I was recently quoted by USA Today in an article that discusses how the amount of sleep spindles you produce each night determines if you will be a light or heavy sleeper.
According to a study published in Current Biology, sleep spindles, or bursts of brain activity protect your brain from noise disruptions while you sleep. Results of the study show that the more sleep spindles you have, the more likely you are to sleep soundly, despite potential noise interruptions.
Brain patterns of 12 participants were monitored for three consecutive nights while they slept. Volunteers ranged between 20 and 46 years, and had no diagnosed sleep disorders. The first night was used as a control, while noises that often interrupt sleep were added on the second and third nights.
Results show that participants who produced more sleep spindles were more likely to sleep through the noises, while those who produced less were more likely to be awakened by the noises.
Although sleep experts do not know what causes people to produce increased level of sleep spindles, the information discovered during the study is expected to be extremely useful. Doctors will now be able to determine who is more likely to be woken by noise at night, which is important in noisy environments, such as hospitals.
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, at least 40 million Americans suffer from sleep disorders every year. The majority of Americans regularly fail to get the sleep they need, either because of a sleep disorder or because sleep lands at the end of their priority list.
Although many believe that they can catch up on sleep when they have more free time, research shows that sleep deprivation is associated with increased risk for weight gain, heart disease, diabetes and stroke.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends that people go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends, in order to improve the quality and quantity of sleep.
People who have trouble staying asleep should take a hot bath or shower one hour before bed. This makes the body temperature rise and then fall, which causes a drowsy effect. People should also avoid eating sugary foods before going to bed. For serious persistant insomnia, the best treatment is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy which teaches cognitive strategies and relaxation techniques.
