In order to find out what's going on in that bed of yours, we first need to consider what type of sleeper you are. Before we do that, we need to understand a little bit about the nervous system. If you have been reading my articles for awhile now, you know that there are two parts to the nervous system. Sympathetic, which we also call 'fight or flight', and Parasympathetic, which we call 'rest and digest'. When these two parts are in balance, so is the sleep/wake cycle. When the sleep/wake cycle is in balance, you sleep well at night and have plenty of energy throughout the day. Your immune system stays strong as well, which makes for a very healthy life. According to my clinical experience, there are 3 main sleep categories.
Type 1. You go to bed at night, let your head hit the pillow, and the next thing you know it's morning. You have plenty of energy and feel wonderful. Great. If this is you, your nervous system is in balance.
Type 2. You fight going to bed and stay up extra late so that maybe, just maybe once you go to bed, you'll sleep. Or, this type may go to bed at a normal time and lay there awake for hours on end. This is also the type that may wake up at night and feel the need to jump out of bed and clean the garage, or organize pictures, or vacuum! This is the type that may fall asleep initially and then notice every hour on the clock, meanwhile the mind is racing about stuff that seems pertinent at the time, but really isn't. Type 2's are sympathetic dominant. When your sympathetic nervous system is dominating, your system has a hard time transitioning into the parasympathetic side. When you sleep you must transition into this rest and digest phase or you can forget getting any sleep. If you have been a 'type 2' for many years, you may have noticed the extreme lack of energy you have throughout the day. Picture a car in neutral. Now picture your foot on the gas pedal and the engine constantly revving. That is what is happening in the type 2 sleeper's body. Over time, that engine is going to want to give out, thus the drastic lack of energy.
If you think you're a "type 2", you MUST find a way to calm the body before sleep. Yoga, meditation, a hot bath, prayer time, etc. Do not use alcohol to relax you. This will actually have the opposite effect by about 2 am. You need to stick to a routine. Try to do the same thing each night, going to bed at the same time, etc. You also must avoid sugar and caffeine at all cost. If you are this type, even if you have a cup of coffee in the early morning, that caffeine will stay with you all day and even into the night. Initially it might be tough getting away from the sugar and caffeine, but it will be worth it after about 14 days off of it. You can use a little essential oil such as Lavender to help you relax and sleep better. I know some people who swear by putting a drop of Lavender underneath their nose before sleep. Keep a notebook next to your bed as well, that way if you are awake thinking about things, you can jot it down and forget about it. Exercise during the day will also allow your body to get more restful sleep that night.
Type 3. This is the type that could sleep through anything. Hard sleep paired with not wanting to get out of bed, EVER, and still feeling tired throughout the day. People with sleep apnea actually fit into this category as well. Type 3's are Parasympathetic dominant. This means that their bodies want to continually stay in the rest and digest phase. Clinically I have found that this type does really well by removing grains from the diet. Usually this type is eating way too much bread, pasta, cookies, cakes, and crackers. All of these push the body into the parasympathetic state and zap the body's energy stores. Trust me on this, if you get off the grains (including corn and soy), you will be a whole new person!
Most people are somewhere in between these categories, or may even fluctuate between them all. But if you take my advice from both types, you will only be healthier for it! If you do nothing, the short-term issues will be trouble with memory, higher risk for injury, and less focus and performance at work. Long-term issues include increased blood pressure, heart problems, stroke, obesity, ADD, depression, and the list goes on. Whether you are a great sleeper or not, for all around better and healthier sleep, UNPLUG EVERYTHING IN YOUR BEDROOM!!! Yes, even your alarm clock (go old-fashioned and purchase a wind up, I certainly have one and it works great). Computers, TVs, cell phones, etc all put off a tremendous amount of electro-magnetic energy. These waves confuse your normal body functions. These alone will inhibit the proper changes in sympathetics and parasympathetics. Take your next step toward better sleep today by exercising, making a couple dietary changes, and changing your bedroom into an electro-magnetic free zone.