Maximize Sleep
- Luke Jennings
- Nov 20
- 4 min read
Sleep is the main hallmark of health and well-being. During sleep the body undergoes essential restorative processes for both healing the body and the brain. In this post I will explain first what exactly occurs during sleep, the advantages that come from quality sleep at night, the disruption health that comes from sleeping poorly, and actionable steps to improve your sleep. Sleep has been intensively researched but it is a very complex process so there is still much that has not been discovered yet. The information that I will present is based on the most established and current research on the subject.
What occurs during sleep?
During sleep the main processes that both restore the body and consolidate and sort through memories are performed. The body and brain become less active in general during sleep and that allows the body to use other resources to repair itself. In general, the average adult needs between 7-9 hours of sleep every night. Individual sleep schedules often vary depending on genetic and lifestyle factors. However, there are certain biological processes that are the same for everyone. During the day adenosine builds up in the brain which contributes to sleep pressure or the desire to fall asleep. In addition, as it gets darker the pineal gland releases melatonin which is the chemical that induces the body to sleep. As the night progresses less melatonin is released until you wake up. At the point of waking up, sunlight entering the eye causes the body to release serotonin which promotes wakefulness.
There are different stages of sleep and different processes happen depending on what stage of sleep it is. There are 2 divisions of sleep: non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREM) and rapid eye movement sleep (REM). During NREM sleep the body relaxes, there is slower brain wave activity, and the body performs most of its physical restorative processes. There are 3 stages of NREM sleep and each one gets progressively deeper. During REM sleep brain activity is similar to that of wakefulness, the eyes move rapidly, and there is vivid dreaming. During this period the brain forms new neural connections and consolidates, processes, and stores memories.
Sleep also occurs in cycles. Each cycle lasts between 90 and 120 minutes. It begins with NREM stage 1 and then progresses to NREM stages 2 and 3. The final stage is REM sleep and once that is completed, the body begins a new sleep cycle. Most adults go through 4-5 sleep cycles every night.
Health benefits of quality sleep
Since sleep is important for restoring all of the body's tissues and processes, it makes sense that sleep improves your health in practically every way. Good sleep leads to greater focus, memory, and energy levels. It improves reasoning, executive control, and emotional processing. It facilitates heart health, muscle recovery, bone growth, and blood sugar control. Quality sleep has also been shown to reduce cortisol levels and stress, improve immune function, and promote a healthy body weight.
Negative consequences of poor sleep
Those who have problems sleeping such as those with sleep apnea or insomnia suffer from many negative health consequences. Many of these are the opposite of what was shared above. One of the problems with sleep deprivation or poor quality sleep is that it can affect your judgement and reasoning. This in itself is detrimental because it can make it difficult to determine how poor sleep is affecting you negatively. This makes it more likely that that those who do suffer from poor sleep are less likely to seek help. Poor quality sleep especially over an extended period of time can lead to impaired brain and musculoskeletal health. It impairs your immune system and increases your risk for heart disease by 48%. It also increases your rick for most types of cancers and increases your risk of developing type 2 diabetes threefold. Another alarming statistic is that sleep deprivation can increase your risk of developing dementia by 33%.
How to improve sleep
The best ways to improve sleep is through improving your sleep hygiene. However, those with severe problems with sleep often benefit from medication. However, it is preferred that medication be used for the short term to assist with correcting sleep instead of being used for the long term because of potential side effects and dependency. Sleep hygiene consists of the behaviors and practices that you perform to prepare for sleep. Experts have found that although there are differences between individuals there are certain principles that are applicable to everyone. One of the most important principles is to establish a regular and consistent schedule for sleep. The body adjusts to the routine and it makes it easier to get the amount of sleep that you need. It is also important to create an environment that promotes sleep. It has been shown that a cooler, dark, and quiet room is better for enabling sleep. It is also important to avoid stimulants and screens before bed. Also, exercise is a great promoter of better sleep since it increases sleep pressure throughout the day. If you need additional help getting better sleep it could be helpful to keep a sleep journal so you can determine the factors that contribute most to the times when you sleep well and when you don't.