By: Hello Doctor
By: Hello Doctor
Although many times we do not find the time to do it, taking a break is essential, not only for our mental health, but also for our physical health.
Although this activity is usually linked to good sleep, there are other ways to give your brain a break. Find out here which ones and what happens when we don’t.
Meditate, read , listening to music, being in contact with nature, doing low intensity physical activity, such as walking, taking a bath or doing a hobby, are options that you can resort to to rest. However, the most effective way to achieve this is by sleeping properly.
At night, the body releases melatonin, a substance that helps us relax, lowers body temperature and induces sleep. sleep.
Sleep is a complex biological process through which the brain goes through different phases (Stage 1, 2, 3, 4 and sleep through rapid eye movements or REM).
This helps us to feel rested and energized, to reflect, form memories, learn information, repair cellular structures or tissues, and release hormones.
In this last point, the creation of cytokines stands out, which help the immune system to fight infections and prevent us from getting sick. Therefore, the vulnerability of our defenses is greater when we do not rest properly.
The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) recommends the following times to sleep:
If these rest times are not respected for a long period, our brain may be affected, which results in different symptoms:
There is even research that found that training could be altered of memories.
An example of this can be seen in a study published in Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society , which suggested that obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) affects people’s ability to form relevant memories about their lives. In addition, this dysfunction is linked to signs of depression.
Other works coincide in which, when we do not rest, we can reach a state comparable to that of drunkenness, since the perception of space and reaction time are altered.
This condition is even linked to effects on the way we see things and interact with others.
To delve into that last aspect , researchers from the Karolinska Institute examined more than brain mechanisms in the context of sleep loss, allergy and emotional regulation.
Experts found that people who experienced sleep loss found it difficult to more difficult to regulate their own emotional responses and were more likely to have bad mood .
Not getting enough rest can cause other serious consequences on our body. These include higher blood pressure levels or an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
Some researchers, such as case of a team from the University of Colorado, They pointed out that this may be because not getting enough sleep affects the production of certain molecules that are involved in the activity of blood vessels.
Therefore, these would not be able to expand and contract correctly, preventing a flow adequate blood flow to the different organs.
Due to its effects on metabolic and hormonal activity, not resting was also associated with kidney problems, obesity and diabetes.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a way to fix this problem and achieve a good sleep is taking certain measures:
Sources consulted: US National Library of Medicine, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Mayo Clinic, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.