sleeping

Sleeping four hours a day and performing at your best is not a myth, it is a genetic rarity of 1% of the population

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There are people who boast of sleeping only four or five hours a day and claim to wake up fresh as a lettuce, something that can generate a lot of envy, but also skepticism, since it seems hardly credible being able to sleep little and be so active. And science has not stopped saying that sleeping little it is very bad for your healthalthough there is an exception to the rule (as we are used to seeing). What we knew. For decades, the unwavering recommendation of the World Health Organization and sleep medicine experts they have been clear: a healthy adult needs between 7 and 9 hours of sleep night so that your immune system, your metabolism and your mental health function properly. Getting out of there, below, is buying tickets for diseases such as, for example, Alzheimer’s to appear. The exception. Given this rule, there is 1% of the world’s population that has a true genetic superpower that allows them to bypass this rule without any consequences. And the culprit has been detected by researcher Ying-Hui Fu, who after tracking down these people has seen that it has an important genetic component. How it looked. To do this, the researcher decided to analyze entire families where several of their members ‘functioned’ perfectly with just six hours of sleep, without showing daytime sleepiness or cognitive deterioration, while the rest of their family members needed more than eight hours of sleep. And from here, the culprit had a first and last name: the mutation of the DEC2 gene, known as BHLHE41. Although this finding has been the tip of the iceberg, because subsequent studies in animal models and entire families of humans have found a real cocktail of mutations in other genes that seem to optimize sleep so that four hours is more than enough. And it even gave them a ‘protective shield’ against cognitive decline when they faced even shorter nights. In the end they are all benefits. Because you don’t have to try. Reading about these mutations can be tempting, since, after all, different very relevant figures have sold us the myth that we should sleep little because it is a waste of time, and we should get up early at five in the morning. But the truth is that it is vital to separate these people who have an alteration in their genetics from people who sleep little because they want to. If this is not the 1% of the population (which is most likely), science suggests that chronically sleeping six hours or less during middle age increases the risk of suffer from dementia by 30%and even the chances of suffering from diabetes or hypertension also increase. This means that the body should not be deprived of sleep when it is ‘asking for’ it. Something that is noticeable as soon as you wake up. Future views. The interest of the scientific community aims to perfectly understand how these genes can make sleep much more efficient, and above all how they protect against different diseases related to sleep deprivation. In this way, the long-term goal is not necessarily to create pills so that we all sleep four hours and work more, but rather to develop therapies for sleep disorders or prevent diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Images | user18526052 on Freepik In Xataka | Drink water right before going to sleep? Science has finally clarified whether it is a good idea or a terrible enemy of sleep

Sleeping in on the weekend seems like the perfect solution to your tiredness. Your body has a very different opinion

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Sleep eight hours a day religiously is for many a goal that they almost never manage to achieve, since the alarms sound too early and the days lengthen, accumulating a dream debt which we tried to settle on Saturday morning. But here the question is obligatory: are we achieving anything by sleeping 10 hours on Saturday? The answer. Here science has wanted to investigate the debate about whether doing this recovery sleep technique on weekends is useful or is a temporary patch. And the truth is that there are endless different options that mean we don’t have a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’. Cardiovascular shield. At first glance, science seems to agree with people who decide that the weekend is for sleeping, since several studies suggest that it is quite positive for our health. One of these analyzed more than 90,000 people and concluded that the group that accumulated more compensatory sleep on the weekend had a lower risk of developing heart disease. And more specifically, these people had up to 20% less risk of suffering from coronary heart disease. On the other hand, another study used data from the NHANES surveys carried out in 2018 and noticed an association between recovering hours of sleep and a lower prevalence of cardiovascular diseases, which is something that stands out especially in patients who slept less than 6 hours during the week. There is small print. In science there are contrary points, since researchers, when they affirm measurement methods and look beyond self-completed questionnaires, reality is more complex. Here is a study with 70,000 people who used accelerometers to objectively measure sleep threw cold water on previous evidence by pointing out that compensatory weekend sleep is not associated with lower mortality or fewer cardiovascular events. More alterations. Apart from all this, different scientific reviews point out that the evidence is heterogeneous, pointing out that sleeping more on the weekend does not always manage to correct problems such as insulin sensitivity, which is altered after previous days of sleep restriction. And it is known right now that biologically, lack of sleep triggers complex processes such as insulin resistancethe activity of the sympathetic nervous system and systemic inflammation. And all this cannot be fixed in a silly weekend of sleeping a few more hours, since a much longer sleep regulation would be needed to once again have an optimized biological system. Beyond the heart. Although we usually focus on the engine of our body, the reality is that there are effects much further than that. In the case of mental health, science suggests that weekend recovery carries a lower risk of depression. But other articles on health-related quality of life suggest that the “optimal” duration of recovery sleep is not the same for everyone, and can vary greatly depending on the sex and chronotype of each individual. The verdict. Right now science tells us that there is an association, but not a proven coincidence. In this way, trying to pay off your sleep debt on the weekend is undoubtedly better than continuing to sleep little seven days a week, but it is not a metabolic time machine. What you have to keep in mind is that the final effect will depend on how much deficit you carry during the week and how many hours you try to achieve, but in the end the medical advice that we should stick with is that the objective is to have consistency in daily rest so that it is as optimal as possible. Images | Slaapwijsheid.nl In Xataka | We have accepted that “deep sleep” is the standard for sleep quality: science points in another direction

