was a wisdom that Pubilius Syrus, a Roman moralist, recognized as early as 90 - 40 B.C. Man spends one third of his life asleep. As one of the most natural bodily processes, sleep is nevertheless often the subject of discussion, recognizable by the frequently asked question: Have you slept well? Good sleep is apparently not only considered essential by science.
Sleep - rest and activity
Non-Rapid Eye Movement (NREM) sleep is a kind of stand-by mode. Heart rate and breathing become calm and regular. Muscles relax. Blood pressure drops. This phase accounts for 80 percent of sleep. It becomes more lively during the missing 20 percent. This phase of sleep is known as Rapid Eye Movement (REM). It is the nocturnal phase during which we dream. Irregular breathing and heart rate are typical signs. Involuntary muscle contractions also occur.
Night communication
Sleep has a relaxing and vitalizing effect on the body. In the dream phase, on the other hand, the mind is both relaxed and activated. According to C.G. Jung, the well-known Swiss psychiatrist and founder of analytical psychology, communication with the subconscious takes place in our dreams. Dreams have an effect in the waking state by finding solutions to problems and life situations.
The older, the less sleep
The amount of sleep is subject to variations and depends on age and constitution. Babies sleep almost around the clock. Up to 16 hours of sleep per day are needed for rest and regeneration. Grandmothers, on the other hand, sleep an average of only 5 to 6 hours. The general guideline for an adult is 8 hours of sleep. This time is considered optimal for maintaining healthy bodily functions.
Susceptibility to interference needs mindfulness
Sleep quality is a fragile concept that depends on the interaction of a wide variety of factors. Sleep disorders have a significant impact on health. Delayed falling asleep, frequent waking phases during the night and, in the worst case, insomnia, prevent the much-needed rest for body and mind.
A vicious circle?
According to findings by psychologist and sleep researcher Rubin R. Naiman, lack of sleep can be traced back to an unfavorable lifestyle. The result is an impairment of physical, mental and spiritual processes.
Lack of sleep, in turn, affects the metabolism. Studies show that elevated blood glucose levels are reduced significantly more slowly after just a few nights with 4 hours of sleep due to a disruption in the insulin response. The risk of developing diabetes increases significantly. According to further studies, short sleepers seem to consume more calorie-rich foods. There is thus also a connection between sleep deprivation and obesity.
Stimulus and response
Stress, high coffee consumption, nicotine and an unhealthy diet are among the main factors that prevent restful sleep. Stimulus overload due to permanently required information processing is the order of the day thanks to the Internet and extensive involvement in social networks. If rest phases are missing, body and mind cannot switch off. Permanent stress prevents restful sleep.
The sleep hygiene
is the use of adequate behaviors that enable restful sleep. The ultimate goal is to prevent diseases such as diabetes, obesity and high blood pressure.
Meditation is a proven means of calming thought processes and relieving the brain. Anxiety disorders, which have a significant impact on sleep patterns, can be controlled and eliminated in this way. Physical activities lead to fatigue and reduce sleep disturbances. Limiting the intake of toxins such as caffeine and alcohol can have a great effect. Since the body needs rest in the evening to do healing work, avoiding late and especially heavy meals is advisable.
Meet yourself
Establishing routines every evening signals to the body and mind that it's time to switch off. Before sleep, the preparation for sleep begins. Drinking a cup of herbal tea in peace, taking time to read, a relaxing bath that makes you pleasantly tired - these are all ways to tell your body that the day is coming to an end.
Times when people's attention is continuously demanded, when a flood of information overwhelms the brain's ability to absorb information, require space for reflection on oneself.
Green bedding?
Why not. The Deep Green Sleep TM is a concept called for by Dr. Rubin R Naiman to improve sleep. Here Deep refers to the process of falling asleep, Green to the optimal sleep environment.
A good mattress is important to relieve the back. Bedding with comfortable materials such as wool, organic cotton or natural latex prevent unpleasant stimuli that affect sleep. Green bedding stands as a pictorial reminder of the need to eliminate sleep smog (other colors work too). Ventilation by opening the windows, the use of artificial air filters, keeping house plants such as the areca palm, the bamboo or rubber tree are the measures environmental factors to improve - for a healthy and restful sleep.
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