Restful sleep is so sweet…
Science has not yet figured out exactly why we need sleep so badly. It is believed that we recover physically during sleep and organize things in our brains. 1 What we do know, however, is that without sleep, we can’t lead a lifestyle shaped by active wellness. We can’t force ourselves to fall asleep, any more than we can simply commit to digesting faster or eating as much as we want without gaining weight. In other words, we can’t control our sleep patterns, but we can create the right mental and physical conditions for sleep. This means that we can train ourselves in good sleep habits in order to have a pleasant sleep experience.
Sleep research is a fascinating science. Here are a few interesting facts about other living things:
- English bulldogs are the only dogs known to suffer from sleep apnea, a breathing disorder. The reason for this is probably their unusual anatomy of the respiratory tract (short muzzle and pre-bite). 2
- Sea otters hold hands when they sleep so they don’t drift away from each other. 3
- Whales and dolphins literally fall into a half-sleep. The two hemispheres of the brain alternate so that they can ascend to catch their breath. 4
- Trees sleep at night by relaxing their branches and straightening them up again in the morning. 5
- Snails can sleep for three years. 6
- Giraffes get by with an average of 30 minutes of sleep per night. 7
There are also fascinating insights into people and their sleep behaviour:
- We are the only mammals that deliberately delay sleep. 8
- Thirty minutes of exercise per day is equivalent to 14 minutes of extra sleep per night. 9
- The parents of newborns miss out on sleep of about six months in the first two years of their child’s life. Each additional child increases the mother’s sleep loss by 46%. 10
- Sleepwalking is most common between the ages of three and 17, with 15% of people considered sleepwalkers. 11
- Women sleep longer than men. The reason for this is that women are more prone to multitasking than men; therefore, their brain works more and takes longer to recover. 12
- We can dream in color or in black and white. It is believed that about 12% dream exclusively in black and white. 13 Today, about 75% dream in colour, wherea was only 15% before the introduction of colour television. 14
Scientists used to think that everything shuts down during sleep, but in the last 60 years it has been discovered that our brain is very active during sleep. In reality, some parts of the brain consume more oxygen and glucose during sleep than when awake. The time we need sleep depends on how long we’ve been awake and our internal clock. For example, if we stay up all night, we feel more tired at 4 a.m. than at 10 a.m. Recent research may have identified the gene that makes it easier for some people to cope with sleep deprivation. 15
Have you ever tried Kenko sleep technology to find a restful sleep? Until November 15, you can discover better sleep with selected recovery and relaxation products from Nikken that can support your body’s natural ability to recover during sleep!
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1, 15 https://www.sleephealthfoundation.org.au/facts-about-sleep.html
2, 3,4, 8,14. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/22-facts-about-sleep-that-will-surprise-you/
5, 6, 7, 10, 12 https://www.thegoodbody.com/sleep-facts/
11, 13 https://www.thinktank.org.uk/blog/1363-30-fun-facts-about-sleep.php