If you are one of those people, who wake up in the middle of the night and cannot fall asleep again, then this article is for you.
Recent research carried out by the National Sleep Foundation has shown that approximately 42% of Americans wake up in the middle of the night. That’s not all, 29% of them have trouble falling back asleep.
In fact, a great number of people wake up at night and don’t know if they suffer from any sleep problem or other condition.
Namely, some ancient literature and references, and historical records of sleep reveal a new way you need to look at how you sleep.
Segmented Sleep May Be a Normal Sleep Pattern
If you often wake up at night, you may wonder if you suffer from sleep apnea, insomnia or any other condition.
To explain you more deeply, some people usually break up their slumber into two or more shifts. In addition, it is known as segmented sleep, which seems to be irregular sleep pattern. It might not be associated with any disorder. It is actually a natural biological response, which has been forgotten.
According to Roger Ekirch, an English scholar, our ancestors naturally practiced this sleep pattern. Moreover, they used their waking hours at night to mediate, pray, or complete their everyday tasks.
Furthermore, these hours were typically spent in prayer. These folks found this period to be quite relaxing. It may happen due to the fact that this period is about midnight when the brain creates prolactin. Prolactin is a hormone, which promotes a feeling of relaxation.
However, segmented sleep has also been associated with insomnia. Check out the video below to learn more about our natural sleep cycle:
Sleep Disorders May Be Caused by the Natural Preference for Segmented Sleep of the Human Body
According to Ekirch, many modern sleep disorders may be triggered by the natural preference for segmented sleep of the human body. Additionally, he explains that your historical sleeping patterns may lead to a condition known as sleep maintenance insomnia. This condition is characterized by waking up during the night and being unable to get back to sleep.
In addition, a professor of circadian neuroscience at Oxford, Russell Foster, points out that a large number of people wake up during the night and panic. But, they actually experience a throwback to the bi-modal sleep pattern.
However, most doctors fail to acknowledge that a consolidated sleep of 8 hours could be unnatural. Approximately 30% of the medical problems that doctors are faced with originate indirectly or directly from sleep. Unfortunately, there are only a few centers, in which sleep is studied. Also, sleep has been overlooked in medical training.
According to Greg Jacobs, a psychologist, waking up during the night can be part of the normal human physiology. He notes that if you wake up during the night anxious, it may prevent you from getting back to sleep.
You Should Make These Lifestyle and Dietary Changes, Instead of Taking Sleeping Pills:
- Stop taking naps throughout the day.
- Avoid consuming caffeinated beverages.
- Avoid consuming alcohol.
- Avoid using tobacco products.Start exercising on a regular basis.
- Go outside during the day because the natural light can help you maintain a healthy sleep-wake cycle.
- Set an alarm to remind you it is time for bed.
- Avoid taking part in emotional discussions before bedtime.
- Avoid having heavy meals before going to bed.
Also, it is important to know that exposure to light and darkness is responsible for the regulation of your natural biorhythm.
Source: theheartysoul.com