A Little Look at "Sleep Robbers"

More and more people suffer from sleep disorders, which seems to be an issue of our modern times. Here you will learn a little more about common "Sleep Robbers".

Sleep is essential. Without it we do not function properly. Nevertheless, we often hear about the sleep epidemic we are facing today. About a quarter of people suffering regularly from sleep problems. This not only leads to reduced physical and mental performance, but also has the psychological consequences of bad moods and stress.

The body regenerates during sleep and recharges its energy reserves. The blood pressure drops, the body temperature drops, and breathing and pulse slow down. Unfortunately, the modern world doesn't always allow for this restoration period. There have never been so many sleep predators as there are today. This begins with such simple things like noise and even extends to television.

Noise

Today noise is one of the biggest sleep robbers ever. Especially if you live near busy roads or on a railroad track, noise can spoil a night. The general opinion is that you get used to the noise, but this is only partially true. Sometimes you do learn to sleep through the noise, but at a certain noise level sleep is still disturbed. This harms the quality of sleep, which is almost more important than the duration. In the long term, noise causes blood pressure to rise and stress hormones to be released. People who are constantly exposed to noise have a higher mortality rate. If this is true for you, you should urgently look for a solution. Whether you install noise-proof windows or use earplugs, is up to you. In any case, you should do something about the constant noise.

Blue lLght

Blue light is emitted from modern screens like televisions, smart phones or computers. This light is a problem. Researchers found that the eye has its own nerve cell system that is responsible for the detection of blue light. During the day the sun has a high proportion of blue. This is the sign for our body to release stress hormones, so that it is awake and powerful. In the evening, yellows and reds dominate the light. The body then secretes melatonin that helps us sleep. When we turn on artificial lighting the brain is activated, which results in a time confusion. This busies the brain before going to sleep so the quality of sleep suffers. This process is not so intense that you really perceive it, but it is cumulative over time. A first step could be to change all the artificial lamps in your home to warm light. For smartphones and computers, there are free apps that change the color of the screen over time.

Stress

Stress is also a factor that influences the sleep. Chronic stress can lead to a reduction in sleep duration, which ultimately leads to lower recovery and more stress plus detached performance and emotional irritability. A vicious circle. It is important to eliminate as many stress factors as possible. Try to avoid them or, even better, to eliminate them completely. Effective remedies for stress are relaxation techniques and exercise.

Bad Habits

The modern lifestyle is very jumbled. Many people have habits that are not really compatible with the natural rhythm of their bodies. The problem is that we no longer listen to what our body wants. If we tired, we fill up on caffeine rather than lie down briefly. Often we have no time for lunch, or eating properly. Eating our main meals in the evening makes it hard to digest before bed. Exercising shortly before bedtime also makes it hard to sleep. When physical activity starts our bodies up again, it is hard to come back down to go to sleep. Add to this an irregular sleep schedule, and a lack of rituals before bedtime. When operating individually, these factors seem not to be very important. For most people though, many of these factors apply, until before you know you have a full-blown sleep disorder.