Don Miguel de Unamuno answered on one occasion:
"I sleep a lot, it's the truth, but when I'm awake I'm more awake than you."
Hello my friends who read me, I often find articles about keys, tips, special formulas, among other titles that promise to make someone else more productive. Many of them are right, they take time to study what they propose.
However, surprisingly, few authors take into consideration the aspect of good sleep. Being so that the sleeping is one of the most demanding physiological needs of living beings, I have decided to present you with this rather succinct writing about this subject of the "Sleep".
Believe me when I tell you that one of the biggest keys for the creativity and productivity is related to sleeping peacefully.
The Dream
Sleep is a state of the nature of living beings, that is, it is present in animals and in human beings. It is defined as the integral part of life that responds to a biological need which allows to restore the vital physical and psychological functions for a full performance.
Assumed as a basic behavior of all animal species, sleep implies the absence or decrease of movements of the body, assuming for this way a rest position, variable according to the animal species in question. Before sleep we try to find a safe and quiet place, that the body is found in a comfortable position, so that it helps us to get to sleep, and as far as possible (ideally) an environment without noise.
Various species in sleep position Physiological characteristics of the Sleep
The psychiatrist Hans Berger (1929) begins to apply the now known electroencephalogram (EEG), in order to register the brain's electrical activity through the skin that covers the skull and its various variations. The annotated studies product of the EEG, allowed to identify four types of biological rhythms characterized by their frequency, topography and reactivity, these are:
* Alpha rhythm (8-13 Hz, back of the brain).
* Beta rhythm (13 Hz, frontal areas).
* Theta waves (4-7.5 Hz).
* Delta waves (≤ 3.5 Hz).
In 1937, Loomis and other scientists observed typical changes in brain electrical activity when the patient was asleep. They saw how the proportion of slow waves increased as the sleep became deep. Thanks to this discovery we have today the first classification of the so-called phases of the sleep.
Sleep Phases
Two well-differentiated types of sleep are known. On the one hand, the sleep of rapid eye movements (REM sleep), better known as REM (Rapid Eye movement) sleep, or paradoxical dream. And, on the other hand, we have the sleep of slow waves, also known as the Non-REM (Non Rapid Eye Movement) sleep. These types of sleep are triggered between 4 well determined phases, namely:
Sleep of slow waves or non-REM sleep
It consists of 4 phases, in which progressively deepens in the dream (phases I, II, III and IV). The brain activity, which occurs when the brain waves are of high frequency and low amplitude (wakefulness) are progressively transformed into waves each time of lower frequency and increased amplitude.
The muscular tone, in turn, descends, and it is there that the body is increasingly relaxed and immobile, as well as the respiratory and cardiac rhythm and the slow eye movements of the beginning of the dream disappear definitively. The progression from phase I to IV is prolonged by more or less 90 minutes. Here is when the sleep involves greater sensory isolation from the environment, which greatly hinders the awakening, since it reaches the maximum degree in phase IV.
& nbsp ; According to the scientists, the relationship of this deep sleep with the physical recovery of the organism (regeneration and recovery of energy) are closely related, hence the disappearance of deep sleep generates important medical problems (growth problems, hormonal deficits, etc.).
REM or Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep
It is phase IV of sleep, also called paradoxical sleep, desynchronized sleep or sleep D. Its primordial quality is noted in a low amplitude EEG and mixed frequency very similar to that of Phase I of Non-REM. Slower activity (3 to 5 Hz) is displayed graphically in "sawtooth waves", which often overlap this pattern.
Here appear rapid eye movements similar to those that are observed when the person stays awake and with eyes open. There is a certain reflection of the integral muscular atony of the descending motor paralysis very typical of sleep. In this stage they enter the daydreams (dream phase). Normally there are 4 to 6 periods of MOR sleep at night.
Sleep disorders
The review of the different disorders related to sleep is quite broad. Hence, I will only mention some of the most common, with which perhaps most have had contact, directly or indirectly.
Insomnia
It is the most common sleep condition in the general population. It is a reduction of the ability to fall asleep, and manifests itself in various ways given step to a diversity of imsomnia, namely:
a) Insomnia at home: Complication to start the dream in less than 30 minutes.
b) Maintenance insomnia: Problems to sustain the dream, thus generating night awakenings of more than 30 minutes.
Not sleeping contributes to the deterioration of the life of the person suffering it, causing conflicts of a social, labor or other important nature.
Narcolepsy
It is a neurological disorder that responds to a brain abnormality that disrupts sleep function. This consists of sudden sleep episodes in waking hours, causing the sufferer to fall asleep for a period of 2 to 5 minutes anywhere and waking up feeling clear.
These events can occur whether you are driving, talking or simply walking. Those affected by narcolepsy lack slow-wave sleep and go directly to the REM phase.
Roncopathy
It is perhaps the most common of sleep disorders. It affects in equal or greater measure both the one who suffers it and the one who listens to it (his roommate). About 20% of the adult population suffers from snoring.
The most common aspect to all these situations is the appearance of a permanent or functional narrowing that can cause various levels of the upper respiratory tract, producing an intense vibration on the walls of the pharynx, which is transformed into the noise that comes to perceive u is known as snoring.
Sleepwalking
During childhood it is usually due to fatigue, lack of sleep or anxiety. In adulthood it can be due to mental disorders, alcoholism among others. Entre its characteristics, these people can get up and walk normally.
Sleepwalking is associated with sleep, in which the affected can consume food while asleep. Therefore, its prevention could involve placing the refrigerator and tanks under lock . These events are usually very brief and if they are not awake they will go back to sleep, sometimes in a different place than their bedroom.
That's right, my dear friend, instead of following difficult formulas to get creativity and genius skills come to your life, I recommend you good night of sleep. Sleepingh has been considered since ancient times as a supernatural gift so that creatures, especially humans could recover energy and spend whole days of productivity. At the end of the day this is what we want.
References consulted:
* Bradley, WG 2005. pp . 2021, Clinical Neurology: Diagnosis and Treatment. Madrid: Elsevier Spain.
* López, J. J. et al. 2002. pp. 668, DSM-IV-TR: Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. Barcelona: Masson Eselvier.
* Pocock, G. & Richards, C. D. 2005. pp. 2005, Human physiology: the basis of medicine. Barcelona: Elsevier Spain
Sources of images used
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