It’s no secret that a person spends a third of the day sleeping. It seems that this is so much, because how much could be done in this time! However, sleep is essential for the body, and if it is completely absent within 7–10 days, a fatal outcome can occur. When is the best time to go to sleep and what is the ideal time to go to bed?
The benefits of sleep for the body
How does a person’s sleep affect his health? During a night’s rest, the body is restored: the necessary substances are accumulated, amino acids are synthesized, regeneration processes are produced, somatotropic and other hormones are produced. During sleep, immunity normalizes, but the most important processes occur in the brain. At night, this “computer” is engaged in the analysis and processing of the information received during the day, laying it out on the “shelves”, forming a program of future behavior in accordance with the acquired knowledge and skills.
To deprive yourself of sleep means to disrupt all biological processes in the body, and this is fraught with a variety of unpleasant consequences. So, scientists from the Department of Psychobiology, Universidade Federal (Brazil) found that even with a partial restriction of sleep time by about a quarter, a person becomes drowsy, his reaction speed slows down, concentration of attention decreases. Therefore, sleep cannot be neglected, but how to understand when it is better to go to bed?
Ideal time to sleep
According to the famous professor and TV presenter Elena Malysheva, it is best to go to bed at 21:30. It will take about half an hour to fall asleep, and at 22:00 the dream itself will begin directly. This is the perfect time to relax. The professor believes that the main biological processes for restoring the body occur from 22:00 to 00:00 and it is impossible to replace this time with another, that is, it is impossible to “get” in the morning or with the help of daytime sleep.
As for the duration, everyone has their own, but on average it is 8 hours. Napoleon slept only 3–4 hours a day, and Edison was interrupted for a short rest, but many times, which allowed him to feel vigorous and full of energy. Yes, there are people who need 10–12 hours to fully recover and recharge, but the vast majority need an 8‑hour night’s rest.
How to train yourself to go to bed on time?
Now it’s clear when it’s better to sleep, but not everyone manages to go to bed at 21:30. Someone else is engaged in household chores, and someone takes a phone or tablet to bed, which experts categorically advise against doing. Thus, scientists from the Department of Medical statistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University (Guangzhou, China) found that the time spent in front of the screen of an electronic gadget reduces sleep duration and exacerbates depressive symptoms, which is especially true for children and children. teenagers.
This is not surprising, because the sleep hormone melatonin is produced only in the dark, so it is not recommended to fall asleep under the TV or sleep with the light. In general, experts advise developing the habit of going to bed at the same time, and to make it easier to follow it, accompany it with a certain ritual. For example, make it a rule to take a shower, do light exercises, drink a glass of kefir and go to bed. Do not forget to ventilate the room before going to bed and always try to sleep in a cool, not stuffy heated room. All these recommendations will help to establish a sleep and rest regimen.