Sleep and productive activities

Introduction

Good day,% habrauser%! I think in this article I did not discover anything new. I just got interested in the topic of productive sleep. For the past few years I have been committed to the view that sleep is a waste of time, unfortunately a necessary organism. And therefore, I tried my best to reduce sleep time. But the more I did it, the more I began to look like a zombie. And then I began to look for an alternative. And the result of summarizing all the information I found was this article. So let's go!

During sleep we learn

I would like to start with the fact that sleep is not a waste of time. For me it was a great discovery. During sleep, the brain does not turn off, but processes information. All the while we sleep peacefully and see dreams, the brain diligently processes all the information received during the day. What he considers useful - lays in the long-term memory for many years, and what is not needed - throws it away. Thus, awake, we only collect information for further processing in a dream. So how does this happen. Here you need to get acquainted with such a concept as a phase of sleep.

Sleep phases

Scientists have long established that sleep is not homogeneous. Conventionally, it consists of alternating phases of deep and shallow sleep. How are they different?
- for the deep phase is characterized by slow breathing and heartbeat, and complete rest of the body. This stage is considered the most useful. And just during this stage, all the necessary information is recorded in the long-term memory.
- for the shallow stage is characterized by a large number of involuntary movements in sleep and sensitivity. It is during shallow sleep that we see vivid and clear dreams. This stage allows us to clear our memory of unnecessary information.
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So what is good for sleeping?

I would like to give some tips that will help you get better sleep in a shorter time, it is easier to get up in the morning and fall asleep faster in the evenings. So, let's go from simple to complex.

Air the room

Fresh air is extremely beneficial for healthy sleep. Just a 20 minute airing of the bedroom before bedtime will allow you to sleep much better.

Walk before bedtime

Walking in the fresh air is not only physical exertion, but also a great opportunity to relax, to distract from annoying thoughts and worries, or, on the contrary, to think about an important problem.

Sleep in a comfortable bed

Unable to sleep well in an uncomfortable bed. Always be careful about choosing a bed, pillow, and bed linen. You also need to take into account the color of the bed - bright red tones can adversely affect your sleep.

Lavender oil

The topic of aromatherapy is a separate topic. Just want to note that the smell of lavender allows you to relax and calm down throughout the body.

10-20 minutes before bedtime sit in peace and quiet

A very good exercise before going to sleep is in silence, with the TV and computer turned off for 10-20 minutes to sit just like that, not thinking about anything. Completely free your head from any thoughts and in such an easy state go to sleep.

Some drugs (melaxen, B6mix)

Sleep hormone is melatonin. It slows down all the processes in our body and contributes to going to sleep. It is he who helps us sleep. With its deficiency, it is recommended to use such medications as melaxen, B6mix. But do not go too far, and better consult your doctor. I strongly advise against using sleeping pills and antidepressants - they get used to them very quickly and in the future healthy sleep becomes impossible.

Smooth increase in the volume of the alarm

The very awakening from the dream is also very significant. The alarm ringing or phone screaming at full capacity can bring anyone to a nervous breakdown. Therefore, it is best to wake up to the increasing volume of the alarm. It is best if it will be any music that you like and do not bother, and even better if it inspires you in a positive mood.

Wake up to the correct phase of sleep

In my personal experience, it has been proved that waking up in the shallow sleep phase is much easier than during the deep sleep phase. The best time can be learned experimentally by setting the alarm for different times (+ - 20 minutes), or you can use special gadgets, but about them later.

Gadgets

Nowadays, many specialized gadgets for waking up to the desired stage of sleep have begun to appear. I will not dwell on this topic in detail - you will find all the information in the article Ctrl + DREAM (we control sleep with the help of gadgets) .

What is bad for sleeping?

Sleep in a hot room

Proved that sleeping in a cool room is stronger and healthier. Therefore, it is not worth listening to the heat with a listen. It is best to sleep with the window ajar all year round, so it will not be hot, and there will always be fresh air.

Sleep in a lit room

The more in a darker place you sleep, the better melatonin will be produced, therefore, the better you will sleep. And another interesting fact: if you look at a bright light source at night (well, for example, watch on your phone), then melatonin suddenly stops being produced in the body, and all the remaining sleep time will not be productive. In the morning you will feel as if you slept for a few hours.

Binge eating

Overeating at night threatens you not only with excess weight, which in itself is unpleasant, but also a bad dream. It is very difficult to fall asleep if the stomach is full of heavy food. It is best to eat a dinner-promoting dinner 2-3 hours before bedtime and no longer go to the refrigerator.

Power engineers

The use of energy drinks is a real nuclear bomb for your body. Not only do you get a solid blow to the liver and kidneys, but also break your nervous system. As a result, neither sleep nor think normally is impossible. You literally liquefy your brain, so you need to renounce such a poison.

TV, computer and other electronics in the room

Try to place all your electronics, such as TV, computer, etc. in a separate room. So you not only isolate yourself from unnecessary noise and light, you will not litter your brain with unnecessary information, but you will also protect yourself from electromagnetic radiation during sleep, which is more than enough nowadays.

Tips for productive activities

Sleep, of course, is very important for vigorous activity, but it is not the only factor that can make your life brighter and more productive. So, what else can we change for the better? Here are some helpful tips.

Do morning exercises

If you start the day with morning exercises, then you are on the right path to success. It will help stretch all the muscles after a good sleep, saturate them with fresh blood and oxygen and raise the body temperature.

