Not Getting Enough Sleep Affects Your Judgment! 3 Tips To Help You Improve Men’s Sleep Quality

Many people don't pay much attention to sleep and think it's no big deal to sleep less.

However, the data presented in the "2022 Chinese National Healthy Sleep White Paper" makes people unable to ignore such a problem, that is: nearly two-thirds of the respondents have suffered from sleep problems, the most prominent of which is difficulty falling asleep.

Especially for many male friends, the work pressure is huge, there are many social activities, and there is no regular schedule, so sleep problems are often easier to be ignored.

I could barely support myself with coffee during the day, but I was tossing and turning in bed at night, unable to fall asleep. By the next day, I was in a state of confusion.

If this state occurs only once in a while, that's fine. However, if it continues for a long time, the body will start to sound an "alarm".

Not getting enough sleep, brain fragmentation is more dangerous than being drunk

Many people feel that if they don't sleep well, they just lose energy and feel sleepy the next day. In fact, the impact it has on the brain is far from simple.

There is a study done by the National University of Singapore. The study divided participants into three groups: a group that ensured normal sleep, a group that was partially sleep deprived and slept only 5 hours a day for a week, and a group that was completely sleep deprived and stayed up all night.

Everyone, first look at a set of photos, and then look at some more. There are descriptions that are inconsistent with the content of those photos, such as describing photos that appear red as blue.

It was further discovered that the two groups of people who were in a sleep-deprived state were more likely to be led astray by erroneous information, and then chose to believe those erroneous narratives.

What is even more alarming is that there is a group of people who have not slept for 24 hours, and their cognitive abilities have declined to the same extent as a blood alcohol concentration of 0.1%.

It should be noted that my country's drunk driving standard is that the blood alcohol concentration exceeds 0.02%, and once it exceeds 0.08%, it is already considered drunk driving.

This is like staying up late for a day and then driving. In fact, it is equivalent to "driving on the road drunk."

That feeling of being confused and unresponsive is really dangerous.

Especially for those male friends who need to drive or operate machinery, the risk caused by lack of sleep is not just a reduction in work efficiency.

After long-term insomnia, the body begins to "slowly collapse"

If you just occasionally don't sleep well for a day or two, catching up on some sleep can help you recover.

But if you don’t get enough sleep for a long time, problems will occur in various parts of the body.

The first is blood pressure. Lack of sleep will disrupt the normal rhythm of blood pressure.

Normal people's blood pressure will decrease when they sleep at night, allowing blood vessels to rest.

For people who have poor sleep for a long time, their blood pressure cannot be lowered at night, and their sympathetic nerves are always in a state of excitement. Over time, high blood pressure will come to their doorstep.

Studies have shown that long-term insomnia can increase the risk of high blood pressure and heart disease by 30%.

Another one is migraine.

Anyone who has ever had a migraine knows that an attack can really make you lose your temper.

An 11-year follow-up study found that those who suffered from chronic insomnia had a 40% higher risk of developing migraines and a 50% higher risk of chronic headaches than those who slept normally after 11 years.

In addition, lack of sleep can affect mental health and increase the risk of anxiety and depression.

A large-scale Norwegian survey showed that people who have difficulty falling asleep or falling asleep have a risk of developing anxiety disorders that is 4.2 times higher than those who sleep normally, and the risk of depression is 2.7 times higher than those who sleep normally.

What’s even more unexpected is that long-term sleep deprivation can cause the brain to “age prematurely.”

Some studies have found that people who frequently have difficulty falling asleep will have more significant memory decline, their reactions will become slower, and their language skills will decline more obviously after 14 years. This is equivalent to the brain entering a state of aging 2 to 3 years in advance.

A study from the University of Sydney pointed out that men who have poor sleep quality will reduce their life expectancy by 1.8 years in the absence of cardiovascular disease.

These data may sound a little scary, but they are indeed warning us that having a good sleep is really not an insignificant thing, it is very important.

Start with the details and find lost sleep

When it comes to improving sleep, many people’s first reaction is “I tried it, but it didn’t work.”

Sometimes it's not that the method used to do things is inappropriate, but that there is a lack of perseverance, or that the subtle aspects of life are missed, causing the situation.

First look at the bedroom environment. It is really important not to put mobile phones on the bed.

The blue light from the mobile phone screen inhibits the secretion of melatonin, making people more awake as they scroll.

It is best to keep the bedroom quiet and dark, and a slightly cooler temperature will also help you fall asleep.

Daytime habits are equally critical.

Try to drink as little refreshing food as strong tea and coffee at night, especially after four o'clock in the afternoon.

Don’t eat too much at dinner, and stop eating two hours before going to bed.

Many people believe that drinking a little alcohol before going to bed can help you fall asleep. In fact, alcohol will cause your sleep state to become shallow in the second half of the night, making it easier to wake up.

Another thing that is easily overlooked is vitamin D.

According to research, vitamin D is beneficial to improving sleep, especially for people aged between 20 and 50 years old.

In normal times, you should go out in the sun more, or eat some foods that contain vitamin D. These foods, such as deep-sea fish and egg yolks, are good for sleep.

In fact, sleep problems are often caused by the more anxious you are, the more you can't sleep.

If you lie down for 20 minutes and still don't feel sleepy, it's better to get up, go for a walk, read a book, and then return to bed when you feel sleepy.

Never force yourself to "have to fall asleep". This anxiety itself will make your brain more alert.

If you have been in a state of insomnia for a long time, don't force yourself to endure it. Talk to your doctor. Sometimes you need to use professional means to make adjustments.

After all, sleep is a critical period for the body to repair itself. For each of us, proper sleep is the most basic investment in health.

Do the things above, even if it's just a small change like taking your phone out of the bedroom tonight to slowly get your body back into a routine.

Don't be anxious just because you haven't slept well for a day or two. Relax and sleep will come back naturally.