Sleeping in tourist class has been an impossible mission. Some airlines are testing three seats that convert into beds

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Traveling in economy class on a long-haul flight usually means accepting a fairly clear toll: sleeping poorly or, at all, not sleeping at all. We have all experienced it, narrow seats, little space to stretch our legs and a posture that rarely invites rest. That discomfort is not a minor detail, it is part of the experience of flying in this segment. And yet, it is precisely there, in this very everyday problem, where some airlines are beginning to explore solutions within the economy cabin itself. If we go to the opposite extreme, we have seen the reference to what it would be like to fly in absolute comfort many times in airline campaigns. The Emirates ad with Jennifer Aniston illustrates this wellgoing from a cabin without notable services to a private suite with a completely flat bed, that is, to the premium end of the experience. The proposal is not limited to improving comfort, it completely redefines life on board. An attempt to make tourist class habitable And at that point is where we begin to see concrete movements. United just announced a proposal of this type with its call Relax Rowan option within its own economic class that seeks precisely to alleviate that problem. The company presents it as a specific row that, once in flight, can be adapted to stretch out or rest with a little more space. The airline plans to launch it in 2027, place it between United Economy and United Premium Plus and progressively deploy it on more than 200 Boeing 787s and Boeing 777 from now to 2030. But the truth is that this idea is not completely new. Air New Zealand has been exploring this concept for some time with his well-known Skycoucha proposal that also starts with a row of seats in economy class. In its case, the system allows the legrests to be raised until they form a continuous surface on which we can stretch. It is not equivalent to a premium cabin bed, but it does offer more versatile space than the conventional seat and the airline itself presents it as a way to gain comfort without paying for a superior cabin. If we go down to detail, the interesting thing is not so much the configuration itself, but what it allows once we are in flight. Both proposals seek to expand the available surface so that we can really stretch out, something that is not usually common for tourists. Air New Zealand specifies that area in about 1.55 meters long and 74 centimeters wideaccompanied by additional bedding, a seat cover and specific belts or restraint systems to use it safely. United, for its part, adds an adapted mattress, blankets, extra pillows and kits designed to make rest more bearable. With all this, the logical question is who is really compensated by this type of option. United’s promotional video gives us an idea. If we travel alone, having all that space gives us a much more usable surface to stretch out. In the case of couples, the idea is to share it in a more flexible way, alternating positions or using it to rest better during the flight. And if we think about families, especially with small children, Air New Zealand considers different configurations. Now, before imagining a perfect rest, it is worth taking into account some conditions. In the case of Air New Zealand, as we have seen, availability depends on the aircraftroute and operational or regulatory factors, and not all configurations are always accessible. In addition, the price is not fixed, since each passenger’s ticket is paid plus an additional cost for this option, while United has not yet detailed prices, although it has indicated that its deployment will be progressive. Taken together, these proposals don’t completely change what it means to fly economy class, but they do introduce an interesting nuance. The idea is not to replicate a first-class suite, but to offer a little more room to rest within the usual limitations. That balance between cost and convenience is what seems to be guiding these developments. Images | United Airlines In Xataka | Luxury superyachts have a new enemy in Monaco: a “low emissions zone” that will penalize those who pollute the most

