Sleeping irregularities cause a loss in memory, researchers from Washington University have made this claim in their research. Researchers say due to incomplete sleep there is a direct effect on the brain. This effect on the brain is visible in our ability to think and understand. Today, in this article we will tell discuss why and how much sleep do we need?
Ideal sleeping duration
Researchers suggest that if we are taking 8 hours of sleep and setting the alarm 30 minutes earlier, then seven and a half hours of sleep has a positive effect on the brain. The sleep of this much stretch reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
Why is a sound sleep is a must?
The above claim regarding Alzheimer’s disease was confirmed in research conducted on 100 elderly people with an average age of 75 years. For research, a small monitor was tied on the forehead of these elders. Activity in the brain during sleep was monitored. Research that lasted an average of four and a half years revealed that sleep has a direct effect on brain activity.
A special type of protein is responsible for Alzheimer’s disease. The level of that protein in the cerebrospinal fluid of the brain with respect to sleep was monitored. Patients who slept for about 7.5 hours each night had better cognitive scores. At the same time, this score was lower in people who slept 5 to 6 hours a day.
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Earlier research had revealed that there is a connection between Alzheimer’s disease and poor sleep. Symptoms of Alzheimer’s include memory loss, confusion, and a delay in understanding new things. To avoid this risk a good and enough sleep is a must.
How to deal with sleeplessness?
If you are facing some problems in sleeping, you can follow some tips to get better sleep.
- Start breathing exercise, to do this, sit or lie down in a comfortable position in a quiet place. If you are using this technique for sleep then it is better to lie down. Now put the tip of the tongue at the palate just behind the teeth. Keep it like this throughout the practice. Now inhale and exhale slowly while focusing on your breaths.
- It has been proved through various researches that drinking lukewarm milk helps in inducing good sleep. An amino acid called tryptophan is found in milk which triggers sleep. Apart from this, research also revealed that peptide casein hydrolysate is also found in milk, which reduces stress and improves sleep. Together these two things remove the problem of insomnia.
- Bright light exposure is very important during the day to get good sleep at night. Keeping the body in bright light during the day maintain the hormonal balance.
- Keep away yourself from the blue light of the screen, especially before sleep time.
- Stay away from caffeine during the night as it will disrupt your sleep cycle. Caffeine can stay elevated in your blood for 6–8 hours.
- While short power naps are good for the brain, long or irregular sleep during the day can negatively affect your sleep at night. So avoid such naps during the day.
Also read: Going through sleepless nights? These 5 Superfoods can treat your Insomnia