Where to sleep with your head - all the secrets of healthy sleep. Proper night rest: what it should be Based on the recommendations of various teachings, it is possible to determine what all cardinal points mean

Proper sleep is the main condition for a fulfilling life. A rare person will say that he gets enough sleep, that he has no problems falling asleep. Units in the morning do not feel overwhelmed. In order for the body to be filled with vital energy, you need to know how to fall asleep correctly, how to organize your rest, what position to sleep in. A competent approach will benefit the whole body.

Sleep is a physiological process of a special activity of the body, during which brain activity is reduced, breathing, blood circulation and reaction to external stimuli are slowed down, body temperature is lowered.

Proper sleep is possible under the following conditions:

1. In an hour, a person prepares a room, creates comfortable conditions for a sleeping place.
2. The body during sleep is in the correct position, which allows you to relax all the muscles of the body.
3. The mode and number of hours of rest meets the needs of the body.

Serious health problems arise if you sleep incorrectly:

Proper and healthy sleep of a person, to a greater extent depends on the position of the body. Often convenient does not mean useful.

The human brain needs oxygen during sleep. Oxygen, along with blood, enters through the carotid and vertebral arteries, which are located in the cervical region. Due to the high pillow or its absence, squeezing of these arteries can occur, which leads to oxygen starvation of brain cells. And if the cerebellum and the Varoliev bridge suffer from a lack of blood, then the coordination of movements, the work of the respiratory system are disturbed, and the vessels are destroyed. Therefore, you need to monitor the position of the spine, shoulders and neck during sleep, avoid twisting and bending.

A person can ventilate the bedroom, even take a walk in the fresh air, pick up the most comfortable underwear, calculate the required number of hours, but all this will be useless if he does not take the correct position. It is necessary to choose a position that will not interfere with the work of internal organs, interfere with breathing and blood circulation.

It is said that lazy people like to sleep on their stomachs. Medicine has not proven such a relationship between temperament and sleep. But the beneficial effect of the posture on the abdomen on the intestines is known. To reduce colic and normalize stools, pediatricians advise babies to be laid out on the tummy as often as possible. In addition, in this position, most people fall asleep faster. That's where the beneficial qualities of sleeping on your stomach ended.

A pose on the stomach cannot be attributed to healthy sleep, because during it:

The position on the stomach cannot be considered correct due to the serious pressure of body weight on the internal organs. Although with kidney disease, a posture on the stomach can help them work and cleanse. During pregnancy, this position will harm the fetus. The muscles of the cervical region and the upper part of the spine are twisted, so there is no question of any relaxation.

Sleeping on your back is the most favorable option for complete muscle relaxation. The back fully rests, all internal organs are located in a natural way. The supine position helps to preserve the beauty of the skin, since in this position the face does not lie on the pillow. Premature appearance of nasolabial wrinkles is excluded, and the decollete area will please with elasticity for a long time, because the skin does not fold, as when sleeping on the side.

Despite the fact that sleeping on your back has a positive effect on the body, there are contraindications.

Do not sleep on your back:

• if a person snores;
• sleep apnea (sudden pauses in breathing during sleep);
• during pregnancy.

Weak palate muscles lead to snoring and sleep apnea. Sagging, they interfere with the passage of oxygen through the respiratory tract, as a result, breathing becomes irregular or completely stops. And pregnant women are contraindicated in sleeping on their backs due to fetal pressure on the vena cava.

However, one cannot deny the benefits of such a position for patients with scoliosis, hypertensive patients. In both cases, the positive quality of the posture is the even distribution of the load on the spine and heart, the full blood supply to the vertebral discs. The cosmetic value of the position is in the neutral position of the muscles of the face, the natural support of the mammary glands.

Sleeping in this position will be most beneficial if you put thin rollers under your knees, lower back and neck. So you can achieve the ideal natural position of the body. Rollers will support natural curves and help the body to relax. Then rest can be considered correct.

High pillows and too soft mattresses will spoil the favorable posture.

Doctors consider side-sleeping to be beneficial. This position is called the “fetal” or “embryo” position, which emphasizes the naturalness of such a position for a person from the first moments of his life. This is the position of the fetus in the womb. The position helps to cope with snoring.

Before you go to bed properly, you should choose your left side for a healthy sleep. Tibetans believe that sleeping on the left side prolongs life. According to yogis, it warms the human aura.

From a medical point of view, the posture on the left side is:

1. Strengthens the lymphatic system, improves the filtration of the lymphatic vessels.
2. It improves digestion, since the stomach, pancreas, large intestine occupy an optimal position, and nothing interferes with their work.
3. Excludes the reflux of stomach contents into the esophagus.
4. Reduces pressure on the vena cava, thereby activating blood circulation.
5. Relieves pain in the lumbar region, minimizes pressure on the spinal column.

Laying on the right side is useful for stress, to alleviate the condition with cholelithiasis. However, sleeping on the right side threatens with heartburn, and the load on the liver increases.

The side position is the correct position for an adult and a child under the following conditions:

There are advantages and disadvantages to sleeping on both the right and left sides. When choosing a position that is comfortable and useful for healthy sleep, you should listen to your body.