His marines are sleeping on the ground in the middle of the war with Iran

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To give us an idea, a nuclear aircraft carrier can generate enough electricity to supply a small city and house thousands of people for months without touching land. Inside there are everything from bakeries to hospitals, but also systems that work tirelessly and that, if they failcan completely alter life on board. For example, a small fire can turn into a nightmare. The limit of a super aircraft carrier. He USS Gerald R. Ford, the nuclear aircraft carrier more advanced and expensive from the United States, is designed to operate as a floating city capable of sustaining continuous air operations for months. Its prolonged deployment, which already breaks record numbers after almost ten months at sea, also reflects the increasing operating pressure in the war with Iran. This extreme pace has led the ship to chain missions with hardly any margin for maintenance, accumulating wear and tear on both its systems and its crew. Which reveals a minor fire. The incident that triggered it all began in a seemingly secondary place: the ship’s laundry. According to the new york timesa failure in a dryer or the accumulation of waste caused a fire that spread and forced an intervention that has already lasted more than 30 hours. In a closed, highly flammable environment like an aircraft carrier, even these everyday incidents become critical threats. The fact that it was contained without affecting key systems demonstrates the preparation of the crew, but also demonstrates the delicate operational balance in these floating masses. Hundreds on the ground. It turns out that the most shocking consequence has not been technical, but human, because more than 600 marines and crew members they have lost their beds after the fire. Since then, most are sleeping on the floor or on improvised tables, all in the middle of an active military operation in the war with Iran. If you like, the image of the troops sleeping on the ground breaks with the idea of ​​technological invulnerability and shows everyday reality of sustained combat. A failure in an auxiliary system ends up directly affecting the rest, morale and operational capacity of hundreds of troops. Fatigue, wear and tear and the invisible limit. The episode fits into a broader context of accumulated fatigue after months of continuous deployment. In fact, the Times reported that previous problems in basic systems such as healthcare or deferred maintenance already pointed to progressive wear. many experts warn that these failures usually appear first in everyday services, not so much in combat systems. When these incidents begin to chain together, they usually indicate that both the crew and the ship’s structure are being pushed to the limit. The fragility of the “giants of the sea”. The truth is that the history of aircraft carriers has been full of episodes that show that even these platforms can be compromised in critical situations: in 1967, a rocket accidentally fired caused a brutal fire. on the USS Forrestal against Vietnam, causing 134 deaths and forcing security protocols to be rethought. Two years later, in 1969, the USS Enterprise suffered another explosion on deck due to the detonation of ammunition exposed to the heat of the reactors, with 27 deaths and serious damage. In the new millennium, in 2008, the USS George Washington was out of service for months after a fire caused by a simple poorly extinguished cigarette which caused million-dollar losses, and more recently, in 2020, the USS Bonhomme Richard burned for days in San Diego until it became unusable and was permanently removed, all due to a fire that showed failures in the supervision and initial response. Cases widely documented which reflect that beyond their military power, aircraft carriers remain extremely vulnerable environments where small errors or incidents can quickly escalate into large-scale crises. The paradox of modern war. Be that as it may, the Ford case reveals a key contradiction: the fact that one of the most advanced war machines on the planet can launch planes relentlessly, but also remains dependent on thousands of human routines and basic systems that cannot fail. If you like, modern warfare not only requires technological power, but also sustained resistance. And it is precisely in these everyday details where the problems begin to appear. cracks of a prolonged effort. Image | US Navy In Xataka | The US has asked all its allies in Hormuz for help. The answer he received was anticipated by Spain before anyone else: “no” In Xataka | The world is desperately asking Ukraine for its antidote to the Shahed. And Ukraine has decided to keep them for its war

