Sleeping Facts To Make You Think

We all want to wake up refreshed and ready to face the day ahead!

But you might be interested to read about all these sleeping facts we have discovered that can affect how well we sleep. 

What are hypnic jerks?

Have you ever experienced the sensation of falling just as you’re about to fall asleep?  It is quite a common occurrence and is known as hypnic jerks or sleep starts.  These are involuntary muscle contractions that usually occur just as you are changing from an awake state to a sleeping state.  It is not clear exactly what causes them.

We can function longer without food than without sleep 

After several days of no food, you will feel weak and look  thinner but if you go several days without sleeping, you will not be able to function.  Sleep deprivation has even been used as a form of torture.

How quickly do you fall asleep?

Falling asleep in less than five minutes can indicate you could be suffering from a sleep disorder and are actually sleep deprived.  It is normal to take anything between ten to twenty minutes to fall asleep at night but insomnia could be the cause if you take longer than twenty to thirty minutes.

Humans are the only mammals known to willingly delay sleep.

Humans are able to keep themselves awake even when their bodies are showing signs of tiredness and need to go to sleep.  On the other hand, all other mammals are unable to delay their sleep, succumbing to their need to sleep.

Daylight saving time is not good for our health and wellbeing

This is especially so when we lose an hour of sleep.  Hospitals in the USA have reported a spike in heart attack visits.  Those same visits drop when six months later the clocks are turned back giving everyone an extra hour of sleep.  Isn't it long overdue for the daylight saving habit to cease?

Women usually get more sleep than men

Women and men’s circadian rhythms, which is the body’s twenty four hour internal clock, are slightly different.   On average, men have a longer circadian rhythm by six minutes, meaning they feel less tired in the evening.  Women, on the other hand, are more likely to have a shorter internal clock, meaning they tend to both go to bed and wake up earlier.  In addition, studies have concluded that women need more sleep than men - in fact some twenty minutes more.  The researchers attributed women's multi-tasking and the use of more parts of their brain to be the reason why.

How long can you recollect your dreams?

Within five minutes of a dream ending, we will forget fifty percent of what we dreamt and after another five minutes, most of the rest will be gone.  Apparently, you need to try and recall (and even record) your dreams within ninety seconds of waking up.  Some scientists claim that, on average, people who dream more often and more vividly have higher IQs.

Lack of sleep can lead to overeating