Did you know that, according to a Universidade de São Paulo survey carried out in the mid-2010s, more than half of Brazilians report snoring? Want more? Superinteressante magazine revealed in a report that nighttime noise is the third leading cause of divorce.



In the same report, the magazine tells the story of a lady whose snoring reaches 111 decibels. That&#8217;s more noise than a low-flying jet, which reaches approximately 103 decibels. Her husband, of course, was forced to sleep in another room.&nbsp;



But besides these trivia facts, snoring can be a warning sign that something is not right, and it is important to understand it.&nbsp;



<h2>Now, what is snoring?</h2>



Snoring is the noise produced during sleep, caused by a narrowing in the airways.&nbsp;



While we sleep, the airways are protected by different mechanisms whose objective is to avoid them getting obstructed. But for some people, all this ‘task force’ is not enough and the airflow finds it more difficult to flow as it has less space to pass through.



This narrowing causes a vibration in the tissues that form the throat, which generates this unpleasant noise.&nbsp;



<h2>What are the causes of snoring?</h2>



Some of the causes of snoring are commonplace and can happen to anyone, such as alcohol consumption or sedative medications, since they relax the pharyngeal muscles.



Smoking can also cause people to snore because it causes swelling in the mucosa and, consequently, this narrows the nasopharynx. The same happens during colds or allergic attacks.



Sleep apnea, a disorder in which breathing stops for a few moments during the night, also causes snoring. Since it is potentially dangerous, it must be carefully treated by a doctor.&nbsp;



Other predisposing factors for snorers are overweight, asthma (especially nocturnal asthma) and the sleeping position, especially the ‘belly up’, also known as dorsal decubitus.



<h2>Should I see a doctor about my snoring?</h2>



On its institutional website, the sleep medicine team at Albert Einstein Hospital suggests that, before seeing a doctor, a self-assessment should be carried out with the following questions:



&#8211; Does your partner or roommate complain that you snore regularly?&nbsp;



&#8211; Have you recently gained weight or stopped exercising?



&#8211; Do you have family members who snore?



If the answer is yes to at least one of the questions, you are very likely to snore (if you don&#8217;t already snore). If snoring is very loud or frequent, see a sleep doctor and, if possible, bring your roommate to the appointment, as he or she can offer valuable information to the professional.



<h2>More snoring facts you need to know</h2>



Check out more information about this noisy disorder below.



<h3>1 &#8211; There are different types of snoring…</h3>



Snoring is classified in different ways in the medical literature.&nbsp;



Some authors categorize it from I to III, according to intensity, where III can be heard outside the room, with the door closed.



On the other hand, some references point to only two types: primary (not caused by disease; breathing is obstructed but not interrupted) and secondary (more severe; a sign of sleep apnea).&nbsp;



<h3>2 &#8211; …and their treatment differs</h3>



When a doctor detects that snoring is problematic and needs treatment, they first need to determine what the patient&#8217;s category is. Only after that he can choose:



&#8211; Conservative/behavioral intervention, which may include weight loss, sleep position adaptation and rhinitis treatment, among others.



&#8211; Non-surgical intervention, using an intra-oral device and CPAP, a device that sends an airflow to the airways.



&#8211; Surgical intervention, with procedures such as nasal surgery, palate surgery and bariatric surgery.



<h3>3 &#8211; Men snore more than women</h3>



For every four male snorers, there is only one female snorer, but this number is more similar in groups of older people. Menopause, which usually happens between the ages of 45 and 55, is to blame.



Luciane Luna de Mello, a pulmonologist at Instituto do Sono, in São Paulo, explained why. ‘In childbearing age, estrogen, the female sex hormone, protects the throat musculature. And just like the other muscles, those in the pharynx also lose tone over time, which contributes to closing the air passage.’



<h3>4 &#8211; Many people don&#8217;t realize how much it interferes with sleep</h3>



Snoring disrupts the <a href="https://persono.com/insights/sleep-and-performance/what-is-sleep-hygiene" data-type="URL" data-id="https://persono.com/insights/sleep-and-performance/what-is-sleep-hygiene">sleep routine</a> even of those who don&#8217;t snore. After all, it&#8217;s not easy to sleep with a noise of as many decibels as a tractor inside the room.



Both the snorer (due to breathing interruptions) and his partner (due to the noise) may have small awakenings throughout the night, making sleep unrefreshing. These moments are often not even remembered the next morning, but that doesn&#8217;t make them any less harmful.&nbsp;



Technologies that control sleep quality, the self-assessment mentioned above, and a visit to the doctor can have big effects on your life quality.&nbsp;



Stay tuned to Persono&#8217;s blog and social media for more sleep content. After all, a good night&#8217;s sleep guarantees better days.

4 facts about snoring you need to know

Sleeping is a matter of health. There is no ‘being healthy’ without ‘sleeping well’. But not everyone can get quality sleep every night – or even sleep at all. A 2020 survey performed by the Ministry of Health found that almost 42% of Brazilians have one or more types of sleep disorders.



Sleep disorder is an umbrella term that refers to a set of conditions and diseases that affect different aspects of a person&#8217;s sleep, such as its quality, duration, timing, beginning and continuity.&nbsp;



Overall, there are more than 100 types of sleep disorders identified worldwide. Some of them are symptoms of other illnesses, while others are the product of a disease. But there are also disorders unrelated to other health issues.



<h2>What are the causes of sleep disorders?</h2>



Sleep disorders are caused by different factors, some internal (like genetics) and some external (like stress). But even though the causes are different, they all produce the same result: decreased quality of life.