Raise your body temperature

Just want to make a reservation that there is a change in body temperature by a few tenths of a degree. If your temperature is above 37 degrees, then this is a reason to consult a doctor. It is no secret that during sleep the temperature of a person’s body is lower than during wakefulness. Therefore, to wake up the body and prepare it for productive work, you first need to warm up. Morning exercises and a douche will perfectly cope with this task.

Work in good light

It is best if it is sunlight, and in its absence - turn on all the lights in the room or office. When not enough light begins to produce melanin, which inhibits mental activity and lulls.

Drink plenty of water

An adult should drink 2 liters of pure water every day. With a lack of water, human mental activity slows down. Advice, keep on your table a 1.5-2 liter carafe with water and be sure to drink all during the day. It is best to drink filtered water and then freeze it. And do not abuse mineral water - there may be kidney stones.

Give up alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, energy and fatty foods

Alcohol is a brain cell killer. Nicotine constricts blood vessels, leaving the brain without fresh blood, energy and caffeine in large quantities cause nervous disorders, fatty foods help to increase blood cholesterol levels - and this is a direct way to the formation of blood clots. I think that all this is harmful to explain is not necessary.

Sleep 30 minutes after lunch

A small 30 minute sleep after lunch will ensure better memorization of all received and the removal of unnecessary information. The main thing is not to sleep much, otherwise the rest of the day you will be broken, and in the evening it will be difficult to sleep.

Morning sex

This is one of the best means of awakening. This will not only wake up and warm up, but also recharge yourself with a great mood for the whole day. And besides, it will bring a lot of pleasant sensations to you and your partner.

Do eye exercises

By virtue of our profession, a big burden falls on our eyes. A great opportunity to preserve, and sometimes even improve, vision is gymnastics for the eyes. Perform circular eye movements, several times tightly shut, move the focus to a close distance then to a distant one, blink quickly. These exercises are also useful to do and sitting in front of the computer - relaxes the eyes.

Adaptogens

Since ancient times, people use certain plants to increase their productivity. For me, the best such drug was infusion of lemongrass. Many use ginseng root. They are sold in any pharmacy, and quite cheap. Just do not go too far with dosages, otherwise you will get the exact opposite result. And yet, do not use adaptogens less than 5-6 hours before bedtime, otherwise you will have a sleepless night. And better consult your doctor.

Movement and fresh air

Whenever possible, get out into the fresh air. Any outdoor games in nature will not only give you a lot of wonderful emotions, but also charge your body with energy for several days ahead. By the way, after such shocks often there are sharp positive jumps of creative and mental activity. This is especially true during a period of great mental stress.

Saunas and baths

The steam room is a great place to cleanse the body of all the accumulated harmful substances that poison you. And sudden changes in temperature stimulate the blood circulation of the whole body and train your circulatory system. After a good bath, you will feel light and free, as if born again. And your brain will be open to new ideas.

Read 1 book per week

Make it a rule to read at least 1 book a week. These are 50 books a year that can drastically change you and your life.

Meditation

This is a great way to put all your thoughts in places. Having renounced all thoughts, spend 30-40 minutes in complete calm and freedom from all problems. This will significantly strengthen your nerves and make you more patient and stress resistant.

Hobbies

Dancing, swimming, sports, playing musical instruments, juggling, learning foreign languages ​​are well suited for brain development. Choose the one that is closer to you and take care of it. It will also allow you to make new acquaintances, so act.

Control thoughts and speech

We are what we say and think. All our fears and doubts come to life to no small degree and because we constantly think and talk about them. Learn to think positively, and then the trouble will happen to you much less often.

What not to do

Noise from a working computer, speakers, etc.

Get the computer out of the bedroom. If there is no such possibility - disconnect everything for the night. You need to sleep in silence. It is better to throw out the TV in the trash; anyway, there is no sense from this zomboyaschik.

Suggestion in a dream is useless

Using audiobooks in a dream as in the film “Big Break” is practically useless. At the time of sleep, the brain turns off all its "external ports" and simply ignores 99% of the incoming information. But it affects the quality of sleep quite strongly. So I do not recommend using this technique.

Read and work in bed

Bed is a place for sleep and sex. So do not make it a kitchen, cinema and work office. Everything should be in place.

Constant fear

Constant fear of something that negatively affects the state of mind. It may cause nervousness, and in extreme cases of depression and mental disorders, so you need to deal with fears. Sometimes fears are far-fetched. Try to understand yourself and, first of all, get rid of such far-fetched fears (for example, the fear of communication or the fear of looking foolish).

To think about something extra while working

When you are engaged in one business - think only about him and about nothing else. Otherwise, you will not get any sense from this. If, while solving a difficult task, in parallel to dream of a neighbor, Masha, then the probability of finding the right solution is extremely small. It is necessary either to complete the work by focusing on the goal, or to solve distracting problems, and then get back to business with a free head.

Unnecessary information

Very relevant advice on the eve of the upcoming elections. Filter all incoming information. Don't let your precious brain litter with tons of useless trash. And I repeat once again - throw out the zomboyaschik.

Conclusion

This article has a lot of useful information and not very much on how to make your life better. Everyone has the right to choose what is appropriate for him, or not to use these tips at all. But if they at least help someone to achieve great results or to preserve health, then I will already assume that I did not waste time.