Why Do We Dream?

We all dream every night. 

Dreams are a normal part of sleep. Most dreams occur and are the most vivid when we are in REM sleep.  REM sleep generally first happens about 90 minutes after falling asleep and each REM stage can last up to an hour.  The average adult having five to six REM cycles each night.

Dreams don’t often make sense and are not commonly remembered when we wake up

During the day when awake our thoughts, ideas and actions are based on logic.  When we are asleep and dreaming the logical region of our brain shuts down and our dreams are driven by the emotional side of our brain, with about two thirds of our dreams occurring in pictures.

“During REM sleep many of our muscles relax completely and this prevents us acting out our dreams. If this system doesn’t work properly, we may try to act out our dreams, especially if the dreams involve strong emotions.” – Sleep Health Foundation

Dreams are often linked to things that have happened in our daily lives

If you are in a positive mind set and have a good day, you are more likely to have a good dream.  If you are depressed or anxious this may compromise your sleep quality and contribute to bad dreams.

Nightmares

Nightmares are vivid scary dreams. They tend to wake you up. They may often also stop you going back to sleep.

For children they are often thought of as part of growing up but they can also be set off by things such as a stressful event in life, trauma, medications, substance abuse or a mental or physical illness.

According to the Sleep Health Foundation of Australia

“10% to 50% of children have them. The number of adults who have nightmares is much less, from 2.5% to 10%”

If you are experiencing vivid scary dreams or nightmares regularly you may not be getting enough sleep at night or wake up feeling tired and stressed.  If this is occurring regularly counselling may help.

The role of dreams is not clear, but there are some widely held theories

Commonly it is thought that dreaming allows us to analyse and consolidate memories, skills and habits. Assisting us in our ability to respond to situations in our daily lives.  

Other beliefs include dream’s acting as a creative muse, inspiring and facilitating our creativity.   As a therapist, helping connect our feelings in such a way that we would not while awake.  Or as a way of helping us deal with a threat or problem.

“One of the areas of the brain that’s most active during dreaming is the amygdala. The amygdala is the part of the brain associated with the survival instinct and the fight-or-flight response.”  healthline.com

Dreams are a normal part of sleep

Although there is still a lot to be learnt about their cause and function, they are part of our regular sleep cycle which is vitally important for our everyday health and well being.

Sleep Well, Live Well

Food for a good night's sleep

We all know that exercise, healthy eating and a good night’s sleep are key to our wellbeing, but did you know that what we eat can affect the quality of our sleep and how we have slept can affect what we want to eat.

How our Diet and Sleep are related.

Not getting enough sleep and feeling tired can make us more hungry

Yes, it is true.  When tired we often want to eat more and often find ourselves reaching for energy rich but nutrient poor foods.   A lack of sleep increases the release of the hormone Ghrelin which makes us feel hungry, whilst suppressing the release of the hormone Leptin that makes us feel full.  Long term lack of sleep or tiredness is therefore linked to an increase in weight, which also increases the risk of snoring.

And what we eat and drink during the day can affect our ability to fall asleep

Our food and drink is made up of various nutrients which may influence our sleep patterns.

Eating certain foods can help you get in the mood for sleep whilst other can make you feel alert or wake you during the night.  

Foods to eat, for a better night’s sleep

Foods that contain Melatonin

Melatonin helps your body know when to wake up and go to sleep, with Melatonin levels generally starting to go up about 2 hours before sleep. 

Foods high in Melatonin include:

• Nuts and seeds including almonds, walnuts, peanuts, sunflower seeds and flaxseeds.
• Fruits and vegetables including banana’s, grapes, cherry’s asparagus and broccoli.
• Grains or oats

Foods that contain Tryptophan

Tryptophan is an essential amino acid found in many foods which plays a role in creating Serotonin.  Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that effects our mood and helps to regulate sleep and is converted into the sleep hormone melatonin.

Foods that contain Tryptophan include:

• Dairy products including eggs, milk, low-fat yogurt and cheese
• Nuts and seeds
• Seafood
• Poultry
• Vegetables such as spinach, broccoli and asparagus.
• Fruit including kiwifruit, apples, bananas and avocado
• Beans
• Grains or oats

Many of these are protein rich foods, which on their own may not be enough.  High protein meals can actually result in a drop of Serotonin because they contain not only Tryptophan but a number of other amino acids all of which are competing to make their way into the brain.

