Do you find yourself lying in bed wishing for a good night’s sleep?  “If I could just get 4 solid hours…” as the clock turns YOU toss and turn and all you can think about is that report that’s due tomorrow, or your big presentation or how  you’ll manage to get everyone ready and out the door in a timely manner.

Sleep is essential for health.  It provides rest and restoration for mind, body, and spirit.  A good night’s sleep can make all the difference in the day that lies ahead.  The Sleep Foundation reports that sleep cycles can vary from person to person and from night to night, based on a wide range of factors such as age, recent sleep patterns, and alcohol consumption.  There are four sleep stages, one for rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and three that form non-REM (NREM) sleep. These stages are determined based on an analysis of brain activity during sleep, which shows distinct patterns that characterize each stage.  Together, these two types of sleep make up a single cycle where your brain progresses sequentially through each stage of sleep: wake, light sleep, deep sleep, REM, and repeat. Awake time is the time spent in bed before and after falling asleep. It also includes brief awakenings during the night.

Stage 1 or N1 – dozing off

Stage 2 or N2 – a subdued state relaxed muscles, drop in temperature and slowed breathing

Stage 3 or N3 – deep sleep (we all want this!) is critical to restoring the body, healing and cognitive function:  creativity, memory, deep thinking

REM – dream state

So, how are you sleeping?  Here are some things you can do before bedtime that will assist in getting a better night’s sleep.

1. Increase bright light exposure during the day
2. Reduce blue light (devices such as phones, TVs, computers) in the evening
3. Do not consume caffeine late in the day
4. Reduce irregular or long daytime naps
5. Try to sleep and wake at consistent times
6. Ask Dr. Gamboa about Melatonin, a hormone that your brain produces in response to darkness. It helps with the timing of your circadian rhythms (24-hour internal clock) and with sleep. Being exposed to light at night can block melatonin production. Research suggests that melatonin plays other important roles in the body beyond sleep.

Remember, sleep time is when your body regenerates itself.  It is a time for healing and rest.  You deserve many nights of restful sleep cycles.  If you are not achieving consistent sleep cycles, contact our office to schedule a consultation with Dr. Gamboa today.