World Sleep Day | Is counting sheep useful for insomnia? 6 sleep myths that many people still believe in!

You want to sleep but can't, you feel very sleepy but don't want to sleep, you fall asleep but always dream and wake up every time, you snore loudly when you sleep, and you feel dizzy when you wake up... Are you suffering from these sleep problems?

People spend about one-third of their lives sleeping. Healthy sleep is one of the important indicators of our overall health, but many sleep misconceptions in daily life are often believed by everyone. Today is World Sleep Day . Let us learn about the six major misconceptions about sleep and eight ways to improve sleep, so as to get out of the sleep "dilemma".

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01

Myth: Sit back and relax

The truth: As the saying goes, "a high pillow brings peace of mind", but a pillow that is too high or too low will affect the cervical spine. In fact, the pillow is not used as a "pillow", but as a "pillow for the neck", because when people sleep, they put the pillow under the neck, not under the head. The front of the human cervical spine has a convex arc. If the pillow is too high, the head will be forced to form a "lower head" state, causing the neck to hyperextend or hyperflex, which will invisibly increase the burden on the neck.

02

Myth: Snoring means good sleep

The truth: Many people think that snoring means they sleep well, but in fact, snoring is not a sign of high-quality sleep. Severe snoring may also be caused by obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome. Patients with this disease will repeatedly experience apnea or hypopnea during sleep. In severe cases, it may occur up to hundreds of times per night, each lasting from more than ten seconds to 1-2 minutes, causing repeated transient hypoxia in the patient's brain and body, thereby causing chronic damage to various organ systems throughout the body, such as hypoxemia, which can induce hypertension, cerebrovascular disease, arrhythmia, myocardial infarction, etc. Therefore, obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome is also called the "invisible killer" in sleep.

03

Myth: Counting sheep can cure insomnia

The truth: One sheep, two sheep, three sheep... The saying "Count sheep when you can't sleep" is widely circulated, but it doesn't actually work.

Counting sheep before going to bed was first introduced to China from abroad. The pronunciation of "sheep" in English is very similar to "sleep", so it has a certain suggestive effect, but it is completely different in Chinese. This method not only cannot help you sleep, but may also affect your sleep. Because when counting sheep, you will unconsciously focus on counting, and your brain will be in an excited state, which will make you more awake the more you count.

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04

Myth: Drinking alcohol helps you sleep

The truth: Many people think that drinking alcohol can help you sleep, because after drinking, you will feel groggy and have the illusion of falling asleep. Although drinking alcohol before bed seems to be good for sleep, it may actually interfere with your sleep.

Sleep under the influence of alcohol is often very shallow, with frequent awakenings and intermittent sleep, especially in the second half of the night when the effect of alcohol gradually disappears, which can cause insomnia and dreaminess, reducing the overall quality of sleep. In addition, alcohol produces acetaldehyde after being decomposed, which circulates in the body and causes a certain degree of dehydration. People who wake up from drunken sleep usually have dry mouth and tongue, and it will be more difficult to fall asleep afterwards.

05

Myth: Exercising before bedtime can help you sleep

The truth: Exercising before going to bed can excite the sympathetic nerves, especially the release of excitatory neurotransmitters, which can make it difficult to fall asleep. It is recommended not to exercise 3 hours before going to bed. The ideal time to exercise is in the morning and afternoon, but it may be difficult for working people to spare a lot of time to exercise during these time periods. Then, you can choose to exercise at night 3 to 5 hours before going to bed, and avoid strenuous exercise. Moderate exercise can eliminate daytime tension and improve sleep quality at night.

06

Myth: More sleep = better sleep

The truth: Many people think that sleeping more means sleeping better, but in fact, sleeping more or less is not good. If you sleep too long, the excitement of the cerebral cortex will decrease, leading to drowsiness and other unpleasant feelings. If you sleep too little, you will experience symptoms such as dizziness, fatigue, anxiety, and memory loss.

Generally speaking, the recommended sleep time for adults is 7 to 9 hours, and for the elderly is 7 to 8 hours. However, there are individual differences in sleep duration, and duration is only one indicator to measure sleep quality. It is important not only to get enough sleep, but also to sleep soundly. Quality is more important than quantity.

Whether it is quality sleep can be judged by four aspects:

1. Fall asleep quickly, within 10 to 30 minutes;

2. It is not easy to wake up during sleep, and even if you wake up occasionally, you can fall asleep quickly;

3. Few dreams at night or forgetting them quickly after waking up;

4. After waking up, you will feel clear-headed, in a good mood and full of energy.

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How can I have a good sleep?

Good sleep is the foundation of health, so how to improve sleep quality and improve sleep disorders? Instead of indulging in the "eye-catching tricks" of "drinking to help sleep" and "counting sheep to help sleep", it is better to start from these eight aspects to avoid "sleeping".

1. Do not drink tea, smoke or drink alcohol before going to bed to avoid excitement of the nerve center.

2. Eat three meals a day regularly and in moderation, especially don't eat too much or too hungry before going to bed, which will help the body cells maintain a good biological rhythm at the metabolic level.

3. Understand your own sleep characteristics and develop a regular sleep schedule. Get up and go to bed on time, don't go to bed early or "stay in bed" to make up for sleep, and strictly follow your biological rhythm.

4. You can take a 20-30 minute nap at noon, which will help maintain a good working state in the afternoon.

5. Stay relaxed before going to bed, avoid excitement and stimulation, listen to soothing music, gentle sounds of waves, flowing water, and other regular fluctuations, so that your body can gradually relax and enter a sleep state.

6. The bed is only used for sleeping. Don't do other things in bed. If you eat, drink, play games, or use your phone in bed, it is easy to disrupt your biological rhythm. Especially when you play with your phone while lying in bed, the blue light from the phone screen will affect the operation of the neural sleep center.

7. Soak your feet or take a bath in hot water before going to bed. Soaking your feet or taking a bath in hot water can promote blood circulation, relax the whole body, and help you fall asleep.

8. The sound, light, temperature, and even space, color, and bedding of the external environment will directly affect the quality of sleep. It is recommended to create a warm, quiet, and comfortable environment suitable for sleeping. For example, use blackout curtains, as darkness is more conducive to falling asleep and deep sleep.

Author: Zhong Yanping

Review | Peng Zhiping Director of the Science Department of the China Sleep Research Society

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