This World Sleep Day, learn facts & tips to improve sleep
Riddle me this.
The key to staying healthy
A way to escape reality
Is your brain’s best friend
And like all good things, it ends.
Who is it? Hint: The answer is in the title. We sure hope you got this one right.
This wasn’t just some silly little riddle to get your attention. But now that it has, let’s walk through some staggering facts about sleep. After all, it is World Sleep Day.
The years gone by
Did you know? You spend approximately 1/3rd of your life sleeping. So if you’re a 75 year old, you’ve probably spent about 25 years sleeping! But hey, no regrets, right?
Sleepless in California
How long do you think you can go without sleeping? 2 days, maybe 3? Well, this student from California left everyone shocked when he went 11 days without sleep. But we highly recommend you do not try this, because sleep deprivation can kill quicker than starving!
The ones that got away
How often do you remember your dreams vividly? Our guess is-rarely. An average person spends about 2 hours dreaming during sleep. However, we tend to forget 90% of our dreams within 10 minutes of waking up. This could possibly be because our dreams represent our repressed thoughts that the brain wipes out quickly from the memories.
The magnetism of our beds
Ever felt like just lying in your bed all day and lazing around? If your answer was “Yep, that’s me everyday”, you should know about dysania, a condition characterized by not being able to get out of bed in the morning. Nearly 42% of adolescents experience this. For those of you looking for an excuse from an early morning meeting, you’re welcome.
Walkin’ and talkin’ ..in your sleep
Walking and talking is surprisingly very common. About 66% of people have had episodes of talking in their sleep. Sleepwalking is also fairly common, more so in children.
Black screens and coloured dreams
Before the splash of colour hit the screens, only 15% of people dreamt in colours. Today, over 75% of us do. Looks like the TV has made its mark in both our conscious and subconscious minds!
By now, you must have figured out that sleep has been thoroughly studied. And that’s not just because it is a fascinating concept, it’s because sleep is important for all aspects of our health-physical, mental and even emotional. So let’s have a look at how we can sleep better.
Power up with a nap
15 minutes of power nap = 3 hours of increased productivity
Pick a side
55% of people sleep on their sides.
Sleeping on the sides benefits sleep apnea and back pain
Keep it cool
Setting room temperature between 15 to 19° C can help you sleep better
Wipe the sheets clean
80% of people feel excited to go to bed with fresh-smelling sheets
Break up with your phone
24-hour Internet access is a major distractor from sleep
Conclusion
We hope with these facts and figures, we have brought your attention to that part of the day we often put on the sidelines.
On this World Sleep Day, we hope you put your deadlines on hold, and your movies on download, and get a good night’s sleep. Because when you sleep better, you feel better.
Happy World Sleep Day! GN SD TC!