Sleeping well is very important, the Sleep Institute points out that “sleep is a basic need of the body and its satisfaction allows us to survive.” What can be done to improve your sleep routine? Here are some tips.
Mexico City, November 22 (However).- After a long day of work or school it is time to get into bed, cover yourself with the blankets and sleep. Sometimes it is easy to fall asleep and other times, insomnia comes, with this in mind we share some tips.
According to the website of The National Institutes of Health (NIH), “sleep plays a critical role in good health and well-being throughout life. How we feel while awake depends, in part, on what happens while we sleep. During sleep, the body works to support healthy brain function and maintain physical health.”
For the Sleep Institute: “Sleep is an integral part of daily life, a biological need that allows us to restore the physical and psychological functions essential for full performance.”
Regarding how many hours you should sleep, the Sleep Institute is clear in pointing out that “the basic sleep needs to maintain the functions and survival of the body are around an average of 4 or 5 hours of sleep every 24 hours. The rest of the hours we sleep contribute to improving our well-being and greater quality of life, estimating that the optimal point of rest could be found at an average of 8.3 hours.”
Verónica Velázquez Zazueta, sleep advisor, shared an ideal 15-minute routine to close the day and achieve better sleep:
- The first step is physical transition, that is, putting on your pajamas, stretching and moving.
- As a second step, you have to free your mind; for this, the recommendation is to write down the pending items on a sheet of paper and mark them to do tomorrow.
- Finally, a body scan, identify where there is tension in the body and relax by breathing deeply.
How does the menstrual cycle affect sleep?
People who menstruate may have their sleep affected depending on the stage of the menstrual cycle and throughout it, estrogen and progesterone levels constantly fluctuate. These hormones not only regulate ovulation and bleeding, they also influence sleep rhythms, body temperature, and daily energy levels.
Saba invited us to learn more about how menstruation impacts the sleep cycle. Verónica Velázquez Zazueta, sleep advisor, explained that the phases of this cycle are key.
“Day 1, which is the first day of bleeding; from day 1 to let’s say 5 or 7, depending on how long it lasts for each person. What is there? There may be cramping, there may be discomfort, there may be less energy, it may be more difficult to fall asleep,” Verónica explained. This responds to the fact that in the days before and during menstruation, the hormonal drop can cause drowsiness, difficulty concentrating and a feeling of exhaustion. Additionally, iron loss related to bleeding can reduce oxygen transport in the blood, increasing fatigue.
Added to this is the discomfort of not wanting to move so as not to stain the bed. A study conducted with university women in Mexico revealed that 43.7 percent sleep less than eight hours per night and 63 percent wake up at least once during the night (Horizonte Sanitario, 2021, Universidad de Guanajuato). Although not all interruptions are linked to the cycle, the data reflects how common fragmented sleep is in women.
“Follicular phase, what happens? Starting, we are going to say, for those who last longer, from the 7th to the 15th or from the 7th to the 14th. The follicular phase is when we are about to ovulate, there is more energy, better mood, there is deeper sleep. These are your days of greatest creativity, of greatest productivity,” said Verónica.
When talking about ovulation, which occurs on day 14 or 15, the specialist points out that from that day until the bleeding arrives, that is, approximately 15 days, the body temperature rises. “Something critical to sleeping well is that our body temperature drops. Every night our temperature drops approximately 1 degree. But then imagine the body trying to lower the temperature, but we already ovulate and it rises,” he said.
At this stage it is more difficult to fall asleep if we add to that being in front of the computer for a long time, stress and exercising at night, which further raises the body temperature.
How to sleep better?
Verónica Velázquez shared some tips that become habits, and with repetition, will contribute to having a better rest:
- Create a quiet environment for rest, with soft lighting and a pleasant temperature.
- Avoid screens at least half an hour before bedtime.
- What to have for dinner? Verónica explained that dinner should be balanced and sufficient, that is, it should provide a feeling of satiety, avoiding greasy and spicy foods. Some foods that promote better rest since they have melatonin precursors, such as kiwi, cherry, pistachios, turkey, dairy, among others, so an option may be a sandwich and some fruit like kiwi. It is important to limit caffeine consumption, especially in the afternoon.
- Maintain a diet rich in iron, magnesium and B vitamins to help the body regain energy and hormonal balance.
- Include moderate physical activity such as yoga, stretching or gentle walking to release tension. You should avoid exercising before going to sleep, as this can influence falling asleep since the body remains alert.
- Practice relaxation techniques such as deep breathing or guided meditation to reduce anxiety and prepare the body for sleep.