The correct position on the side will be if the thickness of the pillow does not exceed the distance from the base of the neck to the edge of the shoulder. This will keep a straight line between the spine and the cervical region.

Constant research in the field of dreams today allows you to choose a regimen in which a person sleeps no more than two hours a day instead of the standard 6-8 hours. And other experts advise calculating the number of hours for sleep so that it is divided by 1.5. When choosing a mode, you need to proceed from the individual characteristics of the organism.

Proper sleep requires a serious systematic approach to its organization.

You should think about additional conditions that will help you sleep:

1. Orthopedic pillows and mattresses.
2. Bedroom insulation.
3. A time of quiet wakefulness.
4. Meditation before bed.

Of great importance is the half-hour airing of the room at night. Oxygenating the bedroom will make breathing easier. Walking outdoors is even better for your health.

The comfort of a bed can be ensured by the right bedding. Healthy rest has long been the merit of orthopedic pillows. They seem uncomfortable on the first nights of use. If you give your body time to adapt, you can not be afraid of cervical osteochondrosis and, as a result, headaches in the future. And the breathable materials from which the blanket, bed linen and sleepwear are made will allow you not to experience sweating throughout the night and maintain a comfortable body temperature.

No need to skimp on a mattress. People spend a third of their lives sleeping, so the better the mattress supports the body at night, the better a person feels during the day. It must be sufficiently firm and resilient.

New parents should understand that co-sleeping with children will not help anyone get enough sleep. The same can be said about pets in bed.

How to sleep properly, a person knows for sure who does not overeat before that. The body should restore energy during rest, and not continue to spend it on digestion. It is also worth refraining from watching horror films and not overloading the brain with information.

Recently, mediation before bed has become popular. Clearing the mind of negative thoughts, gradual relaxation of the whole body helps to tune in, get rid of insomnia, and fully relax. Meditation techniques help you wake up refreshed and stay energized throughout the day.

Knowing how to sleep properly is essential. A serious systematic approach to organizing a night's rest will bear fruit in the form of improved well-being. The quality of sleep depends on how quickly a person performs work, how carefully he drives a car. A set of measures will allow you to sleep, solve health problems, and establish an active rhythm of life.

Everyone at least once in their life asked the question “Where to sleep with your head correctly”?

Most often these are people who have recently changed their place of residence or decided to make a rearrangement, like me, for example, so I decided to tell you in detail how to sleep properly and why.

The correct position during sleep and what you need to know about the location of the bed?

We spend a third of our life in sleep, and therefore the correct position of the body is very important.

But first, it is important to understand what the location of the body itself should be. Often you can wake up even more tired and the reason for this is what you fall asleep on and how you do it.

If you constantly curl up, your head ends up on the hard back of the sofa or, worse, hangs a little off the bed.

In such cases, it is not necessary to talk about a good condition throughout the day.

During such a dream, the body begins to experience a lack of oxygen, the neck is in constant tension and takes an unnatural position for itself.

In the future, everything can develop into serious health problems.

It is better to purchase a bed with an orthopedic mattress if you do not already have one.

Try to sleep in an even position, this will be a big plus. The location of the bed is also important.

Many old folk beliefs say that if you point its head to the south, you will have an excellent reputation, enough respect and honor.

To the north - intuition will continuously develop, to the east - a healthy, restful sleep is guaranteed to you.

West means prosperity. Therefore, determine what you are missing, and begin to unfold the bed to get what you want.

As you can see for yourself, it is important to correctly position the place of your lodging for the night, try to direct the headboard in the direction in which only good dreams will be dreamed.

Only in this way you can find peace, have a great rest from all the problems and hardships of the past day.

Healthy sleep, of course, has not been canceled. All this is good if you live alone.

Not always the location that is great for you can bring pleasure to another person, especially for a night's rest.

Your energy fields can differ from each other and have a significant impact on the state of the body during sleep.

Tip: A well-chosen bed can provide not only a comfortable sleep, but also a peaceful life.

Before you buy a brand new bed, figure out what goal you set for yourself.

If this is a success in the work, it should be square and have a wooden back.

Good luck in business will bring a bed with a metal or rounded one. Seeing this, be sure to purchase, believe me, you will not have to regret.

If the soul gravitates towards creativity, fame, prosperity - a wavy back is what you need.

Seeing a bed with a headboard in the shape of a triangle, turn around and leave, such an item in the interior is useless.

The answer to the question "How to sleep properly and where is it better to turn your head?" can give the Indian sages.

The main advice that you will hear from them is to pay attention to the theory of magnetic fields.

If fully consistent with it, the bed should be placed with the headboard either to the north or northeast.

In India, it is believed that each person has his own unique electrical charge, like our entire planet.

Therefore, ancient wisdom says that the north is located at the head, the south, respectively, at the feet.

People living in India strictly follow all the rules and for a good rest at night they try to ensure the attraction of their energy pole.

If you get the perfect combination, in the morning you will be full of energy, you can feel incredible good spirits.

