Sleep: An Important Workout

Let’s understand why sleeping is as important as doing Workout.

So much has been said and articulated on the importance of having a deep and sound sleep. You also would have studied or read on the harmful effects of undersleeping and oversleeping.

Let’s see all of that information in a compiled way which will give you a clear idea of why it’s important to give importance to the most powerful exercise you got to do throughout your life.

Deep Sleep: A Boon or A Bane?
According to research by famous “Sleep Scientist” Matt Walker, here are some keynotes benefits of having a ‘Deep n Sound’ Sleep.

Sleep is necessary to increase learning power. A “sleep deficit” person possesses 40% less learning power on average which is a Huge Number. There is a part of a brain called the Hippocampus which acts as an “Inbox” of the information that you receive throughout the day and it saves that “Inbox” when you sleep. So, it concludes that those who sleep well have great learning and retention power. So next time, if someone says or argues “The more you sleep the more you’ll become Lazy” tell them “The more you sleep the more you’ll become smart and sharp”. Obviously, there are some hidden disadvantages of oversleeping which I’ll cover later.

Deep sleep acts like the mechanism of transferring the temporary file to a permanent reservoir. So, those spikes of Deep Sleep you observe in your “Smart Band” analysis of sleep are the points where this “Commit” happens(those from Non-Computer Science Background won’t understand this, but it’s ok).

So next time you need to learn something new and have to retain it make sure to do two activities:

a. Get a Deep Sleep before starting any new learning activity, as it’ll make sure to make up some empty space for easy penetration of new information.

b. Get a Deep Sleep after any learning activity, as it’ll make sure that it can be permanently saved into some non-volatile part of the brain.

People always say that aging affects learning and grasping ability, the reason is the reduction in quality deep sleep which inhibits these file transfer mechanism inside the brain. Lack of Sleep can create some scared implications like Alzheimer's, increased Cardiovascular attacks, car accidents, and even suicide.

Reduction in Immune Cells is studied to be reduced by at least 70% in those who have only 4 hours of sleep vs those who have at least 8 hours of it.

What not to do for deep sleep?
Sleeping pills are not the solution, as they don’t produce Natural Sleep and it’ll prove to be addictive at a later point of the stage which is harmful to your overall health.

Short is your sleep, shorter is your life.

What to do then? Any Tips?
Regularity — Go to bed at the same time and wake up at the same time.
When you start going to bed at the same time and forcing you to wake up the same time every day no matter it’s a Weekday or a Weekend. You got to keep it the same. Your body will become habitual of the same and eventually, it’ll start to follow the same clock as you want.

Lower down the temperature of the room.
Studies have shown that body needs to 2–3 degrees lower temperature for sound sleep and it increases the “spikes” of Deep Sleep where all unimaginable activity happens.
You can wear light cotton clothes which help you to get some air pass through your body and keep it cool.

Small-Naps.
If you struggle to find a schedule to have 8 hours of sleep in a day, better you schedule some power-naps of up to 20 mins. This will help you to regain the focus and retaining the things you just learned.

What is “Oversleeping” and is it any good?
Generally, if you’re sleeping more than 8 hours of the time, it’s probably an oversleeping and you really need to consult a doctor for that.
Studies have shown that oversleeping is linked to various medical disorders like Symptoms of Anxiety, low energy, and memory problem(too much of anything is BAD). Headaches, Obesity, Back Pain, Depression, Heart Disease, and shortening of life-span are also linked to Oversleeping.
Tracking your sleeping pattern in this modern era of “never-ending” Notifications, Messages, disruptions is very important and it is up to you how you are going to tackle this.

Sleep can make you or it can break you, choose wisely.

Happy Sleep.

Best, Atul.