Sleep is one of life’s enduring mysteries. But as anybody who has tossed and turned all night may understand, getting enough shuteye is crucial for good health. Did you know that it’s especially important for brain health?
Sleep is absolutely instrumental in cognitive function, mental acuity and the ability to concentrate and learn new things.
During sleep, your brain deals with information received during the day. It consolidates memories and clears plaque-forming amyloids and tau proteins associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
There’s a cleanup process that happens in brains when we sleep. There’s a pressure to sleep, and when you do, that pressure gets dissipated and that’s how you feel fresh in the morning.
REM sleep, or the dreaming phase of sleep, has been shown to enhance learning, memory and emotional well-being.
Here are some tips how to get healthier sleep:
· First, set an alarm. Not to wake up, but to go to sleep. Even for adults, the best sleep requires a set bedtime. It’s easy to forget about the clock while streaming another episode of your favorite show, so set a nighttime alarm as a reminder.
· Spend 15 minutes to prep for the next day. A restless mind is not a restful mind. Dwelling on the minutiae of the morning could keep you awake. Knock out a few chores the night before.
· Next, address that stress. Practicing mindfulness has proved to reduce anxiety, improve sleep quality and even help with insomnia. Meditation puts you in the perfect mindset to drift off to dreamland. There are many videos available in apps or online.
· Finally, wind down to drift off. Reading before bed is an excellent way to relax the brain and fall asleep. It can cut stress levels in half in about six minutes. A good work of fiction can take you out of the real world and into the realm of imagination — wouldn’t you rather focus on an epic battle between made-up kings than the epic battle you might face getting your toddler ready in the morning? And try a real book made of paper. (Remember those?)
Learn more about building healthier habits at https://www.heart.org/.