| How Modern Society May Have Ruined Biological Sleep Around a third of the population have trouble sleeping, including difficulties maintaining sleep throughout the night. While night time awakenings are distressing for most sufferers, there is some evidence from our recent past that suggests this period of wakefulness occurring between two separate sleep periods was the norm. Throughout history, there have been numerous accounts of segmented sleep, from medical texts, to court records and diaries, and even in African and South American tribes, with a common reference to “first” and “second” sleep. In Charles Dickens’ Barnaby Rudge (1840), he writes He knew this, even in the horror with which he started from his first sleep, and threw up the window to dispel it by the presence of some object, beyond the room, which had not been, as it were, the witness of his dream. Read more. | | | | | Funny Sleep Puns & Jokes Some people have nightmares while some have just plain bizarre dreams. Whatever kind of dreamer you are, if you need funny sleep puns and jokes, you’ll never be caught napping again! That’s because you couldn’t dream of better sleep puns than these. So enjoy them. | | | | 5 Mysterious Facts About Sleep Paralysis Imagine waking up from sleep, opening your eyes and realizing that you can’t move or speak. You’re overwhelmed with the terrifying sensation of being paralyzed. Some of you don’t have to imagine — it’s all too real for about 8 percent of the general population who suffers from the condition fittingly known as sleep paralysis (SP). SP falls into a group of disruptive sleep-related disorders called parasomnias. These alarming events can happen either when you are falling asleep (hypnogogic) or as you are waking up (hypnopompic), typically rendering people unable to move or speak. Episodes can last up to several minutes. mythical monsters. Read more. | | | | Learn to let go of sleep battles with your teen It's 11 p.m. on a school night, and the light is still pouring out from under your teen's door. You do some quick math. If they fall asleep ... NOW ... they'll get just under 6.5 hours of sleep before they have to be up and out the door. That's definitely not enough, but what can you do? Hold their eyelids closed? If it were that easy, we'd all have tried.
It is one of the great frustrations and ironies of parenting that getting your child to do something so necessary, unavoidable and pleasurable as sleep has to also be a daily battle. Read more. | | | | 9 Best Bamboo Pillows for Great Sleep in 2021 Bamboo pillows are popular among environmentally conscious sleepers, as they’re usually made with natural, hypoallergenic materials. They’re also soft, breathable, adjustable, and cooling. But although they’re generally regarded as eco-friendly, it’s important to note that not all bamboo fibers are created equal. In fact, the Federal Trade Commission has issued an alert to businesses that sell bamboo, as the process of creating bamboo textiles is harmful to the environment in some cases. Additionally, only bamboo fiber listed as “mechanically processed bamboo” is actually made of bamboo. Sometimes, “bamboo” fibers are actually made of rayon. Read more. | | | | | Our readers are invited to email us with their questions! Q: Can you really get a sleep deficit? (Bruce H.) Bruce, yes. Chronic sleep deficits are common and occur when a person does not obtain the needed amount of sleep on a permanent basis. There are numerous causes of it, including shift work and other environmental demands (occupational or family responsibilities such as caregiving for children or elderly, desire for social life, recreation, etc.), medical and sleep disorders (including sleep apnea, insomnia, movements disorders among others) that impair sleep architecture and increase nocturnal wakefulness, and the modern twenty-four hour lifestyle expectation. If you are getting less than seven hours of sleep each night, feel sleepy or tired during the day, fall asleep instantly, and/or do not feel rested upon awakening, you most likely live in a sleep deficit, and should seek professional advice. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Q: What happens if you don’t dream while you sleep? (Lauren B.) Lauren, dreaming is a mental activity that occurs in sleep and has been linked to physiology. Disturbed sleep physiology due to disorders of sleep or wakefulness has been shown to affect dream recall and content, supporting the arousal-retrieval model of dreaming. At the same time, one recent study highlighted the specific role of activated mesolimbic dopaminergic system in heightened dream recall, the reward-activation model of dreaming. Regardless of the theory, if you are healthy, absence of recall of dreams might suggest that your sleep is continuous, free of interruptions, and you are in an emotionally stable state during wakefulness. Most of us dream every night. It is normal not to remember our dreams. Side sleeping also allows metabolic waste products that accumulate in the brain to be flushed out more effectively. Plus, if you sleep on your left side, it reduces symptoms of indigestion and acid reflux. That said, if you are getting a good night’s sleep in a different position, stick with it. | | Newsletter #54, Volume 1, Edition 95 | | | Please Note: All information presented in Zyppah’s, The Way To Better Sleep Newsletter is for informational purposes only. It is not specific medical advice for any individual. Answers to reader questions are provided for informational purposes only. All information presented should not be construed as medical instruction. You should take no action solely on the basis of this publication’s contents. You are advised to consult a health professional about any issue regarding your health and well-being. While the information presented here is believed to be sensible and accurate based on the author’s best judgement, readers who fail to seek counsel from appropriate health professionals assume risk of any potential ill effects. The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of Zyppah, Inc. | | | | |