Sleeping straight is a modern invention, not an evolution

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Regarding sleep, there are some deeply rooted beliefs such as that falling asleep in less than five minutes is good (spoiler: not at all), that we need to sleep eight hours (we are probably sleeping too much) or that sleeping straight through the night is ideal. There are no two without three and indeed: neither. In fact, if you wake up around three like magic, it’s not strange. After all, getting eight hours of uninterrupted sleep is a modern invention. Sleep science, history and biology all point in the same direction: we have never slept straight through. Understanding and assimilating this can change the way we approach our nights. Why it is important. Because we live in a time in which sleep disorders and the use of sleeping medicines are the order of the day, this reminder has therapeutic value. There are people with insomnia who do not have a disorder, but rather an ancestral biological pattern that clashes with modern life. It is not a problem of the dream, but of our expectations. Be careful, this is not an excuse for not treating pathological insomnia, but it is an excuse to help people reduce their anxiety regarding sleep and taking medication that they may not need. When the night was divided in two. Until about two centuries ago, it was not normal for people to sleep straight through. The pattern was the following: people went to bed shortly after dark, slept for about four hours, and then woke up for a little while to go back to sleep later, until dawn. It is known as biphasic sleep and is widely documented throughout the planet. Virgil already spoke of “the hour in which the first sleep begins for weary mortals” in his Aeneidalthough one of the people who has studied it the most is Roger Ekirch, who dedicated 16 years of research and gathered more than 500 references from documents of all types. Why we lost biphasic sleep. In two words: artificial light. Since the 18th century, when humanity had oil, gas or electric lamps, the night became useful time. And as we already know, light is not harmless to the brain: inhibits melatonin production and alters our circadian rhythms, advancing them. The more light we get before bed, the later we fall asleep and the less likely we are to wake up in the middle of the night. The Industrial Revolution did the rest: the rigidity of schedules ended up concentrating rest in a single block. What human evolution had established throughout our existence, the frenetic life of production and its advances had disrupted it forever. Return to the origins. When science subjects volunteers to conditions that simulate long winter nights, without lights, clocks, and completely dark, people spontaneously return to biphasic sleep with a quiet period of wakefulness. This 2017 study in a Madagascan farming community without electricity corroborated this pattern in real-world conditions. Light not only regulates sleep, it also affects our perception of time. Research from the Environmental Temporal Cognition Lab at Keele University evidence that with low lighting it seems that time passes more slowly, an effect that is magnified in people with a low mood. This explains why for many people winter feels eternal and depressing. And why if you wake up at 3 am time seems longer. What to do when you wake up in the middle of the night. If this nocturnal awakening has a biological basis, the key is in how we respond. The usual treatment through Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia Give specific guidelines: if you haven’t slept for more than 20 minutes, get up and do a quiet activity with dim light, such as reading. And go back to bed when you feel drowsy. Also, forget about the clock: looking at the time triggers anxiety. But above and beyond procedures, it is important to understand something: this vigil does not have to be an alarm signal, but rather a sign of something deeply engraved in human nature. Accepting it instead of fighting it is often the shortest path back to sleep. In Xataka | The work ethic has been selling for years that getting up at 05:00 AM is good. Science is clear that absolutely In Xataka | If you fall asleep in less than five minutes, you don’t have a “superpower”: it’s a warning signal from your brain Cover | iam_os

There are people so against sleeping that they have even made caffeine patches. It’s a bad idea