Among the causes for different sleep disorders we can find:



&#8211; Medical factors, such as allergies;



&#8211; Psychological and psychiatric factors, such as anxiety or depression;



&#8211; Physical factors, such as slow metabolism or gastritis;



&#8211; Environmental factors, such as heat or consumption of alcohol and caffeine;



&#8211; Genetic factors;



&#8211; Disruptions of the circadian rhythm;



&#8211; Medications (some drugs interfere with sleep);



&#8211; Aging.



<h2>The 6 types of sleep disorders</h2>



The classification that groups them all uses a categorization methodology based on different criteria, among which we can find:



&#8211; Causes



&#8211; Symptoms



&#8211; Psychology



&#8211; Psychological consequences



Altogether, there are six types of sleep disorders.



<h3>1. Insomnia</h3>



Contrary to what many people think, insomnia is not ‘just one thing’, but a ‘box’ of different ‘types of insomnia’. Together, they affect around 73 million Brazilians (data from ABS – Associação Brasileira do Sono).



In the International Classification of Sleep Disorders, insomnias are characterized as ‘a repeated difficulty in onset, duration, consolidation or quality of sleep that occurs despite adequate opportunities and circumstances for sleep, which results in some form of daytime difficulty’.



In short, insomnia can manifest itself in different ways for each person. Most diagnoses, however, fall into two types:



&#8211; Sleep Onset Insomnia, which refers to difficulty falling asleep.



&#8211; Sleep Maintenance Insomnia, which refers to difficulty having continuous sleep. It is more common in older people and those who have consumed alcohol, tobacco, or caffeine shortly before going to bed.



Insomnia can still be chronic (appears at least three times a week for a period of three months) or in the short-term (less than three months).&nbsp;



<h3>2. Hypersomnia</h3>



Hypersomnia is not a sleep disorder per se, but a symptom of other conditions. The term is used to describe different disorders in which a person sleeps more than usual and/or feels excessively sleepy during the day, damaging their routine.&nbsp;



Hypersomnias can be primary or secondary:



&#8211; Primary hypersomnia. Less common, primary hypersomnia sustains itself without other disorders or illnesses that cause excessive sleepiness. For instance, the Kleine-Levin syndrome and Narcolepsy – which affects approximately 3 million people worldwide – are types of hypersomnia.



&#8211; Secondary hypersomnia occurs as a result of other factors, such as medical conditions, medication, psychiatric disorders, and even other sleep disorders, among others.&nbsp;



<h3>3. Sleep breathing disorders</h3>



As the name implies, in sleep breathing disorders there is abnormal breathing during the night. This is the case, for example, of sleep apnea, which affects almost 33% São Paulo’s inhabitants.&nbsp;



In its International Classification of Sleep Disorders, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine identifies different subtypes of these breathing disorders. They are classified according to their symptoms, causes and forms of treatment.



&#8211; Obstructive apnea, more commonly known as obstructive sleep apnea, or simply sleep apnea, is a disorder marked by repetitive episodes of airway blockage during sleep, causing lapses in breathing.



&#8211; Central apnea is characterized by the pause in airflow for a period equal to or greater than 10 seconds during which there is no evidence of respiratory efforts. This can happen when the brain does not send adequate signals to the respiratory muscles or when the muscles stop responding to these stimuli.&nbsp;



&#8211; Hypoventilation syndromes, which involve high levels of carbon dioxide in the blood during sleep. This happens due to the lack of air movement in and out of the lungs.



&#8211; Sleep hypoxemia disorder, characterized by a low oxygen level in the blood during the night. In the hypoxemia disorder, oxygen drops but carbon dioxide does not rise high enough to be characterized as hypoventilation.&nbsp;



&#8211; Snoring, which can be a sign of a bigger health problem. Snoring is the noise produced during sleep and caused by a narrowing of the airways.&nbsp;



&#8211; Catathrenia, characterized by deep air inhalation and very slow exhalation, producing a monotonous sound, such as a wheezing or groaning. It does not pose any risk to the patient&#8217;s health.



<h3>4. Circadian rhythm disorders</h3>



The hallmark of circadian rhythm-related sleep disorders is the disruption of the natural circadian cycle, which can cause excessive daytime sleepiness, insomnia, or both. In other words, they are caused by a misalignment between your sleep schedule and the time you should actually be sleeping.



Some of the circadian rhythm disorders are:



&#8211; Delayed sleep phase, commonly associated with people with an evening and extreme evening chronotypes, who stay up very late and have difficulty waking up early.



&#8211; Advanced sleep phase, associated with people with morning and extreme morning chronotypes, who have significant difficulties when they need to stay up late. It affects about 1% of middle-aged and older population.



&#8211; Maladaptation to Shift Work syndrome, related to working hours at inconsistent times, preventing sleep regularity.



&#8211; Time zone change syndrome (jetlag), which happens when we travel and cross multiple time zones without being able to adapt.



&#8211; Sleep-wake cycle different from 24 hours disorder, which occurs mainly in blind people, who do not receive natural light signals that tell them when to sleep or wake up.&nbsp;



<h3>5. Parasomnias</h3>



Parasomnias are unusual events or experiences during sleep, which represent a middle ground between being awake and falling asleep. They used to be entirely associated with mental pathologies, but modern researchers are already studying their relationship with the brain going in and out of sleep.



There are four types of parasomnia subclassifications:



&#8211; Non-REM (NREM) sleep parasomnias, characterized by incomplete awakening, poor responsiveness to intervention from others, and limited cognitive functions. Among the NREM sleep parasomnias we can find night terrors, sleepwalking, and sexsomnia.&nbsp;



&#8211; REM sleep parasomnias, which occur in the sleep phase where there is rapid eye movement, in this case added to agitated breathing, accelerated heartbeat and increased blood pressure. Among the REM sleep parasomnias are isolