A very important aspect of sleep deprivation that the world is facing
today, and probably a contributor to that as well, is our own
unwillingness to sleep. We know that sleep is important; we even
know that if we do not sleep adequately, then it will create a lot of
problems for us in future, but we are still in denial and we do not give
this very essential part of our lives its due importance.
What is it that is making us not sleep? There are so many people who
are burning the midnight lamp for various reasons, but to what avail?
Are deadlines so important that we should lose sleep over them?
What effects can such a hazardous lifestyle have on our health?
We all know if we are “morning” people or “evening” people. Many
people can jump out of bed easily in the morning, often without the
need for an alarm clock. At 9 pm in the evening they are ready to
sleep, their ability to focus and think clearly severely diminished. Yet
they may be married to someone who finds it extremely difficult to
get out of bed in the mornings, but at 9 pm at night they are awake
and produce their best quality work.
The difference between this pair is their biological clock that affects
what are called the Circadian Rhythms. The hormone melatonin,
which is produced in the brain in response to darkness, increases at
night and is decreased during the day. Melatonin makes you feel
drowsy and reduces your body temperature. Blood levels of the
hormone are highest around midnight and levels gradually reduce in
the second half of the night.
Every individual has his or her own minor variation to this hormonal
response. This variation is the reason why some people feel sleepy
earlier than others. Age is also a contributing factor to our sleep
needs.
The area that controls the production of melatonin also controls other
body functions such as blood pressure and urine production which
are reduced at night.
The wake sleep cycle is the rise and fall of melatonin and the response
of our body to its production or lack of production are the symptoms
we feel when we are tired and the alert feelings we have when we are
awake during periods when there are low levels of melatonin
circulating in our blood.
The levels of melatonin reducing once you are exposed to day light
explains why you gradually feel more energetic and less sleepy after
you have been awake for a while.
Many people believe that their morning coffee is essential for them to
wake up, but while to a degree this is true as caffeine is a stimulant,
simultaneously your body’s levels of melatonin are reducing under
the influence of the day light creating a more alert feeling and less
drowsiness which is stimulated further by your cup of coffee or tea.
The amount of sleep we need and the reason why we don’t always feel
sleepy at night, and yet feel very sleepy in the afternoon after a big
meal, or on a hot day is dependent on a number of factors. There are
other reasons for feeling less than energetic in the afternoon, which
must be addressed.
The types of food we eat for lunch for example will affect our
afternoon energy levels, but some people do experience a slight rise in
melatonin levels in the afternoon and a slight drop in body
temperature, and while this does not have the same effect as night
time melatonin, it does cause drowsiness and a need for daytime
naps.