Sleep is a universal phenomenon among vertebrates: we spend around one-third of our lives sleeping and approximately one-quarter of this time actively dreaming. Prolonged sleep deprivation is devastating for normal functioning, at least temporarily, and in some animals it can even cause death.
Sleep is essential to our lives, almost as important as eating or breathing. During sleep, important physiological changes occur: blood pressure and heart rate decrease, the heart relaxes, and certain hormones that are fundamental for the proper functioning of the body are released. In addition, numerous studies have shown a relationship between getting enough sleep and lower levels of inflammation in the body. In fact, the immune system uses sleeping hours to regenerate itself, which is why people who sleep too little are more likely to become ill.
Insufficient or poor-quality sleep also disrupts our biological rhythm, affecting our mood and potentially causing feelings of discomfort or melancholy. Furthermore, sleep is closely linked to emotional and social intelligence: poor sleep makes it harder to recognize the emotions and facial expressions of others. Finally, sleep plays a key role in learning and the consolidation of long-term memory. Not getting enough sleep or having poor-quality sleep can lead to concentration problems, impair reasoning, and reduce cognitive performance.
But what should we do to sleep well?
To achieve this, it is important to associate the bed only with sleep, so that our brain links it to rest rather than activities such as using a mobile phone or watching series. In addition, maintaining good sleep hygiene is essential: keeping regular schedules, engaging in at least 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity, reducing sedentary behavior, getting at least two hours of natural light exposure, and avoiding screens for at least one hour before bedtime. It is also recommended to have dinner at least two hours before going to sleep and to eat breakfast at the same time every day.
Regarding nighttime rest, it is advisable to sleep between seven and nine hours in a suitable environment, preferably in complete darkness or with a dim orange light if it is necessary to get up during the night. It is also important to maintain similar routines even on weekends, avoiding differences of more than two hours, and to limit naps to a maximum of 30 minutes, preferably before 5:00 p.m. If sleep difficulties persist, practicing relaxation techniques can be a useful alternative to promote better sleep.
In conclusion, adequate rest is a fundamental pillar of our health and wellbeing, as well as of our cognitive functioning. Therefore, sleeping well is one of the best ways to take care of ourselves.
Sleep well to live well.
Alba Gutiérrez-Menéndez holds a PhD in Health Sciences with a specialization in Neuroscience. She is a lecturer and coordinator of the Bachelor's Degree in Psychology at VIU – International University of Valencia, a lecturer at UNIR – International University of La Rioja, and a member of the NEUROCON research group at University of Oviedo. Her work focuses primarily on neurostimulation techniques, as well as the study of learning, memory, sleep, and developmental stages across the lifespan.