World Sleep Day | Are you sleeping well?

World Sleep Day | Are you sleeping well?

Author: Guan Juan, Emergency Department, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital

March 21st of each year is World Sleep Day, which is initiated by the International Sleep Association to raise global public awareness of the importance of sleep. The theme of World Sleep Day 2024 is: Healthy sleep, shared by everyone.

Do you sleep well? In this era of caffeine and mobile phones, many people may shake their heads and sigh. During the day, cup after cup of coffee becomes the source of life, while at night, the bright light of the mobile phone screen becomes the last company before falling asleep. But this lifestyle is quietly eroding our sleep and health.

Although coffee can temporarily boost our spirits, long-term dependence may lead to poor sleep quality and even insomnia. Excessive use of mobile phones at night will not only interfere with our biological clock and affect the secretion of melatonin, but may also increase anxiety and stress, making us toss and turn in bed and unable to fall asleep. Therefore, understanding the importance of sleep and mastering scientific sleep methods have become topics that we must pay attention to.

1. Good sleep has many benefits

Good sleep is essential for both physical and mental health.

1. Good sleep helps restore physical strength. During sleep, the organs of the human body will synthesize and produce the energy substances needed by the human body. At the same time, the heart rate and blood pressure will decrease, and the basal metabolic rate will decrease. These changes are helpful for physical recovery.

2. Good sleep protects the brain and restores energy. People who get enough sleep tend to be energetic, quick-witted, and efficient. This is because sleep helps the brain clean up waste and maintain a good metabolic state, thus avoiding degenerative diseases of the nervous system.

3. Good sleep can improve immunity. Sleep enhances the body's ability to produce antibodies, thereby enhancing resistance to external viruses, bacteria and other pathogenic microorganisms. Clinically, many chronic diseases of the system are closely related to sleep, such as the digestive system and nervous system. Good sleep helps prevent the occurrence of these diseases.

4. For children, good sleep can promote growth and development. Children's growth is accelerated during sleep because the growth hormone in plasma can be maintained at a high level for several hours during sleep.

5. Good sleep can delay aging. Many healthy and long-lived elderly people have good sleeping habits. This is because sleep helps cells repair and renew, thus keeping the body young.

Good sleep is beneficial to both physical and mental health. Everyone should pay attention to their sleep and work hard to adjust and improve their sleep quality.

However, more than 300 million people worldwide suffer from sleep disorders, which are common sleep problems that may manifest in many different forms, such as insomnia, excessive sleepiness, sleep breathing disorders, and abnormal sleep behavior. These disorders may affect people's sleep quality, leading to daytime fatigue, lack of concentration, memory loss, and other problems, and in severe cases may even cause mental illness.

2. The secret to a good sleep

1. Regular work and rest: Establish a fixed work and rest schedule, try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends or holidays. This will help adjust the body's sleep rhythm and improve sleep quality.

2. Establish a good bedtime routine: Create an environment that helps you relax and fall asleep. This may include gentle lighting, quiet music, a meditation session, or a reading session. Avoid stimulating activities before bed, such as using electronic devices or watching intense television shows.

3. Comfortable sleeping environment: Make sure the sleeping environment is quiet, dark, cool and comfortable. Use a comfortable mattress, pillow and quilt, and keep the room at a comfortable temperature. If possible, consider using earplugs or a white noise machine to reduce noise disturbances.

4. Control caffeine and alcohol intake: Try to avoid drinking caffeinated beverages such as coffee, tea and cola before going to bed. Similarly, excessive drinking may also affect sleep quality. If you need to drink, try to drink earlier and make sure the amount is moderate.

5. Manage stress and anxiety: Learning to manage and reduce stress and anxiety is essential to maintaining a good night's sleep. Try to relieve stress and anxiety through exercise, meditation, deep breathing, or other relaxation techniques.

6. Maintain good interpersonal relationships: Maintain good communication with family and friends, and share each other's feelings and troubles. This helps reduce psychological stress and thus improve sleep quality.

7. Proper exercise and diet: Maintain moderate physical activity, such as walking, running or swimming, etc. At the same time, ensure a balanced diet with adequate intake of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

8. Limit the use of electronic products: Avoid using electronic devices such as mobile phones, computers and tablets for a long time before going to bed. The blue light from these devices may affect sleep quality.

9. Seek professional help: If you have tried the above methods and still cannot have a good sleep, you can consider consulting a professional doctor or sleep expert.

3. Eliminate misunderstandings:

1. The longer you sleep, the better?

Many people believe that the longer they sleep, the better their mental state. But in fact, too much sleep may cause physical discomfort, such as headaches, backaches, etc. People of different ages have different needs for sleep. From infants to the elderly, people at each stage need different lengths of sleep to stay healthy and energetic.

For infants, their sleep needs are relatively high. Newborns need an average of 16-20 hours of sleep a day because their bodies and brains are developing rapidly and need adequate sleep to support growth and development. As they grow older, infants' sleep time will gradually decrease, but before the age of 1, they usually still need more sleep than adults.

As children enter childhood, their sleep needs also vary. Preschoolers typically need 10-13 hours of sleep a day, including sleep at night and a short nap in the afternoon. As they get older, elementary and middle school students need less sleep, but they usually still need to ensure 8-10 hours of sleep a day.

For adults, 7-9 hours of sleep is usually required per day. However, this range will vary from person to person, depending on factors such as personal lifestyle, health status and work pressure.

As they age, the sleep needs of the elderly will gradually decrease. They usually only need 5-7 hours of sleep to stay energetic and alert. In addition, the sleep quality of the elderly may also be affected, such as more nighttime awakenings and shorter sleep time.

2. Does drinking help you sleep?

The effects of drinking alcohol on sleep vary from person to person. Some people may find that drinking alcohol helps them fall asleep because it has a calming and relaxing effect, which can reduce stress and anxiety. However, it can interfere with the quality of sleep, causing people to feel tired and have a headache when they wake up the next day. Long-term drinking can also cause sleep problems and other health problems.

So, in the long run, drinking is not a good way to help you sleep. Alcohol interferes with the quality of your sleep, leading to sleep interruptions and increased light sleep. This causes people to wake up more often at night and reduce their sleep quality. In addition, long-term alcohol abuse may lead to sleep disorders such as insomnia and sleep apnea. Alcohol can also cause frequent urination at night, further interfering with sleep.

3. Is snoring a sign of a good sleep?

Snoring is not necessarily a sign of a good sleep. Snoring, also known as snoring, may be caused by a blocked airway. When the airway is blocked, air cannot flow smoothly, resulting in a sound during sleep, which is called snoring.

There are several possible causes of blocked airways, including colds, sinusitis, and deviated nasal septum. For example, a cold may cause nasal congestion and runny nose, which can block nasal ventilation and lead to snoring. Sinusitis is caused by bacterial and viral infections that lead to nasal congestion, and purulent secretions in the nasal cavity can also affect ventilation, causing snoring. In addition, a deviated nasal septum can cause nasal narrowing, which can make airflow through the nasal cavity difficult, which may cause snoring.

Therefore, snoring is not a sign of a good sleep, but may be a symptom of certain health problems. If snoring occurs, especially when accompanied by other uncomfortable symptoms such as breath holding, waking up due to suffocation, or unstable sleep, it is recommended to go to the hospital in time to find out the cause and receive treatment. In addition, proper adjustment of sleeping posture may also help improve the symptoms of snoring. (Author: Guan Juan, Emergency Department, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital)

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