| |||
| |||
Beauty Home |
Natural aromatherapy |
Alternative medicine |
|
|
How Sleep Affects Our Skin
Sleep is a "natural, temporary loss of consciousness" (Robinson, 1941) necessary for our bodies to build up energy reserves and regenerate body cells and tissues. During sleep, the heart beats more slowly, breathing becomes slower, growth hormones peak, muscles relax and body temperature lowers. Newborn infants sleep almost continuously, gradually decreasing their need for sleep. In early childhood, 12 to 13 hours of sleep are generally required and this amount decreases to approximately 8 hours in adulthood. After the age of 50, sleep is often characterized by frequent night time wakenings, shorter dream lengths and less overall sleep (Bricklen, 1990). Many consider sleep to be of low priority among the many daily activities engaged in. It is estimated that the world's population is depriving itself of one less hour of sleep per night than is needed (Awake!, 2004). Despite this view of night-time rest, sleep is a necessary, sophisticated process regulated by the brain. Operating as a 24- hour clock, chemical substances, such as melanin, are released in the body to trigger sleepiness. There are two main stages of sleep classified according to eye movement. The first is REM or rapid eye movement which is a shallow, dream-filled sleep. There are four sub-stages within REM sleep. The first sub-stage lasts 30 seconds to 7 minutes, and during this time the muscles relax while the brain produces irregular wave activity. The second sub-stage lasts 20 percent of the night and brain waves become larger as the body is asleep. The next sub-stage is called delta sleep, where growth hormones peak, and cell and tissue repair take place. Without delta sleep, which accounts for half of a night's sleep, one will feel tired the next day. Every 90 minutes the brain enters the dream sub-stage, where brain wave activity is similar in pattern to being awake, but muscles are not able to move as when awake. This stage lengthens each repeated cycle during the night, and is crucial to preserving mental health and long term memory, since the brain sorts through short term memory and 'deletes' unimportant data. The second major stage of sleep is non-REM, or non rapid eye movement, where blood pressure drops and heart rate slows as the person enters a deep sleep. Short term sleep deprivation causes little physical harm, since the body compensates for the lack of sleep by increasing its adrenaline levels during the day. The body also attempts to get more sleep at a later time. A temporary shift in attitude may occur, such as feelings of pessimism or negativity (Bricklin, 1990). Sleep deprivation, even short term, can be dangerous if driving a car, or operating machinery. Sleep deprivation is thought to be the cause of half of all traffic fatalities on U.S. highways, and being awake 17 to 19 hours can cause the same limited reaction and ability as having a 0.05 percent blood alcohol limit (Awake! 2004). It is also implicated in many workplace accidents. Chronic sleep deprivation, which is caused by prolonged shortages of sleep, can lead to paranoia or hallucinations. This is also termed 'sleep debt', and is characterized by irregular sleep patterns that do not allow the body to enter delta sleep. This can bring on a short attention span, memory and vocabulary loss as well as other symptoms. Among women aged 25-50 who tend to be "perfectionists", many tend to suffer from shallow sleep as the wake centre of the brain remains active when it should be relatively inactive. Other complications from sleep deprivation include obesity, premature aging, fatigue, chronic memory loss and increased risk for diabetes, infection, cardiovascular disease and gastrointestinal disease. It is important, therefore, to obtain an adequate amount of sleep each night, since sleep also helps the body metabolize free radicals, which are thought to accelerate aging and cancerous growths. Obtaining a good night's rest can be achieved. The following are suggestions to help towards the goal of night-time rest: - Avoid stimulants like caffeinated drinks before bed. - Avoid eating a heavy meal at night. A light snack might help if hunger causes you to wake up at night. - Create a pleasant, warm (body temperature drops when sleepy), noise-free bedroom with a comfortable mattress and pillow. - Avoid exercise before bed, however, regular exercise during the day aids sleep. - Avoid activities that increase anxiety, such as considering financial matters or discussing serious problems before bed. - If possible, a quick daytime nap lasting 20 to 30 minutes can impart positive physiological benefits. Prolonged naps impair sleep at night and may cause insomnia. - If experiencing insomnia, try getting up and engaging in another activity for a brief time and then attempt sleep again. - A warm glass of milk contains tryptophan, a natural substance thought to aid sleep. - Keep the bedroom dark, since the area of the brain which controls the sleep cycle is close to the optic nerves and thus sensitive to light (feeling awake) and dark (feeling sleepy). - Quit smoking, which increases blood pressure, heart rate and brain wave activity. How can you know if you are a healthy sleeper? - Sleep comes easily at night. - You rarely wake up during the night and can fall back asleep with ease. - You wake at the same time each morning without an alarm. - You feel alert during the day and do not feel the need to nap. Getting a good night's rest refreshes the body, mind and attitude. It is as vital to our health as good food and exercise. The phrase "beauty rest" is more than a quaint idea, it is a fundamental task in the quest for external and internal beauty. References: - Bricklin, Mark, (1990). The Natural Healing and Nutritional Annual, Ed., Rodale Press, Pennsylvania. - Robinson, Victor M.D., (1941). The Modern Home Physician, Ed., Musson Books, Toronto. - Tleac, Deborah, (2000). Everyday Health Tips, Ed., Rodale Press, Pennsylvania. - Awake! Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Canada, March 22 2003. - Awake! Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Canada, February 8 2004. - http://www.naturalcosmetics.ca Lori Stryker has been researching and developing all natural skin care and make-up for the purpose of offering men and women safe, natural cosmetics for everyday use. She brings to her research a specialist in human biology from the University of Toronto, coupled with a professional home economics degree and an education degree from the University of British Columbia, fusing chemical and biological knowledge with food, family and textile sciences. You may use this article but any modification or publication of this article for fiancial gain must be approved of by the author. The author's name, Lori Stryker and her company's name, The Organic Make-up Company, needs to by noted when used. MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
