The Science and Nature of Sleep – Part 1 – Why Do I Need to Sleep?
The quick answer to this question is absolutely YES! Sleeping is the most crucial job your body does every day.
Until the 1920s, scientists thought the brain switched off and was inactive during sleep. Thomas Edison claimed it was “a waste of time”. He was frustrated that humans spend a third of their lives asleep. Margaret Thatcher reportedly only slept for a maximum of four hours a night and said she was the most informed person in government because of it. Were they right? Today, endless research proves they were wrong, and I will add that Margaret Thatcher had Alzheimer’s in her elderly life.
The 1920s was a significant decade for the science of sleep. In 1924, the first human electroencephalography (EEG) recorded brain waves and the shocking revelation that the brain is very active during sleep. In 1929, German Psychiatrist Hans Berger discovered EEG, which led to a historical breakthrough providing new neurologic and psychiatric diagnostic tools. Today, many diagnostic tools are available to Doctors (EP, CT, MRI, DSA).
We now understand that sleep is not just a void in time, but incorporates different stages with different patterns of brain waves. I will discuss the stages of sleep in future blogs. For this one, I am concentrating on WHY!
Firstly, I will introduce you to part of your circadian rhythm, which is your 24-hour internal clock. There are three cycles: accumulation, assimilation and excretion. The important one during sleep is the assimilation phase, where your body takes all the food and fluid taken in during the day and uses these elements to build and repair your body. If you do not sleep, this phase does not happen, and that is where undesirable things start?
However, it is not just repairing your body; we must sleep because it is essential to maintaining normal cognitive skills such as speech, memory, and innovative and flexible thinking. In other words, sleep plays a significant role in brain development. Sleep has many functions, from consolidating memories, to cleaning out toxins and your immune system surveying the body for potential problems.
In conclusion, getting inadequate sleep can raise your risk of chronic (long-term) health problems, weight gain, inflammation and cognitive decline like Maggy! The excellent news is that solving your sleep issues will let your body do the jobs it should be doing. Follow this blog on social media, or my website for the next episode of the Science of SLEEP.
90% of issues can be solved yourself with the correct information and guidance. The last 10%, maybe I can help you with! I am always happy to chat!
How Re-Shaping Minds can help
The CONTROL system is utilised to overcome sleeping issues, change patterns of thought and create positive changes in behaviour, emotions and ways of thinking. CONTROL reprogrammes your subconscious thought patterns for positive change, for it is our subconscious which drives our sleeping issues and feeds the cyclical pattern of negative behaviour. CONTROL is a step-by-step system which will rapidly discover the root cause of the issue and lay the foundations for changes in how you think, feel and behave, allowing you to regain control of your life.
I am your Mind Mediator, Deborah Mulvany, from Re-Shaping Minds, based in Faversham, Kent. I work with clients in the South East of England and worldwide, offering the CONTROL method through in-person consultations and live online sessions. My primary goal is to empower and enlighten you, placing you on a path of your choosing and allowing you to gain complete control of your life.
Free Consultation with a Recommended CONTROL Practitioner
If you would like to speak with me and learn more about how The CONTROL System can help you, please contact me today to book a free consultation.