Good sleep is the key to health and overall well-being. However, due to work obligations, errands, household chores, and many other day-to-day involvements, people often compromise on sleep.
Unfortunately, sleep deprivation can lead to many unexpected health problems – both mental and physical. Contrary to what many believe, your mind and body are at work when you are asleep.
According to Dr Merrill Mitler, a neuroscientist and sleep specialist at the National Institute of Health (NIH), sleep reconditions your brain and body in many different ways. It services your body at the molecular level and improves cognition, intellect, energy, mood, and alertness. Therefore, an adequate amount of sleep time is necessary.
Are you also losing track of your sleep while fulfilling the needs of your daily life? Technological advancements have made it possible to track and interpret your sleep patterns easily while helping you get restful sleep.
Let’s find out how sleep-tracking technology like smartwatches and rings can help better your sleep and improve your overall well-being.
Studies About Sleep Deficiency in India
Let’s take you through the findings of a nationwide survey – How India Sleeps, conducted by LocalCircles, to commemorate World Sleep Day (March 17, 2023). It comprised more than 39,000 participants from 309 Indian districts. Here are some findings:
1. 55% of the participants reported they didn’t get sufficient sleep. Many reported sleeping less than 6 hours a day.
2. 21% reported that they get around 4 hours of sleep on
3. Only 2% of participants reported getting proper sleep of 8 to 10 hours.
4. About 43% of people reported they get an uninterrupted sleep of less than 6 to 8 hours each night.
5. Overall, 61% of Indians are sleep deprived for different reasons, including frequent urination, sleep apnea, insomnia, mosquito bites, poor mattress quality, mobile phone usage, etc.
Many studies opine that lack of sleep makes people susceptible to attention lapses, mood swings, and delayed reactions. Sleep shortage may also capsize your cerebrovascular system, digestion, metabolism, cardiovascular health, cognitive functioning, and mental health.
So, it turns out that those hours of slumber are not just for relaxing; they hold the key to unlocking your well-being.
Now let’s move on to the science behind sleep.
Read More – Sleep Tracking and Analysis: Utilising Technology to Optimise Your Sleep
The Inner Symphony: Decoding the Harmony of Sleep and Wakefulness
When you sleep, your brain cycles between two types of sleep – rapid eye movement (REM) and non-REM sleep.
The first phase of sleep is non-REM. It has four stages:
1. Stage I: Between you are awake and dozing off
2. Stage II: Light sleep (body temperature goes down, breathing and heart rate regulates)
3. Stage III and IV: Deep sleep
As you move into the REM sleep phase, the following things happen:
1. Your eyes happen to move more rapidly (lids closed)
2. Your brain waves respond to wakefulness.
3. Your breathing rate increases.
4. Your body moves into a temporarily paralysed or immobile state.
This cycle repeats itself. However, with every transition, the deeper stages of non-REM sleep reduce, and the duration spent in the REM sleep window increases. So, typically, you cycle between REM and non-REM sleep about four to five times each night.
Sleep tracking technology notices it all and analyses your sleep patterns to help you get better sleep.
In-Built Sleep Switches of Your Body
A noted neurologist and sleep expert at Johns Hopkins, Dr Mark Wu, says that our body comprises two in-built sleep controls:
Circadian Rhythms: Your biological clock controls these rhythms. The clock is a response system comprising hormones and receptors that respond to light signals. A proper circadian rhythm increases melatonin (a hormone that regulates the sleep-wake cycles) secretion at night and reduces it during the daytime.
Sleep Drive: Just like you feel hunger pangs, your body responds to the need for sleep. When it hits the threshold at a certain point, you fall asleep. Do you know the main difference between hunger and sleep? For Instance, if ever you are hungry, it is easy to convince the mind not to force you to eat, but this is not the same when you feel sleepy or exhausted. Dozing off becomes easy regardless of where you are.
Read More – 11 Practical Tips to Improve Your Sleep Hygiene and Get Quality Sleep
How Does Restful Sleep Impact Your Overall Well-Being?
The benefits of quality sleep go far beyond relaxation. It plays a pivotal role in our overall well-being, affecting both our physical and mental health. Here is a rundown of the benefits of restful sleep:
1. Boosts Brain Plasticity
Sleep bestows your brain with plasticity – the power to acclimatise or adjust to a range of situations. If you do not sleep as per your requirements, your brain fails to process the information it receives throughout the day and to lock in memories in its cells. The cognitive function of the mind also reduces.
2. Regulates Emotions
According to researchers, sleep also helps with regulating emotions. Therefore, you often feel irritated or suffer from mood swings if you have not slept through the night restfully.
3. Offers Quick Healing
When asleep, your body is in active mode while restoring itself by secreting relevant hormones such as growth hormone, Melatonin, Cortisol, Leptin and Ghrelin, and proteins that help tissue and muscle repair. Therefore, a sleep-deprived person’s body recovers at a slower rate than one who sleeps soundly.
4. Regulates Immunity
While you are in slumber, your body produces inflammation-fighting proteins – cytokines. So, sleeping improves your immunity, the mechanism by which your body keeps illness at bay.
Moreover, researchers have found that a lack of sleep increases the production of white blood cells. This response is similar to the one your body exhibits when subjected to stress. Not getting enough sleep may stir an imbalance in your immune system and that in turn may lead to a higher likelihood of getting sick.
5. Improves Appetite-Regulating Hormones
Good sleep improves appetite-regulating hormones while keeping you healthy and happy. Inadequate sleep may disrupt appetite-regulating hormones that increase hunger (ghrelin) and regulate fullness (leptin), potentially leading to overeating and weight gain.
A Healthy Sleep, A Healthier you
Sound sleep and health go hand-in-hand. It is through sleep that your body repairs, regenerates and prepares itself for the challenges of each day. Just one night of no sleep can reduce your energy levels the next day and open doors to many health problems. Prioritise those hours of restfulness to fuel your body for each day ahead.
Are you looking for something that keeps you aware of your sleep timing and patterns? Switching to health-tracking devices could be just the thing for you. The Luna ring from Noise could be your silent fitness companion. This smart ring keeps track of all your health metrics, including your sleep levels, sleep patterns, activity levels, and much more, helping you design the right routine for optimal productivity.
Get your Luna Ring now only on Noise.
Ayush Jain
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