Soothing Our Souls With Sleep
Sole Food - Sleeping Our Way to Soul Soothing
Did you know that In 1942, the average American used to get 7.9 hours of sleep per night on average? Now we get less than 7, and most Americans think they need more sleep. 43 percent say they would feel better if they got more sleep according to Gallup. And it doesn’t stop there.
Science is now looking at how memories form as we dream. REM (rapid eye movement) sleep is dream sleep, and researchers from McGill University and the University of Bern have successfully demonstrated that not only is REM essential for the consolidation of new memories, but also managed to actually switch off newly formed memories in mice. Sleep, particularly REM sleep, is not only important for forming memories, but might be the very thing that sets us apart from the rest of the Earth’s apes. Humans sleep shorter, but much more efficiently than other primates, which not only freed us up to spend more time learning and bonding with our fellow humans, but also helped us to more quickly remember those skills. It could be that we conquered the world not by working, but by being really good at sleeping and dreaming. Read the whole CoExist article here.
When was the last time you remembered your dreams #SoleSurvivors? If it’s been a while, you might want to consider what Arianna Huffington discovered:
“I want to rekindle our romance with sleep,” says Ms. Huffington. Her new book, “The Sleep Revolution: Transforming Your Life, One Night at a Time” is a call to bed.
The New York Times interviewed her recently and she described her approach to sleep:
Of all the things on her agenda, which would exhaust most mortals, sleep is at the top.
If sleep is a gateway to her dreams, then her bedroom is the mother ship.
At bedtime, her phone and electronic devices are relegated to the foyer outside the bedroom, to recharge under a wall of family photographs. Withdrawing from her machines, she said, is part of a half-hour “transition to sleep” ritual that includes writing down the many things she is grateful for; dimming the lights; taking a warm bath in Epsom salts by flickering candlelight; and changing into a silk nightgown to greet sleep with respect.
She spoke at TED about her relationship with sleep, and it’s effect on her health, productivity and success. Take a peek.
According to the CDC, tips for getting a better night's sleep include:- Going to bed and getting up at the same time every day.
- Removing electronic devices, such as televisions, computers or cellphones, from the
bedroom.
- Avoiding large meals, caffeine and alcohol before bedtime.
- Making sure the sleep environment is quiet, dark and not too hot or too cold. (See Arianna’s suggestions above!)
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