Sleep plays a vital role in various aspects of health, including weight loss, cleansing, and hormonal balance…
In today’s digital age, many of us find ourselves glued to our screens late at night, whether it’s a mobile phone, TV, or even a Kindle. However, this growing dependency on screen time at bedtime has led to a significant neglect of our sleep. Is it okay to have sleepless nights or strain our eyes with light-emitting gadgets when we should be resting?
Sleep is crucial for children’s growth and immune system. During sleep, a child’s body releases growth hormone, which is essential for their physical development. This period of rest allows the body to repair tissues and muscles, facilitating healthy growth. Furthermore, a well-rested body can avoid infections. Children who do not get enough sleep are more susceptible to illnesses because their immune systems are not as robust.
Not just for kids, but sleep is important for adults as well. It plays a vital role in various aspects of health, including weight loss, cleansing and hormonal balance. Here’s why:
- Proper sleep helps regulate hormones like ghrelin and leptin, which control hunger and appetite. lack of sleep can lead to increased hunger and cravings, making weight loss more challenging.
- During sleep, the body undergoes cleansingprocesses. The brain clears out toxins, and the liver works to cleanse the blood, ensuring overall better health.
- Sleep regulates the production of hormones such as cortisol and melatonin. Cortisol, known as the stress hormone, can wreak havoc on the body if not balanced properly. Melatonin, on the other hand, is crucial for regulating the sleep-wake cycle.
A good night’s sleep has innumerable benefits. While the lack of sleep can increase stress, making it difficult for the body to relax, restore, detoxify, heal, and maintain a healthy weight.
Chronic insomnia or a disturbed sleep cycle can alter the hormonal balance, particularly cortisol and melatonin. Cortisol influences the behaviour of healthy cells in the body , while melatonin, known as the sleep hormone, regulates the body’s circadian rhythm.
Melatonin, an important hormone produced by the pineal gland in the brain, is essential for getting a natural, deep sleep. It also has antioxidant properties that help protect the body’s cells. However, melatonin production only occurs in a dark environment. Exposure to light-emitting gadgets like mobile phones, laptops and TVs can interfere with melatonin production due to the blue light they emit. This blue light has a short wavelength and disrupts the body’s circadian rhythm, leading to decreased melatonin production and ultimately affecting the sleep cycle and healing process. Proper sleep maintains sufficient melatonin levels in the body, while insufficient sleep leads to low melatonin production.
- Adults should aim for seven-eight hours of undisturbed, deep sleep every night and the quality of sleep is crucial, as it significantly impacts our immune system.
- To improve our sleep cycle and overall health, it’s essential to enhance the quality of our sleep, and here are a few tips for the same:
- Stay away from light-emitting gadgets at least one to two hours before bedtime.
- Keep your room as dark as possible. Darkness stimulates melatonin production, helping you fall asleep.
- Listen to music or practice deep breathing exercises, particularly left nostril deep breathing, to calm the mind and reduce cortisol.
- Consider drinking a cup of warm milk or almond milk with a pinch of nutmeg powder before bed. Nutmeg has properties that relax the nerves, promoting better sleep.
- A cup of warm chamomile tea at bedtime also helps relax the stomach and nerves.
- In case the sleep issues are chronic, check with your health care provider.
