{"id":95628,"date":"2022-10-10T03:11:01","date_gmt":"2022-10-09T21:41:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.imageantra.com\/sleepless-nights\/"},"modified":"2022-10-10T03:11:01","modified_gmt":"2022-10-09T21:41:01","slug":"sleepless-nights","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.imageantra.com\/sleepless-nights\/","title":{"rendered":"Sleepless nights"},"content":{"rendered":"
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THE SCIENCE OF SLEEP<\/b><\/p>\n

Sleep is one of the circadian rhythms, or variations in the body that are associated with different changes in the environment. In other words, our moments in bed represent only a part of our biological clock, a habit that is also not exclusive to humans, since other animals, and even plants, respond to light and darkness. When it gets dark, our brain secretes melatonin through the pineal gland, responsible for causing the necessary fatigue to fall asleep, while in the morning, we secrete cortisol, which helps us stay alert.<\/p>\n

Each night, we experience four to six cycles while resting, moving from wakefulness to deep sleep and then to REM sleep, which is notable for rapid eye movement. \u201cTo be complete, a sleep cycle must last approximately 90 minutes and must have<\/p>\n

a stage known as deep sleep, in which we really rest, allowing the body to regenerate and creating other benefits<\/p>\n

that we already know\u201d, points out Dr. Mariana Naranjo Bravo, academic and psychotherapist. According to the National Sleep Foundation, an American NGO with more than 30 years of experience in sleep disorders, an average adult should sleep between seven and nine hours to meet the necessary sleep cycles to have an ideal rest.<\/p>\n

However, the circadian rhythm of sleep can be altered quite easily by factors such as caffeine consumption, a large meal at night and even the screens of our electronic devices: just two hours of scrolling <\/i>on our cell phone or for a while in front of the television to unbalance the production of melatonin.<\/p>\n

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BETWEEN DELAYS AND JET LAG<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

Not all sleep problems equate to insomnia. Delayed sleep phase syndrome describes a process in which the circadian rhythm is altered, delaying the natural process of rest for a few hours. A problem that was also on the rise during the first months of confinement: two thirds of the people surveyed by the University of Arizona said they had suffered from these symptoms during this period. \u201cFor me, a typical night of delayed sleep was a lot of internet, some movies, little reading, and a lot of sugar. I guess it was all a cocktail to continue ruining my rest, \u201dadds Ridderstr\u00f6m, whose time to sleep took up to four hours during confinement.<\/p>\n

Other problems are more related to social life. With the end of the fifth wave of Covid-19 and the increase in sanitary restrictions, there were several people who experienced the so-called “social jet lag <\/i>term coined in 2006 by the German researcher Till Roenneberg and that explains the discrepancy between the hours of sleep from Monday to Friday compared to those of the weekend. A change in sleep patterns that is equivalent to living in two different time zones and that in the long run can contribute to physical deterioration and the appearance of diseases such as type 2 diabetes. \u201cIt has been proven that without a good rest, people start to overeat, especially sugary, calorie-laden foods that keep you active. In addition, they focus on reacting more impulsively and are prone to accidents, since the reflexes and the ability to react are not the same. Basically, the effects on the brain of a bad rest are similar to being drunk\u201d, adds Naranjo.<\/p>\n

UNEXPECTED ADJUSTMENTS<\/b><\/p>\n

In its first few months, the role of remote work represented several pros and cons directly related to sleep. One of its most positive aspects was, for some people, having the opportunity to regulate sleep, especially if their routine was a constant source of stress due to long commutes between home and office. \u201cBefore the pandemic, I remember waking up at six in the morning, always tired and in a hurry, because the time I had to get ready and get to work was just right. I always woke up with a sense of urgency. On the way to work I used to doze off and starting work was always something heavy\u201d, explains Valente Villamil, an employee at a technology company.<\/p>\n

However, for other people the change meant an increase in workloads, something that, added to the uncertainty we experienced during those months, could exacerbate insomnia problems and sleep delays. \u201cAt that time there was a lot of anxiety, which for months raised the stress to levels that we were not used to. This situation, plus the addition of the news and the lack of clarity in the routines, altered the possibilities of adequate rest, since some people began to delay their bedtime because they had the confidence to get up later while trying to compensate. with naps\u201d, explains Naranjo.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n