Sharing an article '8 Things Your Mind & Body Are Doing While You Sleep'
"You are probably well aware that your body requires adequate sleep every night – ideally around seven to eight hours – to function properly and maintain your health, but you may not realize how much goes on while you are sleeping.
Read on to learn eight surprising things your mind and body are doing while you snooze.
Your Body Temperature Drops Significantly
During sleep, your body temperature drops to reduce the rate at which it burns calories and release melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone that plays a key role in your circadian rhythm.
Toxins are Cleansed
When at rest, the body filters out toxins and clears damaged molecules. These processes allow the body and brain to rejuvenate. Without sufficient amounts of sleep, the brain is unable to purge toxins. This may lead to an increase is neurological deterioration.
You Lose Weight
Throughout the night, you lose weight due to expelling humid air and losing water through perspiration. As opposed to during the day, there is no consumption of food or beverages to offset this effect. This leads to a decrease in pounds by the morning. During sleep, your body also regulates hunger hormones. This means that you are better equipped to fight off junk food cravings if you got an appropriate amount of sleep the night before.
You Dream
Everyone knows the mind creates dreams during the night but you may be surprised to learn how much you dream. We can spend as many as two hours dreaming each night.
You Get Taller
Your body actually experiences an increase in height while you sleep. When you are laying down, the discs in your spine decompress and rehydrate causing them to get bigger and slightly boost your height.
You May Jerk Involuntarily
Whether you sleep alone or with a partner, for many people, falling asleep produces a phenomenon where muscles suddenly contract involuntarily. This creates a sudden jerk. In some cases, it may be noticeable enough to wake you back up.
Your Skin is Boosted
Collagen – a protein that contributes to youthful, healthy skin – is produced at an increased rate while you sleep. It is stimulated by growth hormones that are released as you snooze. Higher levels of collagen promote more resilient, vibrant skin.
You Wake Up – Often
During the night, we actually wake up numerous times – up to 15 – each hour. This usually occurs when we are shifting to a different sleep stage. The periods of wakefulness are usually so brief that we do not remember them.
Final Thoughts
Getting an adequate amount of sleep is a crucial component of good health. Given all the health benefits and the fascinating facts mentioned above, make a point to get a solid chunk of sleep each night. To increase your odds of getting deep, restful sleep, avoid caffeine too close to bedtime, keep your room dark, and skip screen time prior to hitting the pillow."
Above words from article here
Share your thoughts
I know we dream each night, sometimes I remember dreams but often I don't, do you remember your dreams?
It was interesting to read about 'you may jerk involuntary' as this has happened to me and I invariably wake myself up! Have you experienced this?
I am fortunate that I do not have any problems sleeping, I know that many do.
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All the best Jan
36 comments:
...things that I didn't know.
I rarely remember dreams, but this week dreamed of a landslide.
Fascinating. I'm a color dreamer, and usually remember scenes from my dreams, but not the story. If you can call it a story.
A fabulous post of what happens why we sleep. I often dreamt and dis remember them and they were never happy dreams.. for years I dreamt my husband was playing around to the extend of actually believing it, well it wasn't the case, he was away a lot and I was insecure and couldn't find a better soul mate who adopted my children. [maybe the dreams were related to my ex husband who played around a lot like a sailor in every port]
As I get older I need more sleep and have most peaceful nights now, but I am still very tired in the morning?
Jerking of my body never occurs to me thank goodness.
Thanks for a great point of interest. xx
All very interesting stuff here. I have had those jerk motions but not for a long time. I rarely ever remember a dream and when I do I am quite shocked, for the fact that I remember not for the content. I tend to wake up at least twice in one night. I also go through spells of insomnia which I have done since childhood but I am sleeping well at the moment. We lose weight when we are asleep? That's a bonus!!!
aussie aNNie in part of her comment said
"As I get older I need more sleep and have most peaceful nights now, but I am still very tired in the morning?"
Many thanks for your comment.
