Sleep – the unknown half of life: Scientists have been researching our state of rest for around 90 years. They still cannot solve some puzzles. Only partial aspects are known so far. For example, that we only dream in the REM phases of sleep, that there are more than 80 types of sleep disorders, or that nocturnal breathing pauses can lead to cardiac arrhythmias and high blood pressure. But time and time again, sleep researchers amaze us with findings that are completely “rested out”. Here are five pieces of news:
Women sleep differently
Compared to men, women sleep about an hour longer each night. They fall asleep more slowly, wake up more often and suffer from insomnia twice as often. After the age of 40, the number of women with real sleep problems increases from around 7 to around 10 percent. This is due to specific female factors such as hormonal fluctuations during menopause, stress or worries. But long before the menopause, the sex hormones make the majority of women sleep much more restlessly and less deeply during their menstrual period. Even the hormones from birth control pills can affect sleep. They cause fewer deep sleep phases and more light sleep phases. The body temperature rises and the amount of the sleep hormone melatonin released changes. Also the thyroidaffects women more often than men. In the case of hyperfunction, the body is hyped up and cannot rest. With a hypofunction, he lacks the necessary energy. Those affected sleep longer and still feel tired. Better to sleep alone Women have less restorative deep sleep when lying next to a man. This was the result of a study by the University of Vienna. On the other hand, the stronger sex sleeps better at the side of their partner. Scientists explain it like this: The sensitivity of women may have evolutionary reasons. She always responds to the man around her. Men, on the other hand, are “pair sleepers” and feel safer around other people.
If you want to be beautiful, you have to sleep
In just seven hours of sleep, our body is completely “overhauled” because our hormone balance is working at full speed. It only releases a growth hormone during deep sleep. It breaks down fat in problem areas such as the buttocks and thighs, from which energy is generated in our body cells. And that’s exactly what our skin cells need to regenerate at night. “But if you don’t get restful sleep in the long run, you’re obviously missing the growth hormone. The skin becomes thinner and wrinkles form,” says Prof. Jürgen Zulley from the Sleep Medicine Center of the Regensburg District Hospital. It is not only the growth hormone that ensures fewer wrinkles and smooth skin, but also relaxed muscles – like when you are asleep. This deep relaxation improves blood circulation in the skin and supplies it with nutrients.
quality not quantity
quality not quantity
Many think: It is best to sleep without light and noise. But that’s not entirely true. Anyone who thinks that they are doing themselves a favor with earplugs and completely darkened rooms is wrong. Our sleeping environment shouldn’t be completely non-stimulating either. For example, subjects in the sleep laboratory at the University Clinic for Neurology in Vienna experienced absolute silence as uncanny. Typical noises from a familiar environment “sing” us to sleep, so to speak. But even in a familiar environment, we never sleep through the night. “It’s perfectly normal to wake up occasionally during the night,” says Dr. Tilmann Müller from the Center for Sleep Medicine at the University Hospital in Münster. “This usually happens when changing sleeping positions,” says the sleep researcher. “This is how we ensure constant blood circulation. And the brain keeps working at the same time. “ How much sleep each of us needs varies greatly from person to person. There is no optimal sleep time, but seven hours a night is a good guide. Much more important than the duration is the quality of the night’s sleep.
Too little sleep makes you sick
Fatigue damages our body in the long run. If people who sleep less than seven hours are specifically exposed to cold viruses, they develop cough and hoarseness three times as often as test persons who sleep at least eight hours. The sleep duration of around 10,300 civil servants aged 35 to 55 was examined at the Warwick Medical School in Coventry, UK. Sleeping just five hours a night doubles your risk of developing high blood pressure or diabetes. And lack of sleep also makes you fat, according to researchers at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. They examined more than 68,000 women between the ages of 39 and 65. At the beginning, the participants who slept five hours or less weighed an average of 2.5 kilograms more than the “late risers” who slept seven hours a night. After 16 years, the “short sleepers” had gained another 1.5 kilograms on average. Surprising, because they ate similar to the comparison group and did just as much sport. So there are many good reasons to snuggle up, close your eyes and sleep. It’s the easiest thing you can do for your health.
