Do you feel older than you are when you get out of bed in the morning? Researchers at the University of Exeter say poor sleep may be the cause of this feeling. What should you know?
- Probably everyone knows that sleep serves regeneration and we should not devour the night
- When there is not enough sleep or it is of poor quality, the body’s turnover slows down – the brain works worse and the efficiency decreases.
- Scientists have found that poor sleep quality also makes us feel older
- More current information can be found on the Onet homepage.
Getting enough sleep affects many key body functions. A recent study by British scientists also points to a link between poor sleep and negative feelings related to aging. According to the lead author of the study, Dr. Serena Sabatini of the University of Exeter, poor sleep quality is associated with more negative feelings about aging, such as feeling old and having poorer prospects for aging. People who don’t sleep well may also be more prone to health problems, according to the researchers.
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Sleep and aging
A study published on October 23, 2021 by British scientists used data from 4. 482 participants from the ongoing PROTECT study. This study, too, is conducted by researchers at the University of Exeter, and aims to find out what protects people’s cognitive health as they age. Many people participating in it commented on the quality of their sleep and its impact on well-being. Therefore, scientists decided to give participants a questionnaire in which they were asked, among others, about the perceived quality of sleep, subjective age, changes in well-being and everyday functioning. After one year, the participants of the research completed the questionnaire again. The researchers then analyzed the collected data. In their opinion, those who rated their sleep the worst felt older. They also felt that they were aging badly.
- Sleep phases
Further part under the video.
Symptoms of poor sleep?
Experts say that poor sleep not only makes us feel more negative about aging, it can also have a real impact on our health. Poor sleep can affect both your physical, mental and cognitive health. According to «Healthline Media» Stephanie Griggs, assistant professor at Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing emphasizes the importance of sleep phases to our health. At each stage, hormones necessary for the proper functioning of the body are secreted or regulated.
Cristiano Guarana, assistant professor of management and entrepreneurship at Indiana University Kelley School of Business, highlights how poor sleep affects our thinking. The scientist emphasizes that sleep deprivation reduces the connectivity between the amygdala and the brain’s prefrontal cortex. «Overall, these regions are responsible for controlling our impulses and processing relevant information. For example, people deprived of sleep have gaps in attention, make bad choices, engage in unethical behavior and regulate negative emotions less well, »the article reads.
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How to improve sleep quality?
According to experts, there are several scientifically proven ways to improve the quality of sleep.
- Maintain a regular schedule.
First of all, we should take care of a regular schedule. Both going to bed and getting up should always be at the same time. Even if we went to bed later the day before, we should get up at the time we set in the morning. Therefore, we cannot afford to fall asleep on the weekend. It is thanks to regular habits that our body is able to function properly.
- Avoid taking naps during the day
Though a nap seems at times an encouraging solution. According to Griggs, if we give in to a nap during the day, it will be much harder for us to fall asleep at night.
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- Avoid screens before bedtime
Exposure to blue light can inhibit the release of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep time. Dietary supplement with melatonin available from Medonet Market. Griggs suggests avoiding blue light from phone and computer screens an hour before bedtime.
- Take care of proper lighting
As with avoiding screen time, other light sources can also interfere with melatonin production. Therefore, when preparing for sleep, it is worth covering the windows carefully. It may also be a good idea to wear a mask over your eyes.
- Make the bed associated with sleep
Guarana also suggests that problems falling asleep may be caused by treating the bed not only as a place to sleep. In his opinion – “The main reason for this is that the brain learns to associate the bed with wakefulness”. So if we haven’t fallen asleep for 25 minutes, we should get up, do a few other things, and go back to bed when we actually feel sleepy.
- Avoid coffee and alcohol before bedtime
Both coffee and alcohol can cause sleep problems and interfere with your ability to stay asleep. Alcohol also affects our well-being in the morning. Too much alcohol at bedtime can make you feel more tired throughout the day.
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We encourage you to listen to the latest episode of the RESET podcast. This time Kamila Wykrota, the resilience trainer, will tell us about what resilience is. How does the ability to adapt to changing circumstances and react to adversities affect our quality of life? You will find out by listening to the latest episode of our podcast.