Sleep 101: Your comprehensive guide to a restful night

Sleep is a crucial pillar of our overall well-being, yet it eludes many. From stress and busy lifestyles to varied sleep disorders, several factors challenge our ability to achieve a night of restful sleep. However, prioritising and understanding the significance of quality sleep is essential for maintaining a healthy and balanced life.

Over the course of 50 weeks, we attempted to address the 50 most common questions about sleep and its connections to your lifestyle and overall health in the ‘Sleep 101’ series. From its link with diabetes, cancer, and heart health, among other chronic illnesses to how one can employ certain techniques to sleep better, the series captured the various facets of your slumber.

By assembling these insights into a cohesive collection, here’s your comprehensive resource to explore the fascinating world of sleep, its impact on your life, and strategies to achieve better sleep quality.

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Can diabetes affect your sleep and vice versa?

Lack of sleep causes stress in the body which leads to increased secretion of the cortisol hormone, also known as the stress hormone. An increase in cortisol levels contributes to increased blood sugar levels. Read here

Sleep like a baby with these time-tested techniques

Yoga Nidra is a special recuperative technique wherein sleep is used as a meditation process for healing purposes. Mindfulness meditation — a specific type of meditation — has also been shown to aid in sleep. Read here

Why sleeping on your stomach can be harmful for health

Experts believe that sleeping on your stomach/chest can be harmful as it puts a lot of pressure on your lungs and chest cavity, which disrupts your breathing function. Read here

Decoding the link between sleep deprivation and blurred vision, eye twitches

The lack of sleep can be dangerous for your eyes as they will fail to work to their full potential, leading to possible serious consequences such as dry eyes, eye strain, blurred vision, and, at worst, vision loss. Read here

How many hours of sleep do you need to lose weight?

Continuous sleep of 7-8 hours is beneficial as it makes you feel energetic, thereby, acting as a motivational tool for indulging in a physical activity which is directly related to weight loss. Read here

East, south, west, or north: What is the best direction to sleep?

One should sleep with their head facing south as it is considered the direction of deep, heavy sleep. Read here

Can lack of sleep invite health risks like blood pressure, stroke, obesity, diabetes, and heart attack?

People who clock six to seven hours of sleep a night had the lowest chance of dying from a heart attack or stroke when compared with those who got less or more sleep. Read here

What role do pillows, mattresses play in determining the quality of your sleep?

A good mattress is very important to improve sleep because it gives comfort to your body when at rest. The main role of a pillow (during sleep) is to support the cervical spine in a neutral position. Read more

These signs indicate that lack of sleep is affecting your immunity

Lack of sleep affects the production of these cytokines in addition to affecting the release of infection-fighting antibodies which results in low immunity. Read here

Try this ancient Chinese technique for better sleep

Acupuncture is earning recognition as a useful alternative treatment for insomnia because it has fewer side effects than the medications prescribed for sleep and is generally easily available. Read here

After dinner tonight, sleep in this position to aid digestion and reduce heartburn

Left-side sleeping has more health benefits as it easily transfers our digested food from our small intestine to the large intestine. Sleeping on the left side also prevents disorders like gastro-oesophageal reflux disease that causes belching and heartburn. Read more

Should you drink water before going to sleep?

Drinking water before bed will help keep your body temperature under control. According to research, dehydration makes people feel hot or cold when they are sleeping. Read more

Is snoring a risk factor for diabetes?

Diabetes and sleep apnea have some common risk factors, and one of them is obesity. Obesity, in turn, causes and worsens insulin resistance — a predominant reason why people get diabetes. Read here

Should you take a shower before going to bed?

Several studies have shown that taking a shower before going to sleep not only helps improve the quality of sleep but has several other benefits. Read here

Why feeling excessively sleepy during the day can be a bad sign

Hypersomnia can cause problems in how the brain works as one feels tired and drained out all the time. It becomes difficult to concentrate and think about certain things, making people with hypersomnia fall back in life. Read here

Is it healthy to take a nap in the afternoon?

