Articles on Sleep

Sleep is one of those little things we often overlook that can make or break our productivity. Here are 10 great articles with tips and thoughts on how to get the most out of your sleep. If you know of any other great articles on sleep, please add them in the comments.

• Good Sleep, Good Learning, Good Life-Dr. Pitor Wozniak
  Although many Western civilizations may consider the traditional “siesta” of the Latin American countries to be out-dated, research shows that these short naps are rich in NREM sleep, and improve alertness during the day. Napping may also provide relief from severe sleep deprivation, and also may play a significant role in memory consolidation.
• Sleep’s Healing Properties-William Collinge, M. P. H., P.h.D.
  In today’s busy world, it is relatively easy to overlook one of the simplest ways to improve your health. Though there are many expensive medicines and other products that may be good for your health, sleep is effective, as well as free! Actions such as going to sleep by 10 o’clock at night and reducing stimulants have been found to fight fatigue and help restore health.
• Too Much Sleep is as Dangerous as Too Little: Study-CBC News
  A British scientific team has discovered that too much sleep may cause serious health problems. A consistent amount of seven hours of sleep per night has been found to be the optimal amount of rest for an average person. Researchers also discovered that too little sleep results in severe health issues such as cardiovascular disease.
• Lack of Sleep’s Effects on Learning, Undoes Rejuvenating Effects on the Brain-Medical News Today
  Scientists have found that loss of sleep has a very negative effect on spatial learning, such as remembering how to find a new location. These scientists also suggest that learning stimulates and helps the brain by causing it to produce new cells, a process called neurogenesis. On the other hand, scientists also found that sleep deprived individuals experience adverse effects to their memories.
• Adolescents and Sleep-Sarah Spinks
  Researchers have discovered that an internal “biological clock” could explain the reasons why the sleep patterns of teens seem to differ from those of the average adult. The biological clock could provide an explanation for the phenomenon of why exhausted travelers cannot sleep, or perhaps why older people have so much trouble with sleeping soundly.
• Sleep and Stress: Ideas and Tips-Lynne Smiley, P.h.D.
  Dr. Lynne Smiley provides some helpful tips for eliminating stress in order to allow a person to sleep more soundly. A few of these tips include keeping a pen and paper by your bed so you can write down things that you think of at night, setting aside a specific block of the day for your “worry time”, and cutting down on caffeine consumption during the evening hours.
• 28 Ways to Prevent Allergy Sleep Loss-Ellen Michaud and Julie Bain
  Ellen Michaud and Julie Bain list many different ways to prevent loss of sleep caused by allergies. Your body’s automatic immunological responses to an allergic reaction affect your patterns of sleep. A few ways to minimize the effects of allergies on your sleep are to wash away dust and mold in your home, avoid over-the-counter decongestants, and exercise after 10 o’clock in the morning.
• Allergies Keeping You Awake?-WebMD
  Doctors have found some simple precautions to help a person find relief from allergies while sleeping. Several of these suggestions are purchasing hypoallergenic pillows and bedding, vacuuming carpets and furniture regularly and changing the water in your humidifier on a regular basis.
• Sleeping Well as We Age-Helpguide.org
  Many individuals have heard that with age comes insomnia; however, this is not necessarily true. Often, poor sleep habits, medications and untreated sleep disorders are at fault for loss of sleep as we age. The symptoms that are frequently attributed to age may very well be caused by something that can be altered.
• Sleep: It’s About Time-Medicine.net
  There are many everyday practices that a person can do to ensure a good night’s rest. These tips are an effective way to modify your lifestyle to improve your quality of sleep and lessen fatigue. A few of these tips are to stick to a sleep schedule, exercise 5-6 hours before bedtime, avoid large meals late at night, and to have the correct sunlight exposure.