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If the 90s were the decade of nicotine patches to save the lungs and the 2000s that of transdermal contraceptives, 2026 has given birth to a different and more revealing obsession: wellness patchmania. If we thought we had seen it all in the universe of digital self-care —tapes to cover the mouth and sleep better, stickers to lose weight effortlessly or nighttime facial bandages that promise wake up with botox effect— the last frontier is here: patches to have energy, concentrate more or sleep better or reduce appetite. Simply peel off a small sticker, adhere it to your skin, and trust it to do its job. The so-called wellness patches or wellness patches are transdermal adhesives that promise to release active substances through the skin for several hours. As brands explain and advertising campaigns, allow you to avoid pills, bypass digestion and offer a slow and constant release of ingredients such as caffeine, berberine, B vitamins, melatonin, magnesium or plant extracts such as ashwagandha. According to The Guardianit is a market that is increasingly saturated with products that promise to treat “the most common symptoms of everyday life”: fatigue, stress, lack of sleep, menstrual discomfort or low mood. Many of these patches are sold in bright colors and designs designed not only to be worn, but to be seen. Well-being stops being something intimate and becomes a visible sign. The phenomenon is not new in medicine: nicotine patches, contraceptives or some hormonal treatments have been used for decades with proven effectiveness. The difference, As several experts point outis that these medical patches work because the molecules they release are suitable for passing through the skin and because they have passed rigorous clinical trials. In the world of wellness, that requirement disappears. An increasingly tired society The appeal of these products lies more in their aesthetics and comfort than in their effectiveness. In other words, there is no need to swallow a pill, prepare a drink or change routines: just stick something to your skin. As pointed out in The Atlanticpatches fit perfectly into a culture obsessed with constant self-optimization and hack vital. Furthermore, by being visible, they turn the user into a brand ambassador: they generate conversation, social validation and the feeling of doing something for their own health. However, the scientific consensus is quite clear. As Michelle Spear explainsProfessor of Anatomy at the University of Bristol, the skin is not designed to absorb substances, but to block them. Its outer layer, the stratum corneum, acts as a wall formed by dead cells and lipids that prevents the passage of most compounds. Only some very specific molecules can pass through it easily: small, fat-soluble and without an electrical charge. Nicotine or estradiol meet these conditions. Many of the substances present in wellness patches such as vitamin B12, minerals such as magnesium or iron, or plant compounds such as berberine are too large or water-soluble to pass through the skin in significant quantities. In other words, if a substance requires high oral doses or even injections to be effective, the probability that a sticker will be able to deliver it in a useful way is very low. Added to this is the lack of independent studies that show that these patches can correct real deficiencies or treat health problems. The problem of “feeling better” Immunologist John Tregoning suggests a key question: How do you measure whether something works when the effect is “feeling better”? Tiredness, stress or concentration are deeply subjective experiences, influenced by multiple variables. Sleeping more, changing routines, eating better or simply believing that something will work can alter perception. Beyond the lack of effectiveness, experts warn of possible side effects. From the British environment have collected cases of dizziness and feeling of weakness after using patches with berberine. Added to this are skin irritations, allergic reactions and a false sense of security that can delay seeking medical attention. When the patch is no longer harmless. Caffeine patches are promoted as a gentler alternative to coffee or energy drinks. However, testimonies collected in different media they mention nervousness, difficulty sleeping or feeling overstimulated. The problem is not just the caffeine, but the inability to control the dose: unlike a drink, the patch continues to release it for hours, even when the body no longer needs it. Berberine poses a different problem. These patches are marketed as appetite suppressants or metabolism accelerators, and have even been compared – without scientific basis – to drugs such as Ozempic. The experts remember that there is no solid evidence berberine can be absorbed effectively through the skin or cause significant weight loss. Furthermore, these products are becoming popular in a context of the return of aesthetic pressure and the obsession with thinness, especially among young women. The risk is not only physiological, but cultural: presenting hunger control as something that can be turned off with a sticker reinforces an instrumental and problematic relationship with the body. The patch as a cultural symptom The underlying question cuts across all sources: why do we look for such simple solutions? As Deborah Cohen points outwe are medicalizing normal life experiences. Sleeping poorly, being tired or losing concentration are not always pathologies; Many times they are logical responses to a demanding, hyperconnected and poorly rested environment. However, we live in a culture that prefers shortcuts to rethinking. It is easier to put on a patch than to review schedules, workloads, expectations or rest habits. These products do not promise to change life, but to make it more bearable without questioning it. They function, in that sense, more as a cultural pain reliever than as a health tool. Most experts agree thatif a patch makes someone feel better and does not cause harm, its occasional use is not necessarily dangerous. The problem arises when they are presented as real solutions to complex problems or when they replace basic habits such as sleeping, resting, eating well or consulting a health professional. Perhaps the success of caffeine and berberine … Read more

Some people believe that sleeping on your side or stomach creates “sleep wrinkles” on your face. It’s exactly the opposite