Short daytime nap offers various benefits including relaxation, reduced fatigue, increased alertness, and improved mood. However, experts warned that naps can interfere with your nighttime sleep if taken later in the day or for a longer duration. Read here

This is why you wake up feeling groggy, drowsy, and disoriented

It usually lasts 15-60 minutes, but the effect may be seen for a long time after waking up. Oversleeping, or a nap of 30 minutes may also lead to people experiencing sleep inertia. Read here

Do some people need more sleep than others?

Ranging from newborn to the elderly, sleep requirement changes drastically. However, with no standard prescription fitting all, individuals have subjective sleep requirements. Read here

How the winter season can affect your sleep

Sleeping habits may change according to seasons as light and darkness are very important factors in regulating sleep cycles in humans. Read here

Why you may be waking up with a body ache every morning

Waking up with body aches could be due to several reasons. It could mean fever, post-travel fatigue, dehydration, poor diabetic control, deficiencies, obstructive sleep apnea, etc. Read here

Is it healthy to sleep with your socks on?

It’s a good thing to wear socks at night during winter to keep your feet warm and protected. Women may find it helpful for cooling their core temperature. It also improves cracked heels and is known to increase circulation. Read here

Electric blankets can keep you warm and cosy in winter, but are they safe?

Although there are safety issues with electric blankets, there is very little danger of fires or burns if you have a brand-new electric blanket. The same cannot be said for outdated, defective, or misused electric blankets, which account for most occurrences in which electric blankets burn humans. Read here

Are melatonin gummies the ultimate solution to your sleep woes?

People suffering from sleep disorders may take melatonin gummies as an immediate or short-term solution to their problem but it should not be assumed to be the most effective and safe always. Read here

Can you suffer a heart attack while sleeping?

Heart attacks can happen in sleep in around 10 per cent of patients, especially during early morning hours when catecholamine [a neurohormone] surge is high. Read here

Do men and women sleep differently, and why?

Women tend to have slightly better or deeper sleep quality. They also tend to sleep longer than men and naturally have a different sleep time than men as they tend to sleep earlier than men and also wake up before them. Read here

Is sleep deprivation a risk factor for cancer?

People with cancer usually find it difficult to sleep; it is one of the symptoms of cancer. First of all, lack of sleep depresses the immune system and this has long-term effects on the human body. There is a shift in cytokine and inflammatory marker production in the body because of which the risk of cancer increases. Read here

Why you feel like you are falling, or had a sudden jerk right before drifting off to sleep

A large portion of the body is typically affected by one abrupt jerk as the person starts falling asleep. It is most likely to impact the arms and legs. A sensory flash, feeling of falling, and a visual dream can also mark a sleep start. Read here

When should parents introduce pillows to their babies?

Parents should not introduce pillows or other soft bedding items into their baby’s sleeping environment until the baby is at least two years old. Read here

Is it safe to wear earplugs while sleeping?

Sleeping earplugs can result in impacted wax, risk of infection (if not sterilised properly after each use), displacement of ear plugs, dependence on ear plugs for sleep, and ear pain. Read here

Here’s why you may find it hard to sleep during summer

Long days can severely restrict our sleeping time as individuals stay up later than normal, even if it is 15 to 20 minutes on a typical night, the cumulative effect decreases the quantity and quality of our sleep. Read here

How cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can help improve your sleep

Sleep quality is enhanced through cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), which modifies the behaviour and thought patterns. It aims to improve the coping mechanisms and way of life in order to support restful sleep. Read here

Why you must ditch the phone before going to bed

Electronic gadgets are increasingly being used for reading, communication, and entertainment, which results in significant sleep loss and sleep disorders. Chronic sleep disorders such as sleep apnea can all be exacerbated by the use of electronic devices before bedtime. Read here

Tonight, try this psychological trick to fall asleep faster

Paradoxical intention is typically practised by having the individual intentionally engage in the feared behaviour, or imagine engaging in the behaviour, while simultaneously reframing their thoughts about it positively or humorously. This can help to reduce the anxiety or tension associated with the behaviour. Read here

Sleep paralysis may last for a few seconds, but it can make people hear, feel, or see things that are not there

It typically occurs as a person falls asleep or wakes up, during which the brain is still in a state of sleep and the muscles remain relaxed. This temporary paralysis can be accompanied by vivid hallucinations, a sense of pressure on the chest, and feelings of fear or dread. Read here

Do you feel an irresistible urge to move your legs while sleeping? This is why

If yes, then you might be suffering from what is called the Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS). RLS is both a sleep problem and a movement disorder because the symptoms are caused by resting and attempting to sleep. RLS symptoms can range from moderate to severe. Read here

Why you may be waking up in a bad mood

Some people may consistently wake up in a bad mood for a variety of reasons. It could be a result of poor sleep, unresolved mental health problems like depression or anxiety, or persistent stress. Read here

Can the ‘sleepy girl mocktail’ help you get the ‘best sleep’ of your life?