Eating a light carbohydrate can assist.  Carbohydrates trigger the release of insulin which causes amino acids, but not Tryptophan to be absorbed into the body.  Tryptophan remains in the bloodstream at high levels and can then enter the brain and cause Serotonin levels to rise. 

Foods that contain Calcium

Dairy products that contain both Tryptophan and Calcium are also good sleep inducers

"Calcium helps the brain use the amino acid tryptophan to manufacture the sleep-inducing substance melatonin. This explains why dairy products, which contain both tryptophan and calcium, are one of the top sleep-inducing foods." – Medical News Today

Some good sources of Calcium which include Tryptophan are: 

• Some greens including broccoli
• Dairy products
• Nuts including almonds
• Beans

Foods that contain Vitamin B6

B6 also aids in the production of Serotonin and Melatonin. Deficiencies in the Vitamin B6 have been linked with lowered Serotonin levels, poor-quality sleep, insomnia and depression.

Vitamin B6 can be found in

• Nuts and seeds including sunflower seeds, pistachio nuts and flaxseed
• Fish including tuna and salmon
• Meats including chicken, lean beef and lean pork
• Some fruits including banana’s and avocado

Foods that contain Magnesium

A lack of magnesium has been linked to increased stress and anxiety levels and difficulty going and staying asleep.

Magnesium can be found in:

• Nuts and Seeds
• Fish
• Some dark leafy greens including spinach and kale
• Some fruit including bananas and avocado’s

You may also consider a drink of Chamomile Tea

Chamomile tea is a well-known remedy for a good night’s sleep, helping calm the brain and body Chamomile Tea is rich in an antioxidant called apigenin.

And adding a teaspoon of raw honey Honey,  restocks the liver with Glycogen which our brain users for energy.  If glycogen is low the brain can wake us up telling us we need to eat. The natural sugars in honey also slightly raise insulin levels which help Tryptophan to enter the brain.  

Milk

Many of us grew up with our parents telling us a warm glass of milk would help us sleep.  Just this association may help you relax and prepare for a good night’s sleep.   But there is also scientific evidence of the benefits of milk before bed.  Milk is a natural source of the sleep inducing Tryptophan amino acid.

Food and drink to avoid, if you want a better night’s sleep

Caffeine

A naturally occurring stimulant, caffeine can be found in many food and drinks including coffee, tea and chocolate. While caffeine may give us a much needed wake-up or boost during the day, it can also affect our sleep and contribute to us feeling more tired the following day.

If you are drinking or consuming large amounts of caffeine consider cutting back.  Just don’t stop suddenly, gradually cut back. If your body is used to caffeine as stimulant, simply stopping may give you headaches.

Try having that last one at different times to see what works best for you because as recognised by the Sleep Health Foundation

 “There are different views on how many hours before bed you should have your last caffeine intake. Some say caffeine should be avoided for at least 3 to 7 hours before going to sleep. Others say no caffeine after lunch time if you have sleep problems. Many people find that their sleep improves with less caffeine or only having caffeine earlier in the day.”

Alcohol

Although Alcohol can make you feel tired and help you fall asleep faster it is disruptive to the amount and quality of your sleep.  It may stop you from entering into the deeper and restorative stages of sleep and it is associated with one waking up more regularly in the night.  It is best to avoid alcohol for at least 4 hours before bedtime.

Spicy Foods

Spicy foods are known to cause heartburn, indigestion and acid reflux, which may be made worse by lying down.   The Sleep Council UK also recognize that research has found that spicy foods

“brought about a change in body temperature which can confuse the brain, as core temperature naturally dips as bedtime approaches.”

Foods High in fat

Fatty foods have been linked to poor fragmented sleep patterns and can also trigger acid production in the stomach leading to heartburn and indigestion.

Foods that have a high water content and are natural diuretics.

Natural diuretics elevate the rate and need for urination and you don’t want to be woken in the night needing to go to the bathroom.  Foods that are natural diuretics include watermelon, celery and cucumber.

Large or protein heavy meals before bedtime

Avoid eating a large meal, or a meal heavy in protein, too close to bedtime and allow at least 2-3 hours between your last main meal of the day and bedtime. A small snack is ok.  Going to bed with a full tummy will cause your body to focus on digesting rather than sleeping. 