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The Internet is full of golden rules for have ‘eternal youth’this being the holy grail that many would like to have in their hands right now. Among these pieces of advice, there are several that can be quite annoying, such as that you should not sleep leaning on the side that is wrinkled. But… how true is this? The benefits of sleeping well. The sleeping position is essential to have a good rest. Because sleeping on your stomach is not the same as sleeping on your left side. In the first case, the cervical spine can suffer a lot and in the second the hated gastric reflux. can be seen reduced. But now it comes into play that sleeping on one side or the other can cause more wrinkles on the face due to the hated gravity that generates a mechanical effect that causes the face to fall and wrinkles to appear. But science disagrees on this one and puts the blame more on biology with cortisol and collagen. The myth of ‘Sleep Wrinkles’. The theory seems logical: if you spend 8 hours squishing your face into a pillow, that mechanical compression should leave a mark. There is often talk of “sleep wrinkles” (sleep wrinkles), which, unlike expression lines, caused by smiling or frowning, would be caused by having your face against the pillow. It is something that some experts defend like those of The Aesthetic Society, which suggest that sleeping on your stomach or side favors the appearance of vertical lines due to this chronic pressure. Other opinions. The clinical evidence It is quite limited in this casesince many of the statements that defend this myth come from the field of cosmetic surgery and with very limited groups of people. There are even articles that suggest that there is no clear relationship between sleeping in a certain way and having more wrinkles. The consensus right now is that sleeping on your back could theoretically reduce the formation of compression lines. But obsessing over this is not the best, since if having this position is uncomfortable and the quality of sleep decreases, then the biological weight it will entail will have a great impact on wrinkles. The real threat. This is where science stops being speculative and becomes blunt. If there is something that ages your skin, it is not the pillow, It’s sleep deprivation. When you get little sleep, the body enters a state of physiological stress, raising levels of the hated cortisol, the stress hormone. And elevated cortisol is the great enemy of our skin’s youth. This is because it can inhibit the cells that make collagen (the scaffolding of the skin), making the skin less elastic and increases metalloproteinases. This word, so long, is nothing more than an enzyme that breaks down that fundamental collagen that we have in our skin and that keeps it firm. If we do not produce it or destroy it, the wrinkles will appear there. With data. A key clinical study presented in ScienceDaily showed strong results: People with chronic poor sleep quality showed clinical signs of accelerated aging with fine wrinkles, uneven pigmentation, and sagging. But the most important thing is that if UV radiation from sunlight was also added to all these factors, the skin’s recovery would get worse. And this is where the need to have sun protection when going outside came in. Images | Katelyn G Isabella Fischer In Xataka | There is a ‘good’ fat that hides a secret to aging better and being in shape. All that remains is to get the pill

Science has reviewed everything we know about sleeping well. The most important thing is the most obvious: light

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In a saturated world of ‘life and gadgets that promise a perfect break, since face mask until Mantas with weightscience reminds us that the key to have a good sleep quality It is not in the product that appears in Tiktok, but in have a good sleep hygiene. And this happens to synchronize with our internal biological clock, what we know as the circadian rhythms. A concept on which it continues to be investigated and that allows us to know how our body is scheduled to sleep. The issue in this case is that modern life, with its artificial light and its chaotic schedules, It is the main enemy of these rhythms. And therefore of ourselves. A business. The market that exists around products that promise to help us have a better rest, the truth is that it generates billions of dollars a year. A figure that is logical, since nobody wants to spend the night and be the next day asking for coffee for the corners. And to avoid this we many times turn to whatever we see that they tell us that it works. However, many of these remedies are not only ineffective, but can be counterproductive. Andrew Mchill, a scientist specialized in circadian rhythms of the Oregon Health & Science University, warns That failed attempts can discourage people to seek professional help, worsening the situation. The solution. If we stick to science, the solution is completely free. The key is in Understand and respect our internal biological watches. A system of ‘watches’ that is present in each cell of the organism and that needs to be synchronized with the ‘central clock’ of the organism that is in the hypothalamus and specifically in the supraquiasmatic nucleus. To do this, this nucleus receives light signals that come through the eyes by the optical nerve that allows you to synchronize vital body functions such as the sleep-vigilia cycle and the production of hormones such as melatonin, which, which it is increasingly important Beyond allowing us to reconcile the dream such as repairing the data in our body. With a small nuance of basic physiology, Melatonin production It is suppressed or inhibited due to light collection. At the time the environment darkens, the pineal gland begins to release melatonin. And his mismatch has consequences that go beyond morning fatigue by affecting cognition, mood and reaction time. The contrasts. One of the keys is in the light as we have said, especially in the blue wavelength. This makes the daytime light rich in these blue tones, Synchronize our circadian rhythms throughout the day. But when the night comes and we are on the couch watching the last Instagram or Tiktok reos this blue light of the screens makes our body end up dislocating. Literally, with this constant exposure to the blue light we are indicating the body that is still daytime and that has to be underway and not decay. Something that ultimately triggers the hated insomnia. A study of Global Health Institute of Barcelona (ISGlobal) He warns that overexposure to the “blue light” of electronic devices alters our sleep-vigilia cycle when interfering with melatonin production. The solution, according to experts, is to seek contrast: expose ourselves to natural light during the day and reduce exposure to artificial light at night. A simple outdoor walk or work near a window can make a big difference. At night, it is advisable to lower the intensity of the lights, turn off the screens or use applications that adjust the color temperature to warmer tones. Or even bet on red lights that does not interfere with melatonin production. Meals. Our digestive system also has its own schedule, causing hormones that cause or inhibit hunger, digestive or even Insulin itself also works by rhythms. This makes eating on the undo, especially late at night, alters these watches and can cause digestive problems, an increase in body temperature and an increase in glucose levels, which makes sleep difficult. And it makes enough sense. When the end of the day is approaching and the sun begins to wear, the body begins to prepare to sleep, reducing insulin, which is a fundamental hormone to control blood glucose levels. In the event that we give us a binge during the night, we are causing these insulin levels to have to rise compulsively when the body is going down. Something that completely dislocates to the body. The recommendation is to follow what you have surely heard: “Breakfast like a king, eats like a prince and dinner like a beggar.” The last meal of the day should be at least three hours before bedtime. The consistency. Sleep The right time is as important as the amount of hours we sleep. Our body has an optimal sleep window, which varies according to our chronotype (if we are “evening” or “morning”). However, work and study schedules often force us to ignore our biological clock. The Spanish Sleep Society (SES) He insists on the importance of maintaining regular sleep schedules, even on weekends, to keep our circadian rhythm synchronized. The generalized use of alarmrs is proof that most of us live in conflict with our constant biology. Seek help. Something very important in these cases is to seek help from professionals in the event that the biological clock is completely uncontrolled. In many situations, exogenous melatonin can be administered at high doses accompanied by a plan to improve sleep hygiene. But beyond this, Mayic Mayic It offers different tips that can be obvious how to create an adequate rest environment, exercise regularly, control food and especially establish the most appropriate relaxation routine. Although clearly getting away from the screens and maintaining an adequate schedule is the most recommended so that we can finally sleep peacefully. Images | Shane In Xataka | Something is stealing our dream and they are not just the screens. A neurologist helps us understand what is really happening