Pure tart cherry juice and magnesium — the two key ingredients of this mocktail — are known to aid sleep in various ways. Read here

Ever wondered why you keep having the same dream?

Recurring dreams are not always symptomatic of a disorder, but they may be a sign of unresolved difficulties or anxiety, or may even be a clue that someone is locked in a specific pattern of behaviour or thought. Read here

Nightmare: Understanding the causes, impacts, dealing strategies, and when to seek professional help

People get nightmares due to long-term emotional disturbances and chronic stress, including being in a situation which is threatening. People going through long-term stressors like family members going through terminal illness, past traumatic incidences or grief are more likely to experience them. Read here

In what ways does sleep affect memory?

Poor sleep impairs memory consolidation by disturbing the normal process in the hippocampus (a part of the brain) that draws on both NREM and REM sleep for building and retaining memories. Read here

Why mouth breathing while sleeping is harmful to health

Children who engage in mouth breathing may develop facial abnormalities, crooked teeth, and experience overall growth issues. Chronic mouth breathing during sleep can potentially lead to long-term facial and dental changes, including a higher arched palate, crowded teeth, and an elongated face. Read here

This rare condition can prevent you from controlling when to wake up or sleep

It’s narcolepsy – a rare disease of excessive sleepiness, affecting the normal demarcation between sleep and being awake. Read here

Can you really compensate for your lost sleep?

While it is possible to compensate for lost sleep and eliminate sleep debt by consistently getting adequate sleep, ideally 7 to 9 hours for adults, eliminating sleep debt is challenging. Read here

Here’s how scheduling ‘worry time’ before bed can help you sleep better

The worry time approach helps you recover control of your thoughts and prevents excessive concern from interfering with your everyday life by limiting worrying to a certain amount of time. Read here

Try this method of deep muscle relaxation to improve your sleep quality

Known as progressive muscle relaxation (PMR), it is just another therapeutic intervention tool in the arsenal of a mental health practitioner. This method is known to provide relief from a range of psychological and biological issues, especially symptoms relevant to anxiety, insomnia, etc. Read here

What happens to your mind and body when you don’t sleep for 3 days?

Three days without sleep causes major changes in a person’s health and body as well as a number of harmful impacts. Sleep deprivation can have both short-term and long-term effects. It affects both physical health and mental health of the person in a number of ways. Read here

Here’s how alcohol disrupts the quality and quantity of your sleep

Alcohol may shorten the total sleep time and interrupt sleep, which results in fatigue, confusion and sleepiness the following day. Both slow-wave sleep and REM (rapid eye movement) stages are affected by alcohol. Read here

What are some common dreams and what causes them?

Many common dreams reflect universal human experiences, emotions, and concerns. Falling, being chased, and feeling unprepared are all experiences that most people can relate to on some level. These dreams may arise as a result of our shared human psyche and the emotions and challenges that we commonly face. Read here

Night owl vs early bird: Which is the better choice and why?

Being a night owl or an early bird is subjective and influenced by genetics. The best choice is the one that aligns with your natural body clock and allows you to maintain a consistent sleep schedule. Read here

Understanding sleepwalking: Causes, risks, and safety measures

Although the precise cause of sleepwalking is unidentified, a mix of genetic, environmental, and physiological variables is most likely to be at play. A few of the factors can include genetics, sleep deprivation, fatigue and stress, pre-existing medical conditions, irregular sleep schedule, and brain disorders. Read here

With the insights and strategies shared here, may you embark on a path to restful nights and brighter days ahead. Remember that sleep is not just a luxury but a fundamental necessity for a healthier and happier life.

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