The nuts and bolts behind biology and chemistry of sleep that won’t require a PhD to understand.
Click a body part to learn more about how sleep effects it.
Cerebral spinal fluid is pumped more quickly throughout the brain while you sleep. It acts like a dishwasher, whisking away waste products that brain cells make. So you wake up with, quite literally, a clean slate.
One body part that gets a break during sleep is your heart. Your ticker works hard during the day, so at night during non-REM sleep it takes some pressure off itself by reducing heart rate, as well as blood pressure.
When you’re awake, your breathing patterns vary greatly. You’ll breathe faster when excited and harder while exercising, for example. But during sleep, your breathing slows down and becomes very regular.
Certain foods contain an amino acid called tryptophan that causes sleepiness. Carbohydrates make tryptophan more available to the brain, which is why carbohydrate-heavy meals can make you drowsy.
While you sleep, your body releases growth hormones that work to rebuild muscles and joints. The more sleep you get, the better equipped your body will be to repair itself.
Where you sleep matters. Design a bedroom that will help you drift off into dreamland.
From work to weekend schedules, our everyday lives impact our sleep…and vice versa.
Tryptophan causes sleepiness. Proteins from the food we eat are the building blocks of tryptophan, which is why the best bedtime snack is one that contains both a carbohydrate and protein such as cereal with milk.
Melatonin helps control your sleep-wake cycles. Your body’s internal clock (also known as your circadian rhythm) influences how much melatonin your body makes, as does the amount of light that you're exposed to each day.
Sex = good for sleep. It boosts oxytocin (a hormone that makes you feel connected to your partner) and lowers cortisol (a stress-related hormone). Plus, orgasms release prolactin, which help you feel relaxed and sleepy.
Generally, caffiene lasts for 5 to 6 hours in the body before wearing off. So cut out the coffee after early afternoon so that you can start to wind down in time for bedtime.
Sleep improves your ability to make more accurate split-second decisions by about four percent. Hey, it may not sound like much, but every little bit helps!
It doesn't matter when you hit the gym, just that you get in your daily burn. People who work out regularly sleep better—and longer—than those who don't.
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