Tips To Get A Good Night’s Sleep: Key Recommendations By Luke Coutinho

What happens to your brain when you sleep

In one word, magic. Like every organ, even your brain produces certain metabolic wastes. Due to the blood-brain barrier, toxins from the brain don’t enter the bloodstream before being eliminated.

So, how does your brain detoxify itself? The brain isn’t an eliminatory organ, but it has a beautifully designed mechanism for self-cleaning during deep slumber. Similar to the lymphatic system, our body’s garbage disposal unit, our brain has an intelligently designed glymphatic system that helps remove metabolic wastes. What activates the glymphatic system? Deep sleep.

During sleep, our brain shrinks, creating space for cerebrospinal fluid to wash out wastes and protein particles like beta-amyloid plaques. It’s like a bath for your brain to clean out metabolic wastes and cell debris. An inability to do so over time leads to an accumulation of these wastes and plaques, disrupting cognitive abilities.

Excess beta-amyloid plaque formation interrupts neuron communication, leading to memory loss, slurred speech, slow movements, confusion, and more. Toxins breed disease, and the same is true for your brain. In fact, beta-amyloid plaques are closely connected with cognitive conditions like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and dementia.

Sleep deprivation also damages the gray and white matter in your brain, which are crucial for brain health, memory, information processing, communication between neurons, and sensory perception.

Deep sleep, smart kids: Sleep’s big role in growing up smart

Absolutely, deeper sleep equals smarter kids. Sleep deprivation is a significant factor affecting children’s growth and development. In children, their organs, immune system, and detoxification pathways are still developing. Regardless of how clean their nutrition and active their lifestyle are, growth and regeneration occur during sleep. Sleep is fundamental for children’s development, and an inability to sleep well burdens their growing bodies and brains.

Why do babies and kids need more sleep? Because it’s crucial for their growth!

Scientific studies consistently show that sufficient and quality sleep is crucial for children’s intellectual and academic development. Sleep supports neurocognitive functions, including memory consolidation and information processing. Inadequate sleep has been linked to difficulties in attention, problem-solving, and academic performance, disrupting the release of growth hormone essential for brain development.

Luke Coutinho

Smart nighttime routine to be a smart sleeper

These four tips can help:

1. Establish a bedtime ritual:

Our brain loves routines. By repeatedly doing certain things, our brain forms subconscious patterns. For example, brushing your teeth is something you don’t need reminders for because you’ve done it since childhood. Similarly, establish a bedtime routine. This serves as a cue for your brain and body to anticipate sleep preparation. It could be as simple as entering the bedroom, dimming the lights, taking a warm shower, reading, praying, and then going to sleep. Doing this repeatedly helps your brain anticipate the next steps, making it easier to prepare for sleep.

2. Turn off gadgets an hour before sleep:

Sleep is a light-sensitive process. Melatonin, a sleep hormone, is secreted in response to darkness. That’s why we’re naturally awake during daylight. Even LED lights from gadgets can disrupt melatonin secretion. So, imagine what bright screens can do! Turn off gadgets an hour before sleep and engage in nonscreen activities. If necessary, wear blue light-blocking glasses to reduce screen-related disruptions.

3. Silence your mind:

It’s impossible to fall asleep with a stimulated mind. Be mindful of the content you consume before bedtime, as everything you hear, read, speak, and think leaves an impression on your subconscious mind. Avoid working on projects, reading intense material, or engaging in arguments close to bedtime, as these can activate and alert the mind. A helpful practice is a “mind dump” — write down what’s on your mind to bring clarity and to silence your thoughts.

4. Get sunshine during the day:

Exposing yourself to sunlight during the day can improve sleep quality at night. Sleep is closely linked to the circadian rhythm, which responds to sunset and sunrise. Getting sunlight in the morning is a natural way to reset sleep patterns that may have gone off track.

 The author is an integrative lifestyle expert.