Nighty Night
Sleep. One of the things I like to do when I’m not eating. ;))))))
Chatting with my buds this week, we got to talking about all the fun shows that are streaming on tv, and how easy it is to just flow from one episode to the next, not necessarily watching the clock, until it’s later than we want. With all I have going on at home, work and personal things I choose to do, one of my favorite things is sleeping. Now, I know, that doesn’t make much sense for an early bird like me, but getting a good night’s sleep is key for me. Although I don’t try to avoid all the normal hazards, like eating late, spicy foods, and especially avoiding “screens” before bedtime, I think I’m pretty good at winding down, letting my body fade into a good sleep. I have to admit that a nice cup of coffee about 30-45 minutes before bed is wonderful which of course drives Jackie and my girls crazy! Most of the time I feel good and recovered ready to take on your PIA (Pain in the @$%) Jobs! I did some digging about sleep, and found some fun stuff I wanted to share. If you have any tips, or crazy dreams, please share (skowalski@khtheat.com).Special thanks to interestingfacts.com, YouTube and The Sleep Institute.
- Sleep is a natural and essential process for all living beings, including humans. We spend about a third of our lives sleeping (about 230,000 hrs.)
- Some of us dream in black and white – studies show that roughly 12% of people dream in black and white. It was closer to 75% before the introduction of color television.
- We are the only mammals that can delay sleep, being able to keep ourselves awake when our body is telling us it’s time to go to sleep. All other mammals have to go to sleep when their bodies feel the need –that is why it’s called being dog tired.
- According to the National Sleep Foundation, male and female circadian rhythms are slightly different. On average, men have a longer circadian rhythm by six minutes meaning they feel less tired in the evening. Women are more likely to have a shorter cycle, meaning they are more prone to waking up earlier.
- Sleep boosts immunity – during the flu season, it’s recommended we sleep seven to eight hours a night to help keep our hardworking immune system in tip top shape.
- According to the National Sleep Foundation, 15% of us sleepwalk, and apparently, it’s ok to wake someone if they’re found sleep walking. This in one of the reasons it’s very important to always put the toilet seat back down!
- It should only take 10 – 15 minutes to fall asleep (the ideal amount of time). If you find yourself dropping off in 5 minutes or under, the likelihood is you’re suffering from sleep deprivation, or just really had a taxing day at work or like me simply special!.
- Nobody sleeps through the night – we all wake up several times throughout the night, mostly without even realizing, whether that’s due to being too hot or cold, partner movement, kids or noise. Waking through the night isn’t anything to worry about – we go through different stages as we sleep and these are peppered with brief awakenings.
- Our sense of smell decreases when we’re asleep – studies have shown that noise can wake us up as we slumber, but smells won’t, which is one of the reasons fire alarms were invented.
- In 1951, a graduate student at the University of Chicago, Eugene Aserinsky, hooked up his 8-year-old son, Armond, to a device that tracked eye movements and brain waves. After Armond fell asleep, Aserinsky noticed from another room that the eye-tracking “pens” were swinging back and forth on his machine. Thinking Armond must be awake and looking around, he went to investigate and found his son sleeping deeply, his eyes closed. Aserinsky’s paper, published in 1953, was the first time REM (rapid eye movement) sleep had been described; before that, scientists had believed that the sleeping brain was more or less turned off (wouldn’t it be nice to turn off our brains?)
- We now know that not just humans but all land mammals and many birds undergo spells of REM sleep. In those spells, the heart rate speeds up, breathing becomes irregular, and brain waves are more variable. Major muscles that we normally control can’t move. REM sleep first occurs about an hour to 90 minutes after falling asleep. As we age, we get less REM sleep, and its function is still not entirely clear.
- We’ve all heard people boasting that they’re perfectly functional on five hours of sleep or less. Adults do vary in their sleep needs, but the number who are at their best with such little sleep is remarkably small. Long-term sleep deprivation is linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and traffic accidents. A rush of cortisol, the hormone that revs us up to manage stress, can create the sensation of alertness. It’s an illusion; the sleep-deprived still do poorly on objective tests of their short-term memory and motor skills.
- For optimal functioning, seniors usually need seven to eight hours, and other adults need seven to nine. Teens need eight to 10 hours (late study nights and early school is a detriment) and younger children need even more.
- You can’t “Catch Up” on Sleep – sleeping in on the weekends won’t make up for the sleep you missed during the week. The only way to get enough sleep is to consistently get a good night’s rest. But, rolling over and pulling the covers up for a little extra shut eye sure is nice!!
- Your Brain Cleans Itself During Sleep: A recent study found that during sleep, the brain’s waste removal system, known as the glymphatic system, is 10 times more active than during waking hours. This suggests that sleep is necessary for the brain to clean itself and maintain optimal function. I am very curious about where my “brain waste” goes?
- Napping is not being lazy – it can actually be beneficial for your health and productivity. Short naps (20-30 minutes) can improve mood, alertness, and cognitive performance.
While experts have learned a great deal about sleep over the years, there is still much we don’t know. By understanding the facts and debunking the myths about sleep, we can all work towards getting the restful, restorative sleep we need to live our best lives.
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DO YOU LIKE CONTESTS?
Me, too.
As you may know the Kowalski Heat Treating logo finds its way
into the visuals of my Friday posts.
I. Love. My. Logo.
One week there could be three logos.
The next week there could be 15 logos.
And sometimes the logo is very small or just a partial logo showing.
But there are always logos in some of the pictures.
So, I challenge you, my beloved readers, to count them and send me a
quick email with the total number of logos in the Friday post.
On the following Tuesday I’ll pick a winner from the correct answers
and send that lucky person some great KHT swag.
So, start counting and good luck!
Oh, and the logos at the very top header don’t count.
Got it? Good. :-))))
Have fun!!
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