To many of us, sleeping isn’t something we think too deeply about. We know we get tired as the day goes on, and we lay on our bed and just sleep. Experts at Orange County mattress stores inform us about how mattresses can affect our bodies and how they can alleviate pain, which leads to deeper, uninterrupted sleep. However, understanding the basics of sleep can inform us even more as to why uninterrupted sleep is important at any age of our lives. 

There are two internal mechanisms in our bodies that dictate when we are awake and when we are asleep. These are our circadian rhythms and sleep-wake homeostasis. Circadian rhythm is easily described as our internal clock. It controls our timing for sleep and causes us to be sleepy at night. However, it also helps control things like our metabolism and hormone release. Homeostasis keeps track of your sleep needs. It essentially reminds your body to sleep at a certain time, determined by your circadian rhythm. This sleep drive gets more intense the more sleep deprived you are. These two mechanisms are the reason why night-shift workers tend to have trouble sleeping after work and why they nod off during work since their natural rhythms have been disrupted. 

When we lay down to go to sleep, our body enters two stages: REM and non-REM sleep. Throughout the night, we go through these two stages multiple times. Non-REM sleep is the transition from being awake to being asleep, and it is subdivided into three stages. As you pass through each subsection of non-REM, you fall into a deeper sleep, and your bodily functions tend to slow down: your heartbeat, breathing, and eye movements get slower and slower as you progress. REM sleep is where dreaming occurs, and it is where you get some of your deepest sleep. Your eyes will move rapidly behind your closed eyelids during this stage, and your arm and leg muscles are temporarily paralyzed, which stops you from acting out dreams. Both of these stages are important in terms of memory retention. 

If you visit mattress stores in Orange County, such as Mattress Sale Liquidators, they will tell you how important sleep is to your health. Here are some tips to make sure you get steady, much-improved sleep: 

• Try and set a consistent sleep schedule – go to bed and wake up at the same time.
• Lying in bed awake will lead to tossing and turning. Try some light activity, like listening to music, until you feel tired.  
• Abstain from caffeine or nicotine in the later parts of the day. Also, avoid alcoholic drinks before bed. 
• Relax before heading to bed. Try some relaxing activities like taking a warm bath or reading.

We spend about a third of our lifetime sleeping, so, naturally, it makes sense that we would want this time to be as peaceful as possible. Understanding the basics of sleep can arm you with the knowledge you need to make sure your sleep schedule is consistent. Orange County mattress stores can provide you with a wonderful mattress to make sure you don’t toss and turn in an attempt to fall asleep, so visit today and make your sleep all your own.