THE SCIENCE BEHIND SLEEP

1. INTRODUCTION.

Hello, my topic is about sleep.

In recent years, many people have been talking about their circadian rhythms. All living organisms have
them. These rhythms normally last a day, but there are some that are longer, like bird migrations, or less,
like the secretions of some hormones such as melatonin or cortisol.
We have many biological rhythms in our body but the most important is our sleep-wake cycle.

QUESTION FOR THE EXAMINER: Do you think sleep is important? Do you think you sleep enough?

2. THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT GETTING ENOUGH SLEEP

During sleep, our memory is fixed and DNA repair occurs. This prevents our body from getting ill from
cancer or different neurodegenerative diseases. So, to have a good sleep, a good sleep hygiene is essential,
which is a set of good sleep habits. In addition, not getting enough sleep leads to premature aging, heart
problems, anxiety, low concentration and obesity, etc.
In fact, sleep is so important that a 75 year old person sleeps an average of 25 years, so if we spend so much
time sleeping it must be because it is very important.
Therefore, if I were you, I would try to have good sleep hygiene, as sleeping well has many benefits.

3. HOW OUR ENVIRONMENT AFFECTS OUR SLEEPS

There are different stimuli that synchronize us, such as physical activity, the time at which
we eat, our social and work activity, but the most important is light. However, light pollution is one of the
great problems of the planet, because of street lights and industries. If there is more light pollution, we will
be exposed to more artificial light during the night.
For humans, artificial light at night degrades a hormone called melatonin, which is released under normal
light-dark conditions.
This is why it’s so important to not be exposed to light during sleep time, due to its negative effects on the
quality of our sleep.

4. ADVICE TO IMPROVE SLEEP

To achieve a quality sleep, you should avoid being exposed to artificial light before you
lie down, even while already in bed. This involves reducing the use of mobile phones or
television during this time, so the best thing to be able to fall asleep is to be in complete darkness. In
addition, you must have regular hours to go to sleep and get up, as this helps our biological clock to be
synchronized. Another good idea is to avoid naps that last more than 30 minutes.
One of the best ways to get quality sleep is to exercise during the day due to its great mental and physical
benefits, which make us feel more relaxed.
It should be noted that you should avoid drinking stimulant drinks, such as coffee or tea after mid-afternoon,
since these will keep you awake when you want to be sleeping.

5. CHRONOBIOLOGY/STUDIES ABOUT SLEEP

It has been observed in parts of the United States, where artificial light at night in the open air is brighter,
that teenagers sleep less and are more likely to suffer from mental illnesses, such as anxiety, depression or
bipolar disorder.
In addition, older people who live in highly polluted areas suffer more insomnia. Likewise, a connection has
been observed between cancer and the impact of artificial night light. If all of these things had been
considered before, we wouldn’t have such a big problem with light pollution.