6 Hacks to Overcome Sleep Deprivation

Most of the students themselves know how they prepare for the exams. Few days before the exam is like a sleepless marathon. During one of the semester, I was supposed to take some medicine which forced me to sleep a lot, that too a week before the exam. I was also not an exception for this habit of last moment study and the only solution remaining was to improve the efficiency of my sleep. Nothing is difficult for an engineer. I did a thorough analysis of sleep deprivation and came up with some practical solutions.

Sleep Effectively

The science of SLEEP:-

As per current understanding of science, we sleep in 5 stages which are:-

Daydreaming/Drowsing
Kind of almost awake with eyes closed
I-Deep Sleep
II-Deep Sleep
Rapid Eye Movement-Dreaming Stage

To have a perfect sleep we have to go in 3 & 4 stage to reap the actual benefits of sleep. During the other stages, the actual mechanism doesn't occur to recover our body from the fatigue. This stage of 3 & 4 deep sleep is where your body recovers.

So if you are feeling sleepy even after sleeping 8-9 hrs a day, mostly you slept in some 1,2 & 5 stage and your body was really very less in stage 3 & 4. Our motto in the blog will be to share the insights regarding how to increase the duration of stage 3 & 4 in your sleep. Since you can't skip any stage and jump to 3 & 4 stages as they come in a series of progression, to manage them is not an easy task.

Believe me, there are personalities available on the earth who have become so expert in this field that they can sleep for 3-4hrs and can be as efficient as a normal person.

How to understand that you are not deep sleeping:-

If you are facing following problems then this blog is for you:-

Drowsiness
Dark Circles
Aging Becomes faster one looks older than his/her age
Obesity
Dull skin of the face
Body pain
Lack of concentration
Strain in eyes
Sleeping more than 7-8 hrs still facing the above problem

In the long run, you will have a lot of health issues because when you are young your body can tolerate but the later stages repercussions are clearly visible.

Here are some tips to have a deep sleep:-

1.# SUNLIGHT

Expose yourself to sunlight so that your body can know its daytime. The problem here happens is our body is totally confused because at the night time we are exposed to lights of gadgets and during the day we are closed inside the dark walls.

We have a sensor in the retina called Melatonin hormone which acts as per the absence of sunlight to put us to sleep.

There is an inside sleep clock/sleep cycle of the body which actually gets disturbed and distorted if you are not exposing yourself enough to actual sunlight for a prolonged period of time( 20-30 mins).

Disturbed body clock means you will have difficulty in going to 3 & 4 stage.

This is not something which is optional but the basic need of the body. Best is in the early morning try to spend some time in the sunlight.

The light we are exposed to inside the rooms is nothing in terms of intensity we receive from the sun.

Additional Tips:-

If you have understood above point then please avoid using sunglasses during the daytime when you go out. You won't reap the actual benefit of sunlight.

2.# Artificial Lights

Continuing with my above-mentioned point as Melatonin comes out in the darkness and puts us to sleep. But generally, it is seen during the night before we go to sleep we have a habit to spend a good amount of time in front of TV, Laptops or at least Mobile.

This will really affect the level of secretion of this hormone and again this will distort the sleep clock of your body. Our whole aim is to optimize the body clock with nature.

The only solution remains is sincere avoidance of these gadgets during the night. You can always choose some other way of recreation like a book or something else.

3.# Most efficient time to sleep

As per Kacper M. Postawski Author of Powerful Sleep , our body is designed in such a way that we are supposed to sleep 9pm to 4am in the night.

It can be the biggest shock of your life but that's how it is. More you align yourself with this time of sleep it will increase your sleep efficiency.

How it works, when you sleep in this period(9PM-4AM) automatically your body spends a good amount of time in the stage of deep sleep. The efficiency keeps on dropping as the day progresses and the sleep after 4 am is generally in the stage of Rapid Eye Movement.

In this stage the body doesn't recover at all rather it takes you to dream position and you end up spending energy. Even if you see our general culture of India is to get up early this is one of the reasons our grandparents were very healthy.

4.# Dinner Time

What we take for dinner is really important because after that you are going to sleep. Here I will mention some measures to improve your sleep.

Timing

Try to take dinner as early as possible around 6:30-7:30. This is the ideal time to take it.

If you take it late at night then during the sleeping hours your blood will be busy digesting the food instead of recovering the body. The purpose of sleep is lost, my friend. This will harm your body more than giving it nourishment. This doesn't allow the body to go in stage 3 & 4.

2.Quantity

Diet should be minimum at night. If you eat more then again it will force the blood towards the stomach to digest food rather eliminate the toxins generated throughout the day in the body. This residual toxin creates diseases in the later stage of life.

How much to eat:-

Breakfast- Like a queen

Lunch- Like a king

Dinner- Like a beggar

Meaning eat max in lunch then little less in breakfast and less in dinner.

Keep this is as a thumb rule. Generally, we have totally opposite culture in our life.

3.Quality

Try to avoid junk food .
Avoid cold beverages after meal ..ice cream, soft drinks

Try to have simple dal, rice, chapati etc.

Try to take lukewarm water after the meals or in between work also.

5.# Ghee as an Integral Part of Meal

As sleep is an integral part of health. It is generally depended on our other aspects of health. It is totally depended on what kind of digestion you are having. The poor digestive system generally leads to poor sleep cycle of the body. The mechanism cannot be explained here but it is somewhat like what I have discussed in the Dinner Time.

When I talk about Ghee it is only desi/indigenous species cow's ghee other hybrid cow's ghee won't produce the desired results. Desi Ghee when taken with the hot food ( if the food is not hot take lukewarm water never consume it cold) it improves your digestion process at the different level altogether. If the ghee is hand-churned then you can reap the max benefit.

It is highly important for the dinner meals, the consumption of ghee. Along with that, it acts like a nectar to your body and will improve your health in long run. This I have discussed with many doctors about the effect of ghee on one's life.

Best is hand-churned desi ghee. It will be a little costly but believe me, it is worth it . You can cut down on many other financial expenses but do add this to your diet. Especially for the student, it is really helpful.

Try to find the pure hand-churned of desi ghee.

(Those who are staying in Mumbai can call on M.8291891655 to Mr. Jayram Iyer from BASKET PANDA. I am consuming his hand-churned desi ghee that too at a reasonable price .)

6.# ALCOHOL, NICOTINE & CAFFEINE

Consumption of these elements in your daily life will have a terrible effect on your sleep cycle.

These elements tend to suppress the deep sleep stage and force you to be on the other stages.

Try to avoid coffees as it contains caffeine. You will also find caffeine in other sources as well as soft drinks, candy bars etc.

Thank You for reading....Have fun..:)
Questions welcomed in the comment section....)

Also Read:-

6 Hacks to Overcome Sleep Deprivation - Sleep Effectively