Remember that along with regular exercise a healthy balanced diet will help improve your sleep and energy levels.

Note: The lists above are not exhaustive and if regularly having trouble sleeping you should consult your doctor.

Sleep Well, Live Well

Exercising for a better night's sleep

We all know that exercise strengthens our bodies and gives us more energy in the day, but did you know exercise can also help us sleep better?

How exercise helps improve your sleep

• Exercise, by expending energy and tiring our bodies simply makes us feel tired, helping us to go to sleep faster and thereby increasing the duration of our sleep.

• Exercise increases the amount of time spent in deep sleep. Deep Sleep is our restorative sleep phase, that helps the brain rest and recover, balance hormones, boost immune function and control stress and anxiety.

• By reducing the level of particular hormones in our bodies and stimulating others exercise can also help relieve stress and anxiety, a common cause of a lack of sleep. As identified by the Harvard.edu article exercising to relax

“The mental benefits of aerobic exercise have a neurochemical basis. Exercise reduces levels of the body's stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol. It also stimulates the production of endorphins, chemicals in the brain that are the body's natural painkillers and mood elevators” 

What is the best time to exercise for a better night’s sleep

Although exercise can help improve your sleep it is important to consider how the time of day you are working out and how the type of exercise you are doing may affect your sleep. 

Some people may find that working out too close to bedtime may keep them up at night.

If you find this is the case, avoid undertaking vigorous or aerobic activity in the evenings.  Work out in the mornings or afternoons and give your body 4-5 hours to wind down before bedtime.

Use the evenings to relax , practice mindfulness or yoga

Harvard.edu's article Yoga for Better Sleep recognising that

"Yoga is a gentle and restorative way to wind down your day A national survey found that over 55% of people who did yoga found that it helped them get better sleep. Over 85% said yoga helped reduce stress." 

Not sure where to start, or need some new ideas for a work out 

Head to our facebook page and try our 10 minute workout with personal trainer and actress Ariel Kaplan. No equipment needed, can be done at home or in the park. 

Take the time to exercise everyday, you will see the overall health benefits, have more energy and get a better night’s sleep.  And if working from home, or regularly sitting in front of a computer at the office, get up and move regularly during the day as less sitting is also associated with better health and sleep.

Sleep Well, Live Well

Sleep and Shiftwork

A shift worker is anyone who follows a work schedule that is outside of the typical 9 to 5 business day. This might include working rotating, split or irregular shifts and include morning, afternoon, evening or night work.

Allowing employers to make full use of the 24 hours in each day and ensuring essential services, including emergency services and healthcare are available at all times.

According to the Sleep Health Foundation of Australia  

“The average shift worker sleeps one hour a day less than someone who doesn't work shifts.”

Why does Shiftwork disrupt sleep?

Just like when travelling overseas, and adjusting to a new time zone, it is not easy to switch to working and sleeping different hours of the day.

As daylight suppresses the release of Melatonin, a hormone which plays an important role in telling us when to go to sleep and wake up, shift work in the evenings or at night works directly against our body’s natural biological clock or circadian rhythm. 

What are the implications of a shift worker not getting enough sleep?

As a shift worker if you are not getting enough sleep you may find that you are lacking in energy, become irritable easily, have trouble concentrating or completing tasks efficiently.  You may also find yourself nodding of and wanting to nap.

Lack of sleep can therefore reduce your ability to effectively do your job and also increase the danger of accidents at work.

Tips for shift workers to get a better sleep during the day.

1. Aim to get the recommended 7-9 hours sleep for adults a day and try to time your sleep so you wake up just before going to work, like you would if working 9 to 5.
2. Try to keep to the same sleep and wake time everyday. This will help your body adjust and get used to when it is needed to be asleep and awake
3. Make the bedroom cool and as dark as possible. Consider heavy curtains, blackout blinds and/or using an eye mask.
4. Eliminate any noise. Ask family members or housemates if they can try and reduce noise by not wearing shoes inside and using headphones to watch TV or listen to music. If you have a busy household and this is not possible try ear plugs. White noise such as a fan may also assist.
5. Avoid caffeine, alcohol and other stimulants before going to sleep.

