The article “How to Sleep Better: ‘Sleep Hygiene’ Solutions for Better Sleep” by Breus considers the circadian rhythm, aging, psychological stressors, and social or recreational drugs as the main causes of potential sleep deprivation. Considering those causes, the article then lists 11 tips for improving sleep, such as reducing stimulants (e.g. nicotine, caffeine, and alcohol), reducing fluid intake before sleep, reducing light and noise exposure, and avoiding naps during the day. Based on my self-study, I cannot agree with all recommendations for improving sleep proposed in this article. I tried using window blinds under the assumption that it would minimize light exposure and help me sleep better. However, I found that I am usually feeling tired and disoriented in the morning when using window blinds, even though I slept excessively whenever I did not need an alarm in the morning. I found out later that exposure to sunlight in the morning is important because the presence of light drops melatonin levels, which helps with waking up. Once I stopped using window blinds, I found it easier to get up in the morning.
The article also suggests that caffeine from coffee, tea, or over-the-counter medications should not be used four to six hours before going to bed, but I found that caffeine from different sources has a different effect on the body and my mood. When I drank coffee, even if it was just one cup in the morning, I found it harder to sleep at night. However, tea seemed to have a contradictory effect, and it helped me both focus during the day and fall asleep at night. Therefore, I agree that caffeine can be detrimental to sleep, but its effect on sleep appears to depend on the source.
The article “To Sleep, Perchance to Dream” by Maltman-Just argues that people must maintain their circadian rhythm in order to avoid sleep deprivation by regulating their cortisol and melatonin levels. The article lists several activities, such as cutting back on caffeine, temperature changes (e.g. hot shower and cool bedroom temperature), herbal tea, and increasing magnesium and vitamin B intake, people can do in order to drop cortisol and increase melatonin. They should also avoid using electronic devices, bright light, stimulants, and long-term intake of sleeping pills in order to regulate their hormones. I could not completely avoid using my computer at night, but I did install a program called f.lux in order to dim the screen at night, and my time before falling asleep significantly improved. During my self-study, I noticed that it is much more difficult to fall asleep in a hot environment than in a cold one, so I agree that inducing a temperature change could be beneficial for sleep. Although I took vitamin B supplements a long time ago, I still recall feeling more relaxed and less anxious at the time, so it was easier to fall asleep. Overall, the recommendations from this article for improving sleep appear to be accurate and useful in practice.
The article “Types of Sleep Disorders,” reviewed for publication by Swierzewski, explains the three major categories of sleep disorders, which include insomnia, disturbed sleep, and excessive sleep. Under the category of disturbed sleep, the article describes sleep apnea, REM sleep behavior disorder, restless legs syndrome, and periodic limb movement disorder. Under the category of excessive sleep, the article describes narcolepsy, cataplexy, sleep paralysis, and hypnagogic hallucinations. Although the article accurately describes these disorders, I think the article could be improved by explaining the difference between occasional occurrences and diagnostic criteria for some disorders. For example, I recall experiencing sleep paralysis once or twice in my lifetime, and it only happened after waking up from specific frightening dreams. Given these circumstances, sleep paralysis does not warrant a diagnosis in my case, but the experience was scary. After that experience, I would have found this article more helpful if it had told me the causes of sleep paralysis and in which cases medical assistance is required.
Works Cited
Breus, M. J. “How to Sleep Better: ‘Sleep Hygiene’ Solutions for Better Sleep.” WebMD. WebMD, LLC., 29 June 2005. Web. 8 Oct. 2014.
Maltman-Just, Tara. “To Sleep, Perchance to Dream” Winnipeg Free Press 5 Jan. 2014: A5. Print.
Swierzewski, Stanley J. “Types of Sleep Disorders.” Remedy’s Health Communities. Remedy Health Media, LLC. 5 Dec. 2011. Web 8 Oct. 2014.
