View source for In The Words Of The Elizabethan Dramatist And Writer Thomas Dekker sleep Is That Golden Chain That Ties Health And Our Bodies Together

In the words of the Elizabethan dramatist and writer Thomas Dekker, 'sleep is that golden chain that ties health and our bodies together'. <br>Leaping forward to modern times and we have become a faster paced and more stressed society, addicted to social media and a level of communication that commands a 24/7 availability. <br>The side-effects of this environment are that many of us find it more difficult to relax, diet has been jeopardized and we have even come up with the phrase 'FOMO', which is the fear of missing out.<br>But it means that even when we want some shut-eye, we struggle to doze off.  <br>         Poor sleep impacts mood and concentration, and the effects are linked to serious health issues.<br><br>Healthspan's Rob Hobson explains subtle things which could be hampering your rest<br>The sleep cycle<br>During sleep your heart rate drops, body temperature falls and complex changes occur in the brain. <br>The first stage of sleep is non-rapid eye movement, which occurs in three stages that become progressively deeper. <br>Stage one and two are light sleep from which we can easily be roused from. <br>The third stage is deeper and we are less likely to be roused from but may feel disorientated if woken. <br>Stage four is known as rapid eye movement sleep, which is the point that dreaming occurs.<br><br>Each cycle lasts around 90 minutes and all four are needed to wake up feeling rested.<br>Sleep is controlled mostly by your circadian rhythm, which is your in-built body clock and a 24-hour cycle that regulates both biological and physiological processes. <br>It anticipates environmental changes allowing the body to adapt and is largely influenced by light. <br>When you are in sync you will naturally wake at the same time every day, which explains those weird moments when you wake just before the alarm goes off. <br>After being awake for around 15 hours the pressure to sleep becomes greater as tiredness set in and with the onset of darkness the circadian rhythm drops to the lowest levels to help maintain sleep.<br>   RELATED ARTICLES  [# Previous] [# 1] [# Next]     [/health/article-5688957/The-couples-guide-slimming-without-breaking-up.html  The couple's guide to slimming down without breaking up:...] [/health/article-5688417/Black-women-breast-cancer-face-greater-financial-strain-white-women.html  Breast cancer is more costly for black women: The majority...]    <br><br><br><br>Share this article<br>Share<br><br><br>There is evidence to show that it can be perfectly natural to sleep for around four hours then wake and fall asleep again for a few more hours putting question to the perception that you need eight hours uninterrupted sleep to wake up feeling refreshed. <br>Problems may occur of you wake after four hours and fail to fall back to sleep, which is the case for  [http://madigits.website2.me/blog/guided-sleep-meditation-for-insomnia http://madigits.website2.me/blog/guided-sleep-meditation-for-insomnia] people suffering with insomnia. <br>Anxiety related to the inability to fall back to sleep can only further lead to sleep deprivation so rather than lie in bed staring at the ceiling it may be better to get up, make a warming drink and sit quietly in the dimmest of light, maybe reading or writing down ideas, stresses or problems to help clear the mind and get you ready to fall back to sleep.<br>How we became a society of non-sleepers<br>We are a society that typically does not get enough sleep. <br>The idea of rest and sleep is sometimes viewed as unimportant.<br><br>Many burn the candles at both ends to appear capable, and carve out the time required to achieve their goals.<br>Admitting to feeling tired is sometimes viewed as a sign of weakness but in the long-term, strength and endurance come from the ability to switch off and allow yourself to recoup, which will ultimately help you to achieve both short and long-term goals, whilst retaining your good health. <br>Why you really need a good sleep - and should never over-do it<br><div class="art-ins mol-factbox floatRHS health" data-version="2" id="mol-d43c32f0-4fb5-11e8-a605-b72fd97657a3" website The 7 things that could be ruining your sleep