Tips for shift workers to follow at work, to help avoid feeling tired

1. If possible, through discussions with your employer, try to avoid working back to back, double or triple shifts.
2. Keep the work environment as bright, or as light as possible
3. Try to be active during your breaks, take a walk or do some exercises.
4. If possible and needed use a break to take a nap. A short nap, of no more than 15 minutes will boost energy and concentration. Just make sure you are fully awake before heading back to your work tasks.
5. Don’t leave the difficult or boring tasks to the end of the shift. For night shift workers this is when you are most likely to feel the tiredest.
6. Keep in contact with co-workers, as this may help both them and you stay more alert.

By getting enough sleep you will feel better, be more productive and reduce the likelihood of errors or accidents.

Sleep Well, Live Well

Sleep is important for learning and memory

If we have had a bad night’s sleep it can be hard to concentrate, our reaction time may be delayed, we may struggle to learn new things or recall our memories and not make sensible decisions.

After a good night’s sleep we feel energised, our brain is alert and we are able to clearly focus, learn, be creative and remember information.

Research shows that sleep plays an important role in learning and the formation of memories.

According to a resource from the Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School

“Research suggests that sleep helps learning and memory in two distinct ways. First, a sleep-deprived person cannot focus attention optimally and therefore cannot learn efficiently. Second, sleep itself has a role in the consolidation of memory, which is essential for learning new information.

Although the exact mechanisms are not known, learning and memory are often described in terms of three functions. Acquisition refers to the introduction of new information into the brain. Consolidation represents the processes by which a memory becomes stable. Recall refers to the ability to access the information (whether consciously or unconsciously) after it has been stored.”

 While we are sleeping different stages of our sleep play a role in forming different types of memories and consolidating what we have learnt during the day   Research indicating procedural memory, or remembering how to do things such as riding a bike is affected by REM Sleep.

Ensuring you get enough sleep is therefore important to our ability to learn, remember how to do things and make good decisions.

On average, an adult should get between 7-9 hours of sleep a night.

If you are not sure how much sleep you or a member of your family should be getting based on age the Sleep Health Foundations article how much sleep do you really need gives a good guide.

Sleep well, live well

Is technology affecting your sleep?

Whether it is watching TV, playing video games, scrolling through social media or checking emails, electronic devices are a big part of our lifestyle and hard to put down when bedtime approaches.

Although the effects vary between people ‘screen time’ before bed has been shown to impact both our ability to fall asleep and the quality of our sleep. 

How electronic devices impact our sleep 

• Electronic devices emit blue light which suppresses the production of the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin, making it harder to fall and stay asleep.

• By keeping us engaged and stimulated they are hard to walk away from and make it difficult for our brains to relax and wind down at the end of the day.

• If next to our beds, notifications and late night’s texts from our mobile phones disturb our sleep.

Tips - How to reduce the impact of 'screen time' on our sleep

• Dim screens for evening use. Many mobile phones and devices now come with a ‘night mode’ feature that changes your screen to reduce the amount of blue light been emitted. If your device does not have this, there are apps that can be downloaded that may assist.

• Limit the amount of screen time in the evenings.

"Studies have tested the effects of bright tablets (e.g. ipads) and laptop screens for up to 5 hours before bed. It seems that the natural evening rise in melatonin (a hormone that makes us ready for sleep) is not affected by 1 hour of bright screen light, but it is after 1.5 hours. Thus after 1.5 hours of technology use in the evening people report feeling less sleepy. They also do better on mental performance tests and their brainwaves suggest increased alertness. Repeated use of a bright screen over 5 days can delay the body clock by 1.5 hours. This means you consistently want to go to bed later and sleep in longer. This can be a real problem when you need to get up at a set time in the morning for school or work."    -  sleephealthfoundation.org.au 

• Go screen free 30-60 minutes before bedtime.

• With children, clearly setting and enforcing the rules might be hard at first but once habit will be part of your everyday routine. Include grandparents or caregivers so they know what you are doing at home. Replace screens with traditional books, puzzles and games.

• If possible, make bedrooms a screen free zone.

• If your mobile phone is in your room and used as an alarm, ensure it is in do not disturb mode so you are not woken by late night text messages or notifications.

It may be difficult at first, but once you have made a conscious change it will become habit and part of your everyday routine.

Sleep Well, Live Well