The electromagnetic north of our planet is in the south in geography, in accordance with the magnetic south - in the north.

When you go to bed, your head should lie in the direction of the geographical north.

But if the bedroom is planned in such a way that it is impossible to put the bed in this way, try to turn it to the east.

Feng Shui teaching, can it tell you how to go to bed correctly, where to turn your head?

The entire civilized world has recently been under the influence of a Chinese teaching called Feng Shui.

It is in it that you can find the answer to almost any question, and it does not matter which of the areas of living space it concerns.

Most often, everyone wants to know about the correct arrangement of objects in the house and, in fact, how to sleep properly.

You may be skeptical, ironic about this teaching, but many people from different parts of the world follow its rules clearly and responsibly. Their faith has great power.

Tip: you can sleep with your head in Feng Shui in completely different ways, there are a huge number of options for how to sit in your bed and get the most out of it.

TOP 5 Feng Shui rules on how to sleep properly, which I personally tried:

1. Do not go to bed with your head and feet to the front door, choose a small cozy corner of the bedroom
2. The head should not lie towards the windows
3. Sleeping in front of a mirror won't be a plus either.
4. You shouldn't see your reflection when you fall asleep.
5. The headboards of the bed should not interfere with the comfort of your sleep, you do not need to rest your head or legs against them.

Usually in Feng Shui all zones are divided into two groups:

1. Oriental
2. Western

If you have been or will be in China, please note that the facades of some houses are distinguished by the massiveness of the walls.

This is the side of Yang - Water, and the other side - Yin, it is also called the side of the Mountain, can be seen from the rear of the building.

It is here that the realm of peace and tranquility is located, and the head of the bed should be placed to it.

But in new buildings, architects do not always take this feature into account.

The nation is becoming more and more European, starting to move away from ancient customs.

Individually for you and each family member, you can calculate the Gua number, it will show what type of person you are.

To do this, add the last two digits of your year of birth, if you get a two-digit number, summarize again.

Now you need to subtract 10 if you are a man, if a boy who was born after 2000 - 9.

Women need to add 5, girls - 6. If in the end you get the number 5, but it does not exist, it is replaced by 2 for men and 8 for women.

The result belongs to the eastern type: 1, 3, 4, 9, for sleep you need to lie down with your head to the south, east, southeast or north.

Western: 2, 6, 7, 8, fall asleep in the northeast, northwest, southwest or west direction.

Cardinal directions - how do they affect sleep?

This question is raised in any ancient teaching or religion, but what if it is not at all necessary to rely on them, but simply ask the question: “Where is it right to sleep with your head: to the west or east?”

The energy in our body is charged with the help of consciousness and goes in the direction from the head to the feet.

Based on the recommendations of various teachings, you can determine what all the cardinal points mean:

1. North. Helps to improve health, can bring prosperity and good luck to life. It helps in family life to forget about troubles, problems, falling asleep in this way, you can find inner freedom and harmony. It is perfect for families and adults alike.
2. West. Such a position of the head in a dream will help to open up in creativity, get complete satisfaction from life and a charge of positive energy. Artists, musicians, people of creative professions - this is for you.
3. East. It promises to receive magical energy, after spending the night and positioning yourself in this way, you will become more purposeful, more active, no fear of new things can scare you, because higher powers will come to the rescue. A great option for those who constantly work, leads an active lifestyle.
4. South. The perfect solution if you want to be at the top of the career ladder. Falling asleep in this position every day, you will always be confident in yourself, throughout the night the body will be charged with energy, thereby attracting good luck during the day.
5. The northeast is the ideal position for the elderly. It is believed that in this way energy and strength are restored the next day, if you are depressed, this position will help you find a way out of the situation.
6. Southeast. Do you want to overcome complexes and fears? This position is perfect for you.

Religion and proper sleep

There are many different religions in the world and each has its own special interpretation of sleep, its meanings and, of course, the correct position in which to spend the night.

Let's figure out how to sleep properly and where to lie down with your head in a Christian way.

This creed has never focused on issues of this kind.

It is believed that every person has the right to sleep in the way that is convenient for him, the main thing is to feel unity with himself.

But despite this, over the millennia of the existence of religion, some opinions have developed:

1. No need to fall asleep with your head to the north. In a dream, you can lose touch with God, the Higher powers.
2. Having taken the eastern position, you will do absolutely the right thing, so your connection with the Almighty will only become stronger.
3. By placing your head to the south during sleep, you can become one step closer to longevity.
4. The development of egoism is promoted by sleep with the head to the west.

Now you know and you can decide for yourself where it would be more correct to sleep with your head in a Christian way. But everyone has their own faith.

Orthodoxy is one of the three directions of Christianity, literally translated as "correct teaching."

Therefore, the methods of proper sleep in the Orthodox way do not differ much from those described above.

But there are also folk signs that are often tied to this religion. They appeared as a result of age-old superstitions that were invented by our ancestors.

I will tell you the main ones, and you yourself decide whether to believe in them or not.

The first and most important warning: you can’t turn around with your feet towards the door, it is believed that only the dead are carried out like this.