We thought that sleeping in 90 -minute blocks improved rest and energy when you woke up. Science has its doubts

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As so many other viral trends In social networks, in recent years a seemingly simple formula has run like gunpowder for improve nighttime rest and wake up fresh like a lettuce: Calculate the dream in 90 -minute blocks To wake up just when one ends those blocks. This technique ensures that, when you wake up just when a complete sleep cycle ends, people They will feel more rested and with greater energy to face the day. However, scientific evidence questions the reliability of this method. The myth of exact 90 minutes cycles A survey of 2024 made by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine He revealed that almost one in ten American adults (9%) had tried this technique to determine what time they had to go to bed and wake up and have even been created Online calculators To make this calculation easier. The basis of this technique is based on Natural sleep cycles that are part of the set of cycles that regulate our body known as Circadian cycles. These cycles are the ones that determine the time of sleeping, of waking up, of eating, etc. According to this technique, a person who wants to wake up at 7:00 in the morning should go to sleep at 22:00 to complete six full -minute sleep cycles, or 23:30 to complete five sleep cycles. The concept is based on the idea that awakening at the end of a complete cycle, in phase V or REM, When the dream is lighterwould avoid the feeling of morning stun that occurs when we wake up in the middle of one of these cycles. Sleep cycles were first identified in the 1950s, when researchers They discovered These patterns called Ultradian cycles. During the night, the alternate brain between different phases: light sleep, deep sleep and REM sleep (characterized by the most intense dreams). Dr. Fouzia Siddiqui, Medical Director of Sentara Rockingham Memorial Sleep Center, explained in Popular Science that each of these phases fulfills specific functions for physical and mental recovery. However, the popularization of this scientific knowledge has led to excessive simplifications that They do not reflect the real complexity of human sleep. The most important of them: that the sleep cycles last exactly 90 minutes. That is the biggest problem of this theory. Scientific reality dismantles promises Recent studies They have shown that the duration of sleep cycles is not a constant but a variable. That is, its duration varies depending on each personand even the same person You can record more or less long cycless during the same night or vary according to the day. An investigation He analyzed more than 16,000 nights of sleep in 573 different people found that the median duration of sleep cycles was not 90 minutes but 110 minutes, with 75% of the cycles ranging between 95 and 130 minutes. Another study based on 2,312 nights of polysomnography data determined that the average duration of the cycles was 116.9 minuteswith a standard deviation of 39.7 minutes. In other words, establishing the 90 minutes as a basis for calculating sleep cycles not only is not an inaccuracy, but in practice it can be counterproductive since there is also the risk of interrupting the sleep cycle before it ends. Dr. Andrea Matsumura, specialist in Sleep Medicine and founder of Sleep Goddesss Method, said In the article of Popular Science that “factors such as stress, Alcoholdiseases or even bedtime, impact on the sleep cycle, so this method does not really guarantee that you wake up less stunned. “ In addition, the studies identified that as night progresses, sleep cycles They tend to elong in a natural wayso that the former can last between 70 and 100 minutes, while the later range between 90 and 120 minutes. Making it impossible to predict at what point in the cycle You will find yourself when it is time to wake up. On the other hand, in a standard sleep session of a healthy person, it is very unlikely be ahead of a deep phase of sleep since phase 3 of sleep, the deepest and repairinglasts between 20 and 40 minutes and usually occurs in the middle of the sleep session, and then move back to phase 2 which is a relaxing but lighter dream. Therefore, unless you are sleeping very few hoursthe awakening occurs from that lighter phase, and not from a deep phase as the 90 -minute block theory supports, which would leave a greater feeling of stunning. That is, this theory is based on two real facts: that awakening from phase 3 leaves you more stunned and that sleep cycles last around 90 minutes, to set up an alleged infallible technique to wake up as a rosto. The problem is that sleep It is not an exact science And the only thing that really works is Ensure the Descaso Hours that the body needs … and there are not even certainties about How long is needed. In Xataka | I put myself in the hands of some “sleep headphones” in the hope of reconciling sleep. It has come out regular Image | Unspash (Shane, Greg Pupas)

