Sleep - the forgotten key to longevity

What is sleep anyway?

We all know that sleep is a state without conscious perception – we experience this anew every night. Sleep is also a kind of daily recovery cure, through which our body can utilize all the resources available to it.Research goes even further and describes sleep as the most cost-effective and reliable anti-aging program. Why? During sleep, our body recovers and gathers new energy for the following day. Additionally, newly learned information solidifies, emotions regulate, the nervous system can develop, cells regenerate and grow, and the body can detoxify. All these processes are influenced by some endogenous hormones (melatonin, growth hormone, cortisol). As positively as good sleep affects our health and longevity, the consequences of poor sleep or sleep deprivation are equally negative. What is behind this? Did you know? Birds can sleep in flight. How do they do that without falling from the sky? Here, biology has come up with a special trick.Birds can sleep with one half of their brain. This allows them to continue flying while alternating between one and then the other half of the brain sleeping

Why does a lack of sleep negatively affect health?

Striking correlations arise from the increased occurrence of many chronic diseases and the simultaneous decline in daily sleep duration over the last 20-30 years. Many studies confirm the scientific significance of this trend. Chronic diseases include cardiovascular diseases, such as hypertension, metabolic diseases, such as diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney failure, and increasingly frequent mental illnesses such as depression.

As a special study group, people who work shifts and often at night were observed, as it is best demonstrated how sleep behavior adapts to these life circumstances. In night workers, it has been shown that the stress hormone cortisol is increased by over 35% compared to day workers. Other inflammatory markers (interleukins, cytokines, C-reactive protein) are even increased by up to 95%. So, little sleep means not only the generally noticeable fatigue for us but also an increased stress level for the entire organism on a molecular level.

Did you know?

Sleep deprivation acts like alcohol. According to the ADAC , a driver who has not slept for 24 hours behaves like a driver with 0.1% blood alcohol content.No wonder that at least a quarter of all accidents on the roads are caused by fatigue.

Based on these studies, medical associations rightly call for a greater focus on sleep hygiene. In Germany alone, one in three people reports not sleeping well. When analyzing the sleep times of the study participants, it often becomes apparent that even with a good assessment of sleep, the duration is too short. The ideal sleep duration is seven to nine hours a day, which is not achieved by about 40%.

“Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise” – Benjamin Franklin.

What is a sleep phase?

Perhaps you have already heard that we have different sleep phases. Our body goes through a kind of pre-installed program as soon as we close our eyes. During this, a  sleep cycle typically lasts about 90 minutes. Those who have experience with wearables or fitness bands probably know that there is such a thing as deep sleep or REM sleep. Sleep research has defined a total of 5 sleep stages that we all (at least 2-5) go through for a complete sleep cycle.

1. Wake phase:

Even in sleep, there is initially a wake phase. We close our eyes and try to fall asleep. Our brain activity decreases and we begin to relax. There are also wake phases during the night – even if they occur subconsciously.

2. Sleep stage N1

The lightest sleep phase accounts for about 5-10% of our sleep and is the transition phase from wakefulness to actual sleep.Known and typical for N1 sleep is the spontaneous muscle twitching that can occur when dozing off.

3. Sleep Stage N2

A significantly deeper sleep awaits us in the N2 phase. It accounts for about 45-55% and thus the majority of our sleep.

4. Sleep Stage N3 (Deep Sleep)

This phase accounts for 10-25% of our sleep and is the deepest sleep phase. At this point, we are the hardest to wake up, and the body is most engaged in regeneration and processing the information of the day.

5. REM Sleep

REM stands for "rapid eye movement," which translates to "schnelle Augenbewegungen." In this phase, we spend 15-25% of our sleeping time. Characteristic of this phase are intense dreaming and the processing of emotions.

Now it is clarified what sleep phases are and that lack of sleep makes you sick.How does one sleep better?

Did you know?

Some people can become aware in their dreams. This special type of dream is called lucid dreaming. Imagine waking up in your dream and your "dream self" realizes that you are dreaming. Sounds a bit like the movie Inception. The state of lucid dreaming is a desirable state for some biohackers, such as Tim Ferris. Through targeted techniques, the American tries to enter the state of lucid dreaming. He even wrote a whole manual for it.