Also, if the head is directed towards the mirror, you begin to attract all the failures and illnesses to yourself.

But the north direction promises health and longevity, the south - aggressiveness, irritability. Falling asleep with your head to the west, an unexpected illness may appear.

And if it is directed to the door - this is an ideal position, such a dream does not take away vitality, but only adds them.

So we figured out where you need to lie down with your head in order to sleep properly Orthodox.

Tip: when waking up across the bed, there is no need to be scared, our body can itself choose the optimal position for the most comfortable sleep.

In the world there is a collection of the most ancient and sacred scriptures of Hinduism in Sanskrit.

They are called the Vedas, which in translation means "knowledge" or "teaching." They completely refute the theory of yogis, but many listen to him unquestioningly.

The question of where to sleep with your head according to the Vedas can be easily answered, the main thing to remember is that the energy of the earth negatively affects the energy of a person if you fall asleep in the north.

The West is also not the best choice, because you will only lose vitality. South and East - what you need!

It is believed that in this position, the energy of the Earth gently flows around the body and feeds when necessary.

Healthy sleep - all the important points

If you are setting up your home for the first time with your husband, there can be a lot of disagreement, especially about how to put the bed.

But you should always remember about common sense, it should prevail over at least one.

It is not necessary to rely on scientific and religious theories, try to listen to yourself or your partner. The main thing is comfort.

The house should be a place where you want to return, no matter what happens during the day.

Having found harmony, you will not be exposed to any stressful situations, intuition begins to work at 100% and will be able to give the right settings and tips.

Tip: not only the position of the head affects a favorable sleep, but also what it lies on - a pillow. When buying it, pay attention to the material from which it is made, dimensions and weight.

Today, you can choose the perfect pillow for yourself in three counts. They are issued "with memory".

This miracle of innovation can remember the position of the head thanks to the elastic material of which it is made.

When you sleep, the pillow will not try to straighten out when you rest, thus not disturbing you.

Sometimes the layout of the room, and even the building itself, simply does not allow you to arrange the furniture, following the above tips and your own desires, so a well-chosen pillow saves.

Therefore, think about it: maybe you shouldn’t attach such great importance to the direction of the body during sleep, but focus solely on convenience.

Sometimes you yourself begin to catch yourself on the spot, that you can sleep well in a constantly moving transport, even if it changes its direction relative to parts of the world.

If you consider yourself a rational type of person, it is better to give preference to your own feelings and feelings.

To do this, lie down on the floor for a while and change the position of the body in relation to different parts of the world, as it will be better, intuition with nature will do everything for you.

It has been proven by scientists that mood can affect the position in which we sleep.

And various prejudices, superstitions can create great discomfort in the life of each of us, and sleep will disappear on its own.

Of course, most people actively use feng shui, the advice of yogis and various religions, which is good.

But you should not get hung up only on this, it will not always be possible in life to put a bed in the way it is written in ancient scriptures.

Find your place where you will be absolutely comfortable, wherever you go to sleep with your head, whether it is right or not.

The main thing is to see pleasant, colorful dreams and wake up in the morning in a great mood.

You constantly want to sleep, go to bed early, get up with difficulty, but still feel overwhelmed and exhausted. There can be many reasons for this, ranging from the wrong bed to watching horror movies in the evenings.

Today, special attention is paid to the study of sleep, since its quality and duration affect the health of the whole organism. Do not underestimate the night's rest and walk until midnight, and then fall into bed and pass out. In order for your sleep to be of high quality, you need to prepare your body and brain for it, and only then go to bed peacefully.

How much to sleep

Doctors advise getting at least 8 hours of sleep a day. This is how much the body needs to fully restore its strength. But besides this, one more fact must be taken into account. Sleep consists of several phases, including light and deep sleep.

Each phase lasts an hour and a half, and if you wake up not at the end of it, but in the middle or at the beginning, then the natural process of sleep will be interrupted, and you will feel that you did not get enough sleep. Therefore, always set your alarm clock so that it wakes you up in a multiple of 1.5 hours. e.g. 6, 7.5, 9 o'clock and so on.

Keep in mind that too much sleep is no less harmful than lack of sleep. If you are in the kingdom of Morpheus for more than 10-12 hours, then all day you will feel weakness, clouding of consciousness, absent-mindedness and dizziness.

In addition, there are special techniques that allow you to spend much less time on sleep than we are used to. For example, some studies show that it is possible to sleep from 12 at night until five in the morning, and then once 30-60 minutes during the day. Such a schedule will allow you to maintain a sense of cheerfulness and clarity of mind. There are many other ways to shorten your night's sleep, but you need to choose them seriously.

How to go to bed correctly

To sleep was productive, and you wake up with pleasure, you need to prepare for it. Here is what psychologists advise you to do in the evenings when you are going to bed:

• take a warm bath with essential oils;
• wash off makeup;
• ventilate the bedroom
• turn off the lights and TV;
• refrain from watching news and criminal programs;
• take an evening walk
• listen to classical music.