It is likely to cause you nightmares while sleeping

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Lactose intolerance can take away the dream, and in a quite literal way: the stomach problems caused by the bad digestion of this protein can populate our nightmare dream, turning nighttime rest into an even more difficult challenge. Fuel for nightmares. A new study He has found A curious link between our diet and the quality of our dream. The analysis showed that healthier options correlated with more placid memories about lived dreams, while dairy consumption was related to nightmare memory. The explanation could be in lactose intolerance. This gastrointestinal reaction, explains the team responsible for the investigation, could be responsible for altering our dream causing these uneasy dreams. Bad matter. “The severity of nightmares is robustly associated with lactose intolerance and other food allergies,” explained in a press release Tore Nielsen, co -author of the study. “These new findings imply that changing eating habits in people with some food sensibilities could relieve nightmares. This could also explain why people often blame the dairy of their nightmares.” 1,082 students. More than a thousand students from the Macewan University, in Alberta, Canada, participated in the study. The participants responded to a survey in which he questioned his dream, time and quality of this, as well as dreams and nightmares. The questionnaire also consulted about the perception between dreams and food, as well as on the state of health, physiological and psychological of students and their relationship with food. The team observed that about a third of the sample replied to have had nightmares, this being more common among women. They also declared in the survey a better memory of their dreams and a worst quality of sleep. It was also observed that they were twice as much prone to declare food allergies as they. Cheese and nightmares. Analyzing the survey responses, the team observed that people with worse eating habits declared more frequently negative dreams, and tended to remember less their dreams in general, Explain the team. When studying intolerances, they observed that lactose intolerance was associated not only gastrointestinal symptoms but also nightmares and a poor sleep quality. The team therefore suggests the possibility of a relationship between the consumption of dairy, gastrointestinal problems and an discomfort that affects not only the quality of people’s sleep but also the “content” of their dreams. The details of the study were published In an article In the magazine Frontiers in Psychology. From the plate to the pillow. The relationship between our diet (especially the food we consume before we go to bed) and the quality of our dream It is well documented. However it is but little by little we are knowing New details that show us the complexities of this interaction. Knowing these details is what can help us understand what actions and what changes in habits can help us improve our quality of life, for example, facilitating a repair and pleasant dream. Maybe a step can be as simple as leaving cheese for snack. It is not perfect. The study also presents limitations, as you remember In an article for The conversation Timothy Hearn, from Anglia Ruskin University. Hearn, who was not involved in the study recalls that the sample is limited to young participants and generally in good psychological health. The nature of the study, in the form of a survey, also raises important limits, such as the so -called “memory bias”, which may arise if our ability to remember certain dreams correlates with any of the variables of interest. In Xataka | For many, skipping dinner is part of your intermittent fasting. It is not always a good idea Image | Maksim Gontentak

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