Restoring Balance: Sleep Cycles and Your Health

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Restoring Balance: Sleep Cycles and Your Health

Your performance during the day depends on what happened while you were sleeping the night before.1 Your body needs to balance periods of rest with periods of wakefulness to function properly and stay healthy.2 Continue reading to learn why an extra cup of coffee can’t make up for lost sleep. 

What Are Sleep Cycles?

When you sleep, your brain cycles between two phases of sleep — rapid eye movement (REM) and non-REM sleep.3  

The first phase of sleep is non-REM sleep. This phase includes the transition between wakefulness and sleep and deep sleep. It’s usually hard to wake up from this stage of sleep.4  

The second phase is REM sleep, where your eyes twitch, and your brain is almost as active as it is when you’re awake. REM sleep is the stage where you dream. Most people have longer REM sleep later at night.3  

One sleep cycle takes about 80 to 100 minutes, and most people need four to six sleep cycles per night. This means that you need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep per night to get enough sleep.3 

What Happens While You Sleep?

Sleep gives your body a chance to restore balance to your body and mind.  

During non-REM sleep, your body recovers by:4

  • Building bone and muscle
  • Repairing and regenerating tissue
  • Strengthening the immune system 
  • Restoring energy
  • Releasing hormones  

During REM sleep, your brain recovers by:4

  • Storing memories 
  • Stimulating learning
  • Processing emotions
  • Balancing your mood

Why Is Sleep Important?

Not only does sleep impact how you feel and function day-to-day, but it also affects your overall health. A lack of sleep (sleep deprivation) can impact work or school performance if you have trouble focusing, learning, and performing tasks. You might also have more trouble interacting with others, as lack of sleep can make it harder for you to regulate your own emotions and read other people’s reactions.5  

Sleep deprivation can even increase your risk of death from injuries or increase your risk of serious health conditions, such as:5

  • Heart disease
  • Stroke 
  • Obesity
  • High blood pressure
  • Kidney disease 
  • Depression 

6 Tips for Better Sleep 

You can’t make up for lost sleep on the weekend. Good sleeping habits — also called sleep hygiene — can help you get the benefits your body needs from sleep.4 Try the following tips for better sleep.

  1. Be Consistent

You may be able to get better quality and longer sleep if you go to sleep and wake up at the same time each day — even on weekends.6 Make sure to pick a bedtime so that you have enough time to get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep every night.7  

Going to sleep and waking up at the same time each day might also reduce your risk of chronic conditions, such as:8,9

  • Depression
  • Obesity
  • High blood pressure 
  • High cholesterol
  • Diabetes  

A consistent sleep schedule can help you maintain a stable circadian rhythm (internal clock). Your circadian rhythm is your body’s master clock that helps you coordinate mental and physical systems in your body by stimulating different hormones to release throughout the day. One of the most important hormones involved in regulating sleep is melatonin. Your body naturally makes this hormone as night falls to promote sleep.10  

  1. Get the Right Environment

For the best quality sleep, make your bedroom into a sleep oasis. It should be dark, quiet, and a comfortable temperature.  

The release of melatonin in your body is influenced by temperature and light. Your body starts to naturally produce melatonin to promote sleep as it gets dark and your body starts to cool.11,12 

It’s easier to fall asleep in a dark and quiet room. Any light can decrease melatonin production, including the light from electronics like your phone. It’s best to put away all electronics 30 to 60 minutes before bedtime.11  

For most people, the most comfortable room temperature for sleep is about 68 degrees Fahrenheit. A cooler temperature can facilitate the release of melatonin and tell your body that it’s time to sleep.12 

  1. Avoid Caffeine, Nicotine, and Alcohol Late in the Day

To help you sleep, it’s best to avoid things that can disrupt your sleep late in the day. 

You may use products with caffeine (such as coffee, tea, or energy drinks) to help you feel more alert and focused during the day, especially if you’re sleep deprived. But if you drink caffeine too late in the day, it can make it harder to sleep, making you even more tired the next day. Try to stop consuming caffeine at least 6 hours before you want to go to sleep for the best quality sleep.13

While alcohol may make you sleepy, it can cause poor-quality sleep.14 One study found that consuming nicotine or alcohol within 4 hours of bedtime caused sleep disruptions.15 

  1. Stay Active

Not only does physical activity help you sleep better, but it can also lower your risk of chronic health conditions like heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. The type and timing of physical activity can make a difference, though.16  

Keep high-intensity aerobic workouts earlier in the day. Activities like stretching and yoga can promote relaxation and may be helpful in the evening before bed.16 

  1. Relax Before Bed

A relaxing bedtime routine 30 to 60 minutes before bed can reduce anxiety and prepare your mind and body to sleep. The best way to relax and wind down before bed can be different for everyone. Some activities to help you wind down before bed include:17

  • Yoga
  • Meditation
  • Reading
  • Taking a warm bath
  • Writing a to-do list 
  1. Consider a Supplement 

If you’re still struggling to get the restful sleep you need to restore your balance, try adding KNOCK OUT to your bedtime routine to help you go down faster and get uninterrupted, sound sleep.  