All sleep preparation activities are aimed at relaxing the body and brain, so leave thoughts about work, school, problems and other negative moments for tomorrow. If you find it difficult to get rid of obsessive thoughts, drink tea with chamomile or mint, a herbal sedative (valerian, motherwort), or light an aroma lamp with lavender, frankincense or lemon balm essential oil.

The emotions you fall asleep with directly affect how you sleep and what you dream about. Make sure that nothing interferes with your rest, eliminate noises, turn off the TV and radios and turn off the lights in the whole house.

Psychologists advise lying in bed to think about something pleasant or dream. When you do this, happiness hormones are produced, which help the body recover faster and even cope with ailments.

It happens that you cannot fall asleep for a long time, choosing a comfortable position. And what do scientists say about this, and is there a universal option that will help you fall asleep faster and wake up easier. We hasten to disappoint you, such a pose does not exist, but you can choose the one that will suit you.

1. On the back. This is how most therapists, cosmetologists and orthopedists recommend sleeping. If you choose a low pillow that will raise your head a little, then your spine will “thank you”. Also, this pose is useful for maintaining the youthfulness of the skin of the face.
2. On the side. This pose is more natural than the first. Therefore, it is easier to relax and fall asleep in it. It is no less useful for the spine and neck, but due to the contact of the face with the pillow in the morning, you may notice a hitch, and over time, the appearance of early wrinkles.
3. On the stomach. The most unfortunate position according to doctors, but the most comfortable according to people's reviews. In this position, the spine suffers the most, in the morning you will certainly feel pain and discomfort in the back and neck. The skin of the face and chest also suffers, being under pressure all night. The only plus of this pose is that it suppresses snoring.

You choose how to sleep, of course. But then do not complain about constant aching back pain, loss of strength, lack of sleep and other troubles.

Which side to sleep on

If you have chosen a position on your side, then a natural question arises: which one to sleep on. There is a prejudice that it is absolutely impossible to lie on the left side, since the heart is located there. This is nothing more than a myth and such a dream cannot harm your health. The fact is that the heart is located almost in the middle of the chest with an error of a few millimeters. It is much more dangerous in this case to sleep on your stomach.

But if you suffer from heartburn or involuntary ingestion of the contents of the stomach into the esophagus, then sleeping on your left side will do you good. This posture reduces the production of stomach acid and prevents it from escaping up the esophagus. At the same time, sleeping on the right side works exactly the opposite.

Do not put your hands under the pillow, but stretch them along the body. So you will avoid pain and numbness of the upper limbs. If you are uncomfortable, place another pillow in front of you and hug it. For comfort, doctors advise putting something soft between the legs.

How to sleep on a pillow

Since we are talking about pillows, then it's time to talk about how to choose them correctly and sleep on them. Buying this bedding should be taken very seriously:

• give preference to natural and hypoallergenic fillers;
• do not save money on a pillow;
• the shape of the product must meet orthopedic standards;
• the pillow should not be soft or too hard;
• if you sleep on your back, choose flat models;
• preferring a pose on your side, buy high pillows;
• if you want a regular pillow, then buy an elongated model. In the position on the side, fold it in half;
• for diseases of the spine, especially its cervical region, before buying, contact an orthopedist who will recommend a specific option.

Most importantly, the pillow should give the body a natural position. At first, it will be uncomfortable for you to sleep in this position, but very soon you will get used to it and will remember your old pillow as a nightmare.

In no case do not give up the pillow during sleep, it will harm your spine and prevent you from getting enough sleep. Sleeping in this position interferes with the flow of blood to the brain, slows down its chemical processes, and, over time, causes some diseases.

We wrote more about how to sleep on a pillow correctly.

Another important part of good sleep is the right mattress. Today, the market for these products is so diverse that it can be very difficult to decide on a specific option.

Mattresses with independent spring blocks enjoy well-deserved popularity, they provide maximum comfort and convenience. The spirals inside the product take on the contours of your body, and if you stand up, they return to their original position.

On the upper and lower sides, the springs are covered with an additional layer, on which the softness of the product depends. If you suffer from diseases of the lumbar spine, then choose holofiber or polyurethane foam. It is also recommended for older people.

The most versatile mattress is considered to be of medium hardness, with an additional layer made of latex or coconut shavings. This option would be optimal for children and adolescents whose spine is still in the growth stage.

According to Feng Shui, what matters is not what position you sleep in, but how you are located in relation to the cardinal points and how the objects around you are arranged. Here are some popular effective tips from oriental sages that will help you sleep well and comfortably:

• do not lie down with your feet to the door, this is how the dead are laid;
• do not sleep on the floor, in this place the most negative energy accumulates;
• do not put a TV or computer in front of the bed, your head will hurt in the morning;
• separate the sleeping and working area;
• when decorating a bedroom, prefer muted tones, according to the yin sign (green, blue, purple);
• sleep is disturbed by portraits of relatives placed near the bed, and vases of flowers;
• get sleep traps, they contribute to high-quality and fast rash.

How to sleep on the cardinal points
Add to each other the last two digits of the year of birth (if you got a two-digit number, then add the two received digits again).