The Maharishi Ayurveda Approach to Beauty and Skin Care with Nancy Lonsdorf M.D. "Every person is born perfect. Inferiority is a mistake of the mind, a cloud covering the light. Soft Hair And Skin Au Naturelle Just picture this, your walking down the beach front, its a warm sunny day, a light breeze in from the sea is gently blowing through your hair gives it more waves than the ocean. People look at you, men admire your hair and the women are jealous, some ask how come your hair is so soft and shiny. Facts about Cosmetic Dentistry Cosmetic dentistry has become more popular in the recently years with the improvements in dental techniques and materials. Many people have taken advantage of cosmetic dentistry to "enhance their smile". Do You Want To Look Ten Years Younger? Do you want to look ten years younger?Here are twelve beauty tips that are guaranteed to work, if you follow them *all*. There's no point eating fresh fruit and vegetables, and then smoking like a chimney!1. Tanning Bed Facts A tanning bed produces UV rays and thus just like the sun there can be some health issues. You can tan safely by following the tanning bed tips provided by many. Sunless Tanning: Tips For A Safe, Gorgeous Tan Tanning products, both sunless and sun, work on the epidermis, or the outside layer of your skin, and not the dermis or inner layer.When you apply a tanner or tanning lotion, crme, spray, or towlette by gently rubbing the product into your outer skin layer, those that are most effective (the ones that list dihydroxyacetone or DHA as an active ingredient), begin to work within around 40 minutes to an hour. How to Co-Wash Natural Black Hair If you wear your hair natural, you are probably familiar with co-washing, or washing the hair with conditioner only. Conditioner washing avoids harsh results from frequent washing with shampoos and helps to keep natural black hair soft and manageable. Buying Home Whitening Kits like Whitestrips Tired of stained, yellow teeth? Want to give yourself a beautiful, whiter smile? Then perhaps you have thought about at home teeth whitening kits. In January 2004, Consumer Reports wrote "Home kits do whiten teeth for far less than you'd pay for a professional treatment. Risks Of Tanning Beds - Not All They Are Hyped Up To Be The risks of tanning beds aren't all that it's hyped up to now-a-days. For example, all of the skin cancer horror stories that you hear about all came from people who went about tanning the wrong way 20 to 30 years ago. What Causes Aging? Although we experience the aging process as a progressive physical deterioration of our bodies, the aging process, according to some preliminary case studies appears to be more easily understood at another level of our being.This is what is called the energy bio-field level. Fade My Freckles! Freckles, age spots, pregnancy mask - these harmless skin defects can be quite an annoying problem. We all want not only silky smooth complexion, but an even and healthy skin tone as well. Contact Lenses are Easy to Get Online, As Long as You Know How, and You Choose the Right Brands Eye glasses have really come a long way over the years when it comes to style and variety. However, there is no question that when it comes to showing off your good looks, contact lenses win over glasses hands down! You can buy contact lenses through your eye doctor or - what's even better - you can purchase them online. Beauty Tips for Luscious Lips The last step in your makeup regime is lipstick application. Some women say if they could have only one beauty item it would be lipstick. How to Improve Your Skin's Elasticity If you are a woman in your late 30's or higher, you have probably noticed your skin's elasticity is not what it used to be. For most of us this is inevitable. Tanning Bed Tips -- Enhancing Your Tanning Experience! If you are reading this, you have probably experienced the joys of the tanning bed and are now looking for tanning bed tips to enhance the pleasure of donning the tanned look. With several different opinions flying around, we thought it best to house some of the best proven tanning bed tips at a single point to facilitate your endeavor. How to become a Dental Assistant Becoming a dental assistant offers one of the fastest educational paths to entering the rapidly expanding healthcare field.Dental Assistant Job DescriptionDental assistants provide support functions for dentists including assisting with dental procedures, lab work and office functions. Should You Make Your Own Beauty Products? With the huge range of beauty products on the shelves, why do some people still make their own beauty products?I started making my own skin care products years ago. I got a book about natural skin care. The Rhinoplasty Procedure While most people have heard of rhinoplasty or nose surgery, most do not know what the procedure entails once you enter the hospital operating room.Once you are in the operating room and have spoken with the people who will take care of you during the surgery, the anesthesia will be administered. Looking For A Tanning Bed For Cheap? If you want a tanning bed for cheap there are different ways to go about the project. A tanning bed for cheap may not be as difficult as you think. Cleanse and Stimulate Your Scalp with the Right Shampoo! Shampoo contributes to good hair care. In our quest for the perfect makeup, the vital importance of good hair care is mostly ignored.
|
| Beauty home | site map | Massage oils | Essential Oils | Privacy and FAQ | Alternative medicine Courses |
| Massage oils 365 © 2011 Massage and Beauty |
