or inadequate awakening in all day activity is very important. Remember the saying of waking up with the bad foot or with the left foot. The bad awakening can alter the normal morning march (and sometimes the whole day).

This step from the situation of sleep to that of milk has more importance than expected, so you have to pay special attention. Let's see the steps to follow after ringing the awakeners:

• First of all, never throw yourself out of bed. The animals, and that they know by their instinct, wake up slowly, taking time to wake up. Why don't we do the same? If not, look at what a dog usually does: progressively lengthen its legs, also its column and its ears. And he forgets again and again. It will only arise when it is completely awake. We should also do something like this: exercises in the bed itself to soften the muscles, move arms and legs (also back) so that the body can react and take tension. This work can last between 10 and 15 minutes without modesty.
• After getting up, you should do physical exercises, preferably in the open room of the window or balcony. This is the best time of the day to do gymnastics. The time you can dedicate to this topic will depend on each one's haste, but only a few minutes.
• Then we will take a shower that stimulates and hardens the whole body with the coldest water that can be held. If at bedtime you had to take a hot water bath to relax, now the cold water works as a boost.
• The next step is to take something liquid. Glass of water, wicker or some infusion, the one you like the most. If it is wicker, it is natural and freshly made, do not leave it in the refrigerator so that you do not lose the vitamins.
• Many people, as soon as they wake up, turn on the radio, which gives some sleep. In theory it should not be so, since listening to any noise or sound normally interrupts sleep. If the above mentioned softening process is carried out, the radio can be a good friend in the meantime.
• Then comes the cleaning (shaved, bastoned, etc.) and then have breakfast calmly. Dams, working hours, etc. Therefore, many times we leave the house trapping without filling the stomach (something that is not appropriate). Take a strong and balanced breakfast to face the day. It will be a matter of custom, but among us are very few who ingest the calories they should take at breakfast.
  1. A fruit juice (especially orange)
  2. Toast with butter, jam or honey
  3. Coffee with milk or chocolate
  4. Cereals with yogurt or curd (with curd)

Newborns sleep almost 20 hours a day.

If you can't take it all, you can have breakfast twice. And that's what a lot of people do: in the middle of the morning you feel hungry and that's when you make a strong breakfast (lunch). But, as a general rule, it should not be forgotten that after getting up (half an hour or an hour later, depending on the time each of them is carrying out the entire process mentioned) and before starting the daily work, have to have breakfast.

SLEEP RHYTHM Our dream is divided into cycles, each of which consists of several phases: Phase 1: Conciliation. Decreased brain rhythm (4-5 beats per second). Duration: from a few seconds to a few minutes. Phase 1: Light sleep. The waves are even less. Duration: 20 minutes. A sound, though small, awakens the sleeping. Phase 1: Deep sleep. The waves slow down even more (1 or 2 seconds). It is difficult to awaken what is asleep. Duration: 10 minutes. Phase 1: deep sleep. There are vital functions (breathing, heartbeat) that work very slowly. In this dream we renew the exhausted physical forces (only in the first two cycles). Duration: 55 minutes approximately. Phase 1: Paradoxal sleep. After the fourth phase, the sleeping one returns to the light sleep of the second phase. While the brain shows passive alpha sleep waves, the body is completely asleep: only feet, hands and face can be moved and very slightly. Duration: 10-15 minutes. Then, it is possible to wake up in a few seconds. Then a new cycle will begin. In the second part of the night the paradoxical dream persists.

DETAILS THAT WILL HELP YOU DREAM Even if it seems small, take care: COLOR WALLS. The ideal is white, cream or light green. Never dark or red (first depressing, very exciting second). MATTRESS. It lasts without holes. Preferably with a table below. That neither the mattress nor the somier emit sounds. TOCADO. No better, especially with column problems. If used, use an almost flat head of 3 fingers of maximum thickness. BLANKETS. More than one, if necessary, to artificially heat the room. SOUP. The logical thing would be to sleep naked. Let the clothes be quiet, without gums or ties.