Then, if you are a woman, add the number five, if you are a man, subtract from 10. If you get the number 1, then direct the bed to the east, if 2, then to the west, 3 to the north, 4 to the south. The number 5 indicates that you need to sleep in the direction of the southwest, 6 - northeast, 7 - southwest, 8 - northwest, 9 - southeast.

Example: your year of birth is 1985. Add 8+5=13. Then add 1 + 3, it turns out 4. If you are a woman, add 5 to 4 and get 9, if you are a man, then subtract 4 from 10 and get 6.

If a night's sleep has become a real nightmare for you, and in the morning you feel sleepy and overwhelmed, it's time to take urgent action. Follow the advice of doctors and sages, do not neglect your health and you will feel what real rest is.

Video: how best to sleep a baby

When you wake up in the morning, do you immediately begin to dream about that wonderful moment when you lie down again? But when you finally get to bed, can't close your eyes? Then it's time to pay attention to the process of sleep, and consider insomnia not as an easy sign of overwork, but as a problem that prevents you from feeling healthy and enjoying life.

Sleep is the cure for all diseases

Undoubtedly, sleep is one of the most important functions of the body, demonstrating its ability to self-heal. In its meaning, sleep can only be compared with water and food. It is explained simply.

❧ Firstly, during sleep, the working capacity of brain cells is restored, the overall tone of the body increases, and all this, according to psychologists, protects the nervous system from overwork.

❧ Secondly, during a person’s sleep, various hormones are synthesized, in particular, growth hormone, which in children is responsible for growth, and in adults for the processing of fat into muscle mass. Therefore, nutritionists warn that lack of sleep leads to weight gain.

❧ Thirdly, the cerebral cortex, freed from daytime worries, switches at night to setting up the harmonious functioning of the organs and systems of the body. “That part of the brain that was responsible for vision during the day can regulate bowel function during sleep,” explains Roman Buzunov, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Honored Doctor of the Russian Federation, Head of the Sleep Medicine Department at the Barvikha Clinical Sanatorium.

❧ Fourthly, the dreams we dream play an important independent role: they are needed to clear the brain of “information garbage”, and also contribute to the development of long-term memory for important events.

What threatens us in this scenario lack of sleep?

Already within three to five days of lack of sleep, a violation of attention and memory will be noticeable, performance will decrease, and the dulling of emotions will lead to the fact that everything around will be painted only in gray tones. But if a career and the emotional richness of life are not so important to you, then you should know: frequent sleep deprivation can seriously affect your health. In particular, somnologists - specialists who study sleep - have found that there is a direct link between sleep disorders and the frequency of rising blood pressure, as well as an increased risk of heart disease and stroke. Other consequences of chronic sleep deprivation include increased fatigue, irritability, and even mental disorders. So insomnia is not to be trifled with.

➠ According to WHO, every fifth person on the planet suffers from insomnia.

According to the rules of Feng Shui

How much sleep do you need?

So, how much sleep do you need to feel good? Immediately after birth, a person needs the maximum amount of sleep: this is about 16 hours. But over the course of life, the need for it gradually decreases, and it is believed that the optimal duration of sleep in adults is 8 hours, and wakefulness - 16 hours. But, according to Roman Buzunov, these are only average figures: “After all, we are not surprised that everyone has their own height or shoe size, and people have an individual need for sleep. It can vary from 4 to 12 hours. At the same time, the total sleep time required by a particular person is constant. That is, today you can sleep longer than tomorrow, but the number of hours of sleep per week or month is almost the same - the difference usually does not exceed half an hour.

So why is it rare for anyone, it turns out, to adhere to the norm of sleep necessary for our body? The reasons are usually associated with lifestyle and are familiar to 45% of adults.

❧ Bad habits, as it turns out, poison not only life, but also sleep. For example, smokers and those who drink coffee in the evening take a long time to fall asleep. In addition, this drink, like alcohol, is the cause of frequent awakenings at night.

❧ Increased stress, both physical and intellectual, also often provokes insomnia. In addition, constant stress, unhealthy diet, work on night shifts or nighttime leisure, as well as a sharp change in time zones do not contribute to restful sleep.

How to get good sleep

It is clear that changing the work schedule is hardly realistic, and it takes time and desire to overcome bad habits. Nevertheless, according to somnologists, there are proven ways to improve the situation, and hence your sleep:

❧ Plan your working day in such a way as to evenly distribute the load. In no case do not transfer its main part to the evening!

❧ Exercise reduces insomnia because it lowers stress hormone levels. But you still need to finish the workout a few hours before bedtime. The fact is that during intense physical activity, the body temperature rises, and this does not contribute to falling asleep.

❧ On the way home, try to walk, for example, at least a couple of the last bus stops.

❧ When you come home, be sure to change into comfortable clothes, imagining that, along with a business suit, you “remove” all daytime worries from yourself.

❧ The nervous tension accumulated during the day is perfectly “washed away” by water. Nothing helps you fall asleep like taking a bath shortly before you're about to go to bed. The effect will be enhanced if you add 4-5 drops of valerian essential oil to the water.

❧ Before going to bed, it is good to enjoy a cup of tea with lemon balm. If you drink through a straw, the child's sucking reflex will work, which will enhance the calming effect.

