If sleeping is one of your favourite activities and you’ve recognised all of its benefits, it’s time for you to learn some unusual facts. We spend a third of our life sleeping but we rarely think about sleep-related facts and why some people feel tired all the time or believe they never dream. We’ve listed some of the facts you’’ find unique and interesting.
Bedroom divorce is a thing
One of the keys to having high energy levels throughout your day is quality sleep. If you’re not getting quality sleep, your performance might suffer. One of the reasons people report having poor sleep is their partner. Either they snore, have different temperature preferences, have different sleep schedules or even fight over who gets the covers all the time. There are many reasons why people agree to a so-called bedroom divorce. In simple terms, people sit down and decide not to share the same bed during sleep. It has been reported that approximately 25% of couples agree on sleeping in either separate rooms or separate beds. This helps them improve their sleep and since it’s a mutual agreement, it doesn’t affect their connection and relationship.
You have five minutes to write your dreams down
If you’ve had a particularly eventful dream last night and you want to remember it, you have approximately five minutes to do something about it. You’ll forget half of your dream once that time goes by, and in five more minutes, you’ll remember just glimpses of your dream. So, if you want to keep a dream journal, make sure to have a notebook and a pen on your nightstand. Once you wake up, try to write down as much as you can in five minutes to remember the entire dream until you start to forget. You’ll manage to write the key points with ease and you’ll get better at it with time. If you believe that you don’t dream, it might be because you forgot about it while you were snoozing your alarm button.
If you hate waking up on Mondays, it’s not Monday’s fault, it’s you
Many of us struggle to wake up with ease on a Monday. Even though it’s easier to think that the first day of the workweek is to blame, it’s actually on us. We’re to blame because we alter our sleep schedule on weekends. Most people sleep later than usual on Saturdays to either catch up on sleep or just feel lazy because we don’t have to rush anywhere. But we also go to sleep later than usual on Saturdays, so we again sleep later on Sundays. So, it’s rather logical we end up struggling with waking up with ease once the Monday alarm chimes its bells. Sticking to a constant sleep schedule even during the weekend should be adhered to if we want to wake up with ease on Mondays.
Sleep deprivation will affect your health
People sacrifice their sleep without thinking because they believe they can make up for it and that it won’t affect their health. Of course, if it happens once in a while because you have a deadline you need to finish or an important event to attend, it’s not that serious. You’ll just be tired, cranky and easily irritated by people around you. But, serious sleep deprivation causes a number of health issues and shortens your lifespan. So, one of the keys to longevity is a healthy life and quality sleep.
The room temperature can make or break your sleep
The room temperature is another interesting fact that affects how we sleep. If you pair this with other factors like the bedding, pillow, mattress, amount of light, presence of electronic devices, you have both a recipe for poor and amazing sleep. So, if you want to achieve amazing sleep every night, make sure to follow the next steps. Firstly, make sure to regulate room temperature so it aids your sleep quality. It’s recommended to keep your bedroom temperature to around 65 degrees Fahrenheit or 18 Celsius. Secondly, pay attention to bedding, choose only natural fabrics so that your skin can breathe. This is especially important when you’re looking for kids bed sheets that are both kind to their skin, soft, comfy and designed with their favourite motifs. Lastly, design your bedroom for ultimate comfort. Invest in a supportive pillow and mattress and keep the bedroom clean and clutter-free.
Dysania might be the reason why you have trouble waking up
People who struggle every day to wake up with ease might have a condition known as dysania. Dysania is a sleep-related condition characterised by chronic fatigue in the morning. People who experience fatigue or the inability to get up in the morning find it difficult to wake up and get out of bed easily.
There are many sleep-related phobias
Believe it or not, there are sleep-related phobias which means that people have a varying degree of fear relating to sleep. People who fear going to sleep or falling asleep suffer from somniphobia. This phobia is also known as sleep dread or sleep anxiety. People who fear having dreams or bad dreams suffer from oneirophobia. There are also those people who adore staying cozy in bed and it’s known as clinomania. All of these terms are uniquely related to sleep and we bet you never heard of them before.
Sleep paralysis is more common than you might think
Sleep paralysis has been experienced at least once by approximately 8% of the entire population. This occurrence is quite uncomfortable and scary because when it happens, you’re conscious but you can’t move. The only thing you have control over is your eye movement. What makes sleep paralysis even more uncomfortable is the fact that it’s usually accompanied by nightmares, night terrors and hallucinations. But the explanation behind sleep paralysis isn’t that scary or difficult – it usually happens when you’re falling asleep or when you’re waking up.
Sleep apnea too
Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder in which people have disruptive breathing patterns during their sleep. People who have sleep apnea stop breathing during their sleep and it can be rather serious if people are unaware of their condition. People don’t think they have an issue because sleep apnea is often characterised by loud snoring, so people who have it believe they just have a snoring problem. Approximately 10% of women have sleep apnea and 25% of men. It’s a treatable disorder but first people have to recognise the warning signs. Fatigue, headache, dry mouth, loud snoring and disruptive breathing are all symptoms of sleep apnea.
High earners sleep better
Well, this one is not that unusual or illogical because if you don’t have any financial worries, you’ll definitely sleep better. Worrying about bills or debt can keep you up at night and ruin your sleep. In general, stress and anxiety and any other financial worries can keep a person on edge and up all night.
If it takes longer than 15 minutes for you to fall asleep, you’re too tired
Another sign that you might be sleep deprived is the amount of time needed for you to fall asleep. If it takes you longer than 15 minutes to fall asleep, it might be time to consider working on a better sleep routine. We need sleep to stay healthy and energised for the day ahead. Quality sleep extends our lifespan and improves our quality of life. If you have trouble falling asleep at night, try setting up a sleep schedule so you get to bed and wake up at the same time every day. You can also introduce sleep supplements like melatonin or sleepy-time teas into your routine to help your body fall asleep naturally.
People are not the only species that struggles with sleep
It appears that other species also experience sleep struggles as people do. Researchers are equally interested in animal sleep behaviour, sleep patterns and issues. They’ve found some evidence which points out that pets go through similar issues like people who suffer from sleep deprivation. Animals that have problems with insomnia also increase their weight have slower cognitive abilities and issues with balance.
Bright screens are the enemy to your sleep
Our addiction to electronic devices can disrupt our sleep cycle. The light emitted by screens tricks our body into thinking it’s still daytime when it isn’t so we have trouble falling asleep. Not only that, it tricks our body into thinking that it isn’t as tired as it is, so we end up being sleep deprived. Simply put, our body no longer knows when it’s tired and when’s the time to go to bed because a device constantly shines the light on our eyes.
To keep the enemy at bay and sleep better, limit your daily device use. It would be best if you could put your phone down at least two hours before sleep, but thirty minutes will do the trick as well.
Naps are good for you
You’ve probably said something similar to these – “I’ll sleep when I’m dead” or “Sleep is for the weak”. Well, you’re wrong because a power nap can do wonders for your state of alertness and give you a much-needed energy boost. Anything longer than that will slow you down and cause the feeling of grogginess. Embrace the power of naps and you’ll give your body a much-needed energy boost without added calories or guilty consciousness.
There’s one more fact about sleep and it could be considered as the ultimate fact – we need sleep to function properly. Prioritise sleep and make sure you get the zzz’s your body needs.