7 practical tips for your night’s rest

Tip 1: Turn off screens in good time

For many respondents, watching television or using other displays, such as mobile phones, tablets, or computers, is part of their evening routine. The problem is the blue light waves that activate our brain and keep us unnaturally awake. According to a very recent study, this is even more problematic for preschool children than for adults. Exposure to light 1 hour before going to bed reduces melatonin levels by up to 98.7%.

To reduce blue light waves, there are, in addition to the settings of digital devices, also so-called blue light filter glasses. These typically have orange lenses and filter out the blue light waves from the incoming spectrum. So if you need to work in the evening and still want to sleep well – give these a try. For children, light dimmers or night red light are suitable for improving sleep.

Moreover, many people tend to regularly focus on their phone while watching TV. This dual engagement is very taxing for the brain and also prevents falling asleep in this way. As a healthier alternative to the smart TV, you can pick up a classic book.If you prefer to take in things differently, you can engage with audiobooks or podcasts – your eyes and your sleep will thank you!

Tip 2: Avoid caffeine and alcohol in good time

Many people enjoy drinking caffeinated beverages like Coffee, Tea or cola. Due to the long half-life and the associated prolonged activity of caffeine in the body, you should stop consuming it early in the day. Caffeine has a stimulating effect on the body and prevents falling asleep. The same applies to alcoholic beverages. Easy falling asleep after alcohol consumption disguises the disturbed deep sleep phase.

Tip 3: Create a good sleep environment

Important for optimal sleep are darkness, the right room temperature, and quiet. Therefore, you should darken the bedroom well and turn off LED lights.In a noisy environment, it is advisable to keep the windows closed or use earplugs. The snoring partner should be made aware of this and should also consult a doctor to clarify any potential issues. 18° – 21°C is the ideal room temperature for you. Numerous studies have shown that a temperature that is too high or too low is the most common reason for poor sleep among participants.

Did you know?

More than half of all men and about 40 percent of all women snore. The louder the snoring, the more harmful it is – not only for the partner. On average, people snore at 45 decibels – which is roughly equivalent to soft music.Some, however, also reach 53 decibels and more – this corresponds to the noise of a normal conversation or a television. From 70 decibels, snoring is as loud as a vacuum cleaner.

Tip 4: Set two alarms

Why two alarms? So you have 15 minutes in the morning to comfortably turn over? No, a second alarm can help remind you to go to sleep in the evening. Often, we keep ourselves busy in the evening with various things, whether it's the last three emails that need to be answered or the laundry that still needs to be hung up. To finish these tasks on time, it can be useful for you to set an alarm so that you can reach your sleep goal well.

Tip 5: Establish bedtime rituals

Everyone has heard of humans as creatures of habit. You should take advantage of this trait and establish an evening routine.A short walk an hour before going to bed, breathing exercises or meditations, or even writing a journal entry to express all thoughts from the soul can be helpful supports. It is no coincidence that it is said, "Those who spend too much time at night worrying about tomorrow's problems are too tired the next day to solve them."

Tip 6: Take action if you have trouble falling asleep

It has long been known that hops, lemon balm, or valerian can support the process of falling asleep. Meanwhile,  melatonin  as a dietary supplement has been well researched and is a promising option for you to shorten the time until actual sleep.

Another problem that can hinder you from falling asleep is  chronic stress.If our body is constantly tuned to vigilance and cortisol levels are high, it can be difficult for us to fall asleep. A meditation before sleeping, or a Yoga Nidra session, can help here, but also plant molecules, such as Ashwagandha, have been shown in studies to lower cortisol levels.

Tip 7: Ensure good sleep already in the morning

Studies have shown that morning preparation for evening sleep can be worthwhile. You don't like to meditate in the evening? Then you can alternatively start your day with it. This reduces stress throughout the day and ensures good sleep. An additional option is daylight lamps. They make it easier to get up, especially in the dark season. Your natural day-night cycle will benefit from this.

Did you know?

Some sea otters hold hands while sleeping, so they don't drift apart or get lost. An alternative is that the animals wrap themselves in kelp before sleeping.