❧ Do not watch thrillers and melodramas at night, they excite the psyche. Computer games also belong to the same category of influence on the body. After a virtual adventure, a person needs at least an hour of time to calm down. It is better to read a book or listen to calm music.

These preparatory procedures will play a role in the event that you tune your body to sleep. To do this, determine for yourself the most suitable time for going to bed and stick to it for two weeks. Count 8 hours back from when you need to get up. This will be the new, non-negotiable bedtime. Count another half an hour: at this time you should go to bed. Another half an hour will be required for your relaxation in order to prepare the body for sleep. For example, if you have to get up at 6:30 am, you should start relaxing at 9:30 pm, go to bed at 10:00 pm, and turn off the lights at 10:30 pm.

night outfit

An important requirement for nightwear is that it should not be very warm or cause discomfort: crush or rub. Many somnologists recommend sleeping completely without clothes, thus completely helping the body to relax.

➠ No alarm clock!

For each person, sleep consists of individual biocycles - phases of sleep. In order to sleep, 4-6 biocycles of 60-90 minutes must pass.

If you wake up a person ahead of time and when one of the phases has not yet ended, he will feel overwhelmed.

Therefore, it is best to get up not according to the alarm clock, but according to your own biological clock.

your bedroom

If the night table is littered with papers or a bunch of things are piled on the ottoman, then your bedroom definitely cannot be called a place where it is pleasant to relax. Remove everything else to create the perfect sleep environment. Use the bedroom only for sleeping and intimate life. There is no need to eat or work here. And then, as soon as you enter the bedroom in the evening, your body will immediately be set to sleep. In addition, the room should be cool: doctors recommend maintaining the air temperature in the bedroom no more than 16-18 ° C. Follow these tips too:

❧ Spray your pillow and sheets with lavender oil, known for its soothing properties.

❧ Close your eyes with a special mask. It is also a good idea to use earplugs: they will be very useful if you are sensitive to the slightest noise.

❧ Relax and tense each muscle group in succession, starting with the feet and ending with the eyes.

If, despite all your efforts, you still cannot fall asleep after 15 minutes, get up and go to another room. There, do something calming like knitting or reading until you feel sleepy. Then get back to bed.

Princess on the Pea. How to choose the right bed for sleeping

So, you finally managed to fall asleep. Now the main thing is not to let this sweet and so useful sleep be spoiled by an uncomfortable bed. If you feel overwhelmed after a full-time sleep in the morning, this is a clear sign that the mattress is not properly selected. What it should ideally be, the manager of the furniture salon Sergey Kovalev will help us figure it out.

❧ The most important parameter is the degree of firmness of the mattress. So, for those who sleep on their side, a firm mattress is suitable, which allows them to keep the spine straight. If you lie on your back during sleep, then you need support in the neck and lower back area, which will be provided by a medium firm mattress.

❧ Also, consider whether it is hot or cold for you at night. In the first case, give preference to spring mattresses, and in the second case, latex mattresses that retain heat for a long time.

Attention allergy sufferers!

For those who suffer from allergies, the quality of bedding and how to care for them is of paramount importance. Allergist Galina Orlovskaya explains: “A warm and damp bed is an ideal environment for the reproduction of microorganisms. And their waste products are strong allergens, contact with which causes rhinitis, cough or itching. And these symptoms can turn the night into torment.

To get rid of the problem, it is necessary not to create comfortable conditions for microorganisms. Therefore, bed linen should be dried daily and changed at least once a week. And pillows and blankets should be washed or cleaned once a month. “In the washing machine, use the “Prewash” mode, which allows you to remove the bulk of the dirt. And to destroy ticks, set the temperature to at least 60 ° C, ”advises Galina Orlovskaya.

If you decide to replace the bedding with new ones, it is better to purchase hypoallergenic pillows and blankets from a special material, as well as mattresses with natural fillers made from corn or coconut fibers.

Today, March 17, is World Sleep Day. It has been held annually at the initiative of the International Sleep Day Committee since 2008.

So how much sleep do you really need, how to deal with insomnia, and where to go if you still can’t fall asleep.

Is sleep part of the daily routine or a time of pleasant bliss? Everyone answers this question in their own way: someone prefers to sleep enough, while someone, on the contrary, considers the time allotted for sleep wasted. A person today wants to do everything, spend every minute with benefit, but lack of sleep can adversely affect health.

The fact is that in a dream a person recovers psychologically and physically, and the reduction of this important period for the body becomes one of the reasons for the rapid development of cardiovascular and endocrine diseases, and immunity disorders.

“Sleep is a state that determines the quality and duration of life. If a person reduces his sleep and tries to saturate his life with additional time, then this only aggravates the situation, ”said the head of the sleep medicine center of the Moscow State University Research Center. M.V. Lomonosov, expert of the European Society of Sleep Researchers (ESRS) Alexander Kalinkin.

At the same time, according to him, too much sleep does not bode well. An increase in sleep duration can serve as an indicator of serious illnesses, as well as a general withering of the body: “When a person sleeps a lot, this can be a manifestation of concomitant diseases that lead to increased drowsiness.”

