Sleep plays a central role in memory consolidation - the process by which newly acquired information is stabilized and integrated into long-term memory stores. Research from institutions including Harvard Medical School and the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences has shown that different stages of sleep contribute to different types of memory. Slow-wave sleep, or deep sleep, appears to be particularly important for declarative memory - the kind that stores facts and events.
Rather than simply extending the fasting window or cutting more calories, the intervention group was simply asked to finish eating at least three hours before their usual bedtime. That meant no snacking while watching TV after dinner and no "just one more bite" at 10 p.m. (my personal downfall). This relatively simple intervention ensured that the overnight fast overlapped with the body's natural sleep-wake rhythm.
Sleep banking is essentially extending your normal sleep hours in the nights leading up to a known period of sleep deprivation. On the face of it, it appears unlikely banking sleep could counter the decreased alertness and other cognitive decrements that we experience when deprived of sleep, or stop that strong sensation we get when our body wants sleep.
"It is not like, that, night owls are doomed," said research fellow Sina Kianersi of Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, who led the study. "The challenge is the mismatch between your internal clock and typical daily schedules" that makes it harder to follow heart-healthy behaviors.And that's fixable, added Kianersi, who describes himself as "sort of a night owl" who feels a boost in "my analytical thinking" after about 7 or 8 at night.
"I started getting into the frame of mind most people get sucked into. I worried, 'What's going on? Is there something wrong with me?'" he says. That fear of not being able to sleep is a phenomenon called "sleep anxiety," says Orma, who went on to become a specialist in insomnia treatment. Left untreated, that anxiety can prevent people from actually falling asleep. "The more you focus on it, the less chance you'll sleep, which then makes you more anxious. That's the cycle that spins," he says.
It's normal to feel sluggish during the winter. Cold temperatures and fewer hours of sunlight can mean less time outdoors and more time staring at our screens. For some people, these cold-weather habits may contribute to a sleep disruption, known as winter insomnia. This isn't a clinical condition, but it might begin or worsen during the winter months.
Why would you do that? It's a way to remove distraction, calm your nervous system and practise mindfulness. And get clean. Yes, you also get clean. But this is more about finding those small, intentional moments that release you from the cares of your day. It sounds like an accident waiting to happen. You don't have to shower in complete darkness just in dim light, even by candlelight.
So, what is the "best" sleeping position to get you there? It's a tricky (if not impossible) question to answer, since everyone's body, health, and preferences are different. But according to Jennifer Martin, PhD, spokesperson for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and professor at the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine at Florida International University, what's best for you hinges mostly on two factors: what position allows you to breathe easily, and what position is the most physically comfortable for your body.
Late-night snacking has had a bad rap for a long time. When pop culture takes a stab at this (very) human thing, it often portrays the scene as pernicious or, at best, distasteful. Combine that with regular condemnation by diet culture and accusatory media headlines that frame after-dinner eating as a moral failing, and it's easy to see why most of us want to steer clear.
Have you ever struggled to find the perfect drink just before bed? Something like coffee or another caffeinated drink is usually out of the question. Likewise, you don't want a sugary drink if you just brushed your teeth. Cold water, and even room-temperature water, might be the standard, but you should consider the benefits of hot water if you've never tried it before. It can benefit you in more ways than you'd think.