KNOCK OUT has a unique combination of ingredients that work together to help you sleep better. Some ingredients help promote a good night's sleep, such as:18,19,20,21

  • Melatonin
  • Mucuna pruriens
  • Hops extract
  • Galantamine 

Other ingredients help ease anxiety so you can fall asleep with a clear mind, such as:22,23,24,25

  • GABA
  • L-Theanine
  • Phenibut
  • 5-HTP
  • Valerian Root Extract

Some medical conditions or sleep disorders can also make it hard to sleep. Talk to your doctor before starting any new supplement and if you have trouble sleeping or if you still feel tired after getting enough sleep.5

 

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References
  1. Why Is Sleep Important?. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Updated March 24, 2022. Accessed June 10, 2023.
  2. How Sleep Works. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Updated March 24, 2022. Accessed June 10, 2023.
  3. Sleep Phases and Stages. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Updated March 24, 2022. Accessed June 10, 2023.
  4. Sleep Basics. Cleveland Clinic. Updated December 7, 2020. Accessed June 10, 2023. 
  5. What Are Sleep Deprivation and Deficiency? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Updated March 24, 2022. Accessed June 10, 2023.
  6. Tips for Better Sleep. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Updated September 13, 2022. Accessed June 28, 2023. 
  7. Åkerstedt T, Narusyte J, Alexanderson K, Svedberg P. Sleep duration, mortality, and heredity—A prospective twin study. Sleep. 2017;40(10). 
  8. Fang Y, Forger DB, Frank E, et al. Day-to-day variability in sleep parameters and depression risk: A prospective cohort study of training physicians. Npj Digital Medicine. 2021;4(1),1-9. 
  9. Huang T, Redline S. Cross-sectional
    and prospective associations of actigraphy-assessed sleep regularity
    with metabolic abnormalities: The multi-ethnic study of atherosclerosis.     Diabetes Care. 2019;42(8):1422-1429.
  10. Circadian Rhythm. Sleep Foundation. Updated June 2, 2023. Accessed Jun 28, 2023. 
  11. Light and Sleep. Sleep Foundation. Updated April 6, 2023. Accessed June 28, 2023. 
  12. Best Temperature for Sleep. Sleep Foundation. Updated May 16, 2023. Accessed June 28, 2023. 
  13. Drake C, Roehrs T, Shambroom J, Roth T. Caffeine effects on sleep taken 0, 3, or 6 hours before going to bed. J Clin Sleep Med. 2013;9(11):1195-1200. 
  14. Colrain IM, Nicholas CL, Baker FC. Alcohol and the sleeping brain. Handb Clin Neurol. 2014;125,415-431. 
  15. Spadola CE, Guo N, Johnson DA, et al. Evening
    intake of alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine: night-to-night associations
    with sleep duration and continuity among African Americans in the
    Jackson Heart Sleep Study    . Sleep. 2019;42(11):zsz136. 
  16. Physical Activity and Sleep. Sleep Foundation. Updated April 20, 2022. Accessed June 28, 2023. 
  17. Bedtime Routines for Adults. Sleep Foundation. Updated June 23, 2023. Accessed June 28, 2023. 
  18. Melatonin. Mayo Clinic. Published March 3, 2021. Accessed June 28, 2023. 
  19. McCarthy CG, Alleman RJ, Bell ZW, Bloomer RJ. A dietary supplement containing chlorophytum borivilianum and velvet bean improves sleep quality in men and women. Integr Med Insights. 2012;7:7-14.
  20. Franco L, Sanchez C, Bravo R, Rodriguez A, Barriga C, Juanez JC. The sedative effects of hops (Humulus lupulus), a component of beer, on the activity/rest rhythm. Acta Physiol Hung. 2012;99(2):133-9.
  21. Galantamine. MedlinePlus. Updated March 15, 2020. Accessed June 28, 2023. 
  22. Gottesmann C. GABA mechanisms and sleep. Neuroscience. 2002;111(2):231-239. 
  23. Shell W, Bullias D, Charuvastra E, May LA, Silver DS. A randomized, placebo-controlled trial of an amino acid preparation on timing and quality of sleep. Am J Ther. 2010;17(2):133-139.
  24. Lapin I. Phenibut (beta-phenyl-GABA): a tranquilizer and nootropic drug. CNS Drug Rev. 2001;7(4):471-81.
  25. Fernandez S, Wasowski C, Paladini AC, Marder M. Sedative and sleep-enhancing properties of linarin, a flavonoid-isolated from Valeriana officinalis. Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 2004;77(2):399-404.
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