So how much sleep do you need? The average sleep duration for a person aged 18 to 65 is 7-9 hours a day. At the same time, the optimal indicator for each is different, it is determined genetically and varies depending on the individual characteristics of the organism.

“There are people who need 10-12 hours of sleep, otherwise they feel bad and cannot work fully. On the other hand, there are those who need no more than 4-5 hours a day,” said in an interview with RIA Novosti President of the Russian Society of Somnologists, Honored Doctor of the Russian Federation Roman Buzunov.

A pledge of healthy sleep

In addition to the duration of sleep, the quality of sleep is an important indicator of a person's state of health. According to VTsIOM, over 40% of Russians complain that they do not sleep well.

“The causes of poor sleep can be various diseases, psychological and mental problems, regimen violations, dietary habits, excess weight and many other factors,” Buzunov said.

In most cases, you can deal with the problem yourself. To do this, sleep experts have developed 10 simple tips, following which will help maintain healthy sleep or improve its quality:

1. Go to bed and get up at the same time.
2. Don't drink a lot of alcohol 4 hours before bed. It is also not recommended to smoke before going to bed.
3. Avoid caffeinated foods and drinks (tea, coffee, energy drinks, chocolate) 6 hours before bedtime.
4. Avoid heavy, spicy and sugary foods 4 hours before bedtime.
5. Exercise regularly.
6. If you have a habit of sleeping during the day, then daytime sleep should not exceed 45 minutes.
7. Carefully choose a comfortable mattress, pillow and bed linen.
8. The bedroom should be well ventilated and maintain a comfortable temperature.
9. Keep the bedroom quiet and dark.
10. It is undesirable to work or watch movies while lying in bed.

Owls, larks and other birds

Often, sleep problems arise due to disturbed biorhythms, which are adjusted to the pace of life in modern society. Experts are sure that the division of people into owls and larks must be taken into account when choosing a job.

“For example, owls may be offered a mixed schedule, as it is difficult for them to get up early and go to bed early so that they do not break themselves, but wake up when they are comfortable. It is also possible to resolve the situation in favor of the larks,” Alexander Kalinkin believes. At the same time, in his opinion, any rhythm of human life can be smoothly changed within two to three weeks.

But the violation of the natural biorhythm will not benefit the body. Also, do not forget that there is a third class - pigeons, which includes those who wake up a little later than larks, and go to bed closer to midnight.

“Unfortunately, even if a person changes his sleep-wake schedule by an effort of will, he still will not feel as good as if he slept according to his natural schedule,” Roman Buzunov emphasized.

Insomnia: how to deal with it

However, there are sleep disorders in which a comfortable bedroom and a well-balanced sleep schedule will not help. The most common of these is insomnia, also known as insomnia. Experts divide it into chronic and acute. The latter occurs as a result of a stressful situation and disappears as soon as the cause of stress is eliminated.

According to Roman Buzunov, you can cope with short-term insomnia at home: “The principle is simple: you need to eliminate the most typical factors that negatively affect sleep and instill certain good habits in yourself. With regular adherence to simple recommendations, within a month there is a steady improvement in sleep or even its complete normalization.

If the disease persists for a longer period, then you should immediately contact a specialist.

“In chronic insomnia, insomnia lasts more than three months. In this case, it is necessary to contact a specialist - a somnologist, who will make a diagnosis, carry out diagnostics and prescribe treatment, ”said Alexander Kalinkin.

Contrary to our beliefs, a doctor will not immediately prescribe sleeping pills for insomnia. Modern somnologists use developed techniques that allow them to more effectively overcome sleep disorders.

“We always try to achieve normal sleep without pills, resorting to medication only in extreme cases. Regime, behavioral therapy, psychotherapy are much more often used by us to help patients with insomnia,” Roman Buzunov told RIA Novosti.

Snoring as an occasion to think

Even ordinary snoring, characteristic of 30% of the Russian population, can serve as a wake-up call and a sign of a more serious illness.

“25-30% of people who snore have obstructive sleep apnea syndrome - nocturnal breathing stops due to snoring, which can last up to a minute or more and repeat up to 500 times a night. Pauses in breathing cause oxygen starvation of internal organs, this causes a number of symptoms and provokes many diseases, ”Buzunov emphasized.

Those who have experienced this syndrome sleep restlessly during the night, struggling with excruciating drowsiness during the day, experiencing high blood pressure, morning headaches. In addition, sleep apnea accelerates the development of cardiovascular disease, increases the risk of diabetes and increases the likelihood of myocardial infarction and stroke by three to five times.

Modern developments will help get rid of this disorder.

“For obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, the most preferred, and sometimes the only possible method of treatment is CPAP therapy. It involves the use of a special device that eliminates respiratory arrest during sleep, and therefore, all the symptoms and risks of the disease,” said Roman Buzunov.

True, experts complain that Russians are in no hurry to resort to healthy sleep programs or turn to somnologists for sleep problems. According to conventional wisdom, there are a large number of other, more important problems, write