Falling asleep faster – which home remedies help?

Who wouldn't wish to just close their eyes and fall asleep within 60 seconds? The reality looks different according to the statistics. Very few people in Germany can fall asleep in such a time.

After we have now thoroughly dealt with sleep hygiene, we want to take a look at what science says about various home remedies for sleep aid. Does a glass of red wine in the evening really help, what about chamomile tea and why cherries might be a good idea, you can find out here.

Melatonin and sour cherries

Melatonin we have briefly mentioned before. The hormone is a bit like the starting signal for our sleep. In darkness, the pineal gland in our brain starts to produce more and more melatonin until we reach a peak. This allows us to fall asleep.

Unfortunately, our melatonin production is very susceptible to external influences. Our body reacts z.B. to the light from our phone, TV, or tablet by producing less melatonin. Blue light filter glasses can mitigate this effect.

At the same time as we age, melatonin production decreases, which makes it even harder for us to fall asleep. The unassuming cherry can actually help with this. In particular, sour cherries are rich in melatonin and its intake has been shown in clinical studies not only to contribute to improved sleep onset, but participants also slept better through the night and had better sleep quality. However, to achieve a high enough concentration, participants would have had to eat more than thirty sour cherries every evening. Instead, they received a melatonin-containing sour cherry extract .

Sour cherries have been shown in some studies to improve sleep quality and lead to higher melatonin levels.

Chamomile – a cup of tea in the evening

Chamomile tea has a calming effect, and for some people, a cup of tea in the evening helps them fall asleep. Whether it is due to the ritual or the tea itself is not entirely clear. Most likely, the secondary plant compounds, such as apigeninin chamomile tea contribute to relaxation and thus to better sleep onset.

Magnesium – often overlooked

A deficiency in micronutrients, such as magnesium, can also contribute to poorer sleep.Magnesium is required in the conversion of the amino acid  Tryptophan into serotonin (and later into melatonin) . If magnesium is lacking, which is often the case in older people, this can also affect sleep.

If you want to compensate for  magnesium deficiency , you need to pay attention to which form of magnesium you take. The classic  magnesium oxide  is poorly absorbed and is therefore more helpful for constipation. Magnesium citrate , on the other hand, has better bioavailability but is unable to cross the blood-brain barrier. Here,  magnesium bisglycinate is recommended.

A deficiency in vitamins, z.B.Vitamin D can make it difficult to fall asleep.

A glass of red wine in the evening?

And what about a small glass of red wine in the evening? It is said to be good for the heart and helps you fall asleep better?  Both claims can be scientifically disproven. Alcohol can give you the illusion of falling asleep better. However, we do not go through the sleep phases as they are actually intended. Especially the deep sleep phase is disturbed, so that we are not refreshed the next morning. And the claim regarding heart health is likely due to the resveratrol contained in wine, but less about the wine itself.

Cannabis as a sleep aid?

Now that cannabis is also approved in Germany, how does it work as a sleep aid? Does weed help us sleep better?

The answer is not so simple, as there are very different data on this. In individuals with an existing sleep disorder, cannabis had the short-term effect of improving sleep. In particular, the N3 phase of sleep, that is, the deep sleep phase, could be extended, while the REM sleep phase, that is, the dream phase, was shortened.

However, this was the short-term effect. The longer individuals consumed cannabis, the longer the dream phase (where we experience intense dreams) became, and the shorter the deep sleep phase, in which our body recovers. In addition to the habituation effect, withdrawal symptoms  occurred as soon as the researchers discontinued cannabis.

With cannabis, as with prescription sleeping pills, there can be a risk of dependence. If you suffer from sleep problems, it is best to consult experts. The field of sleep medicine deals with this topic. For most people, maintaining good sleep hygiene will make the biggest difference. Those who want to do something extra can rely on herbal preparations that do not cause withdrawal symptoms. QNIGHT combines z.Bthe benefits of ashwagandha, tart cherry extract, and magnesium for better sleep.For those who want to dive even deeper into the science of sleep, we can recommend Matthew Walker's book "The Big Book of Sleep." Until then, we wish you a good night!