There is such a thing called "Morning Fatigue"
You may be interested in reading this article called 'Morning Fatigue (Tired After Sleeping) Common Reasons'
https://www.healthhype.com/5-common-reasons-for-morning-fatigue-tired-after-sleeping.html
All the best Jan
Uy genial no sabía mucho de lo que cuentas del sueño. Genial entrada
Very interesting post Jan. I knew some but not all of these things. I'm one of the lucky ones, I sleep hard and heavy. I'm out like a light a minute or two after my head hits the pillow. My husband is so jealous, he suffers from insomnia. I remember dreams sometimes, but not always.
Sleep is so important!
At one time, I slept soundly and dreamed every night and remembered all my dreams. After doctors refused to support my 25-year-old premarin habit, I can no longer fall asleep. So, I take melatonin and cannot remember one dream! I know melatonin will cause disturbing dreams, but no more dreams for me. I read that the jerking is because one part of brain goes to sleep before the other part. I never jerk in my sleep. I do know my back hurts less in the morning, due to not crushing the vertebrae together. Taller? I hope so.
Jan - thank you so much for this information, most of which is new to me. I only remember my dreams if I make a conscious decision to think about them as soon as I wake up!
Sleep is a huge issue for me. I wake easily and often.
I know I'm not getting enough sleep at the moment. I wake much too early in a morning. X
I usually sleep well, though the current hot weather is sometimes keeping me awake. I often remember dreams and sometimes use them as inspiration for poetry. My partner is so tall that he is noticeably taller in the morning than in the evening. For most of us the difference is too small to notice.
Thanks for sharing this very interesting article! Valerie
How interesting to read .
Never knew I woke in sleep because I don't recall.
Thankfully I don't experience any sleep issues. Another post that I learnt so much.
I have very vivid dreams, some really nice dreams and some not so nice. I usually remember them really clearly.
Really this is a very interesting article you have written thanks for sharing such a great article for us.
lovely posting dear Jan as always !
i used to have dreams that i could remember after i awake but know i don't remember if i dream or not .
yes i experienced jerks rarely specially when i was with child i think and nightmares yes
thanks
blessings!
I have amazing dreams however if I don't think about them when I wake up, I forget them. I simply know I had a great dream! My husband jerks often when falling into sleep. It happens to me occasionally.
I'm so thankful that I usually sleep well. I rarely remember my dreams, but have awakened in the night laughing occasionally so something must have tickled my funny bone.
The body is really quite amazing when you stop to think about things, isn't it? Thank you Jan, I hope you sleep well tonight, sweet dreams and no jerking!
Jenny
I have dreams like movies. They are always fantastic and I remember most of them.
I remember a lot of my dreams. Some stay with me longer than others. Amazing to think we wake up so many times each night. I do love to sleep and try to get the right amount. :)
~Jess
I didn't know that but I don't get a lot of sleep these days.
I don't remember my dreams and I like to sleep, that means I go to bed with joy :-))
Good night and have a wonderful weekend.
I have been struggling to sleep lately. Between the heat and my toddler! Argh!
So interesting. Had no idea about the waking up so often!!
Sometimes I remember my dreams, other times don't. I dream in color.
I seldom remember my dreams unless I am suddenly awakened. Mine are always vivid when I DO remember them. I also jerk, but usually before I am completely asleep. I used to sleep at least five hours a night. Now I'm lucky to get two hours at a time. One thing I know I don't have is sleep apnea. Thanks for this informative article.
This was a very interesting post. Thank you . I never remember my dreams. Although ths week I started taking a new vitamin supplement and noticed I was remembering my dreams. Funny
What an interesting article! I'm definitely a dreamer (and a jerker lol) It's good to know about waking up being normal as I wake a few times in the night, only long enough to turn over, but I'm glad it's normal xx
Lo más que duermo son 5 horas y sueño bastante, algunos sueños los recuerdo bien , otros no. Besos.
I LOVE raspberries and have them and blueberries almost every day at breakfast. This recipe sounds really good. Thanks for the sleep info. Truly interesting.
it is so amazing what our bodies can do!
I enjoyed this post. Thank you for sharing Jan. I am so thankful I do not have sleeping problems. I do jerk, I always wake when I do this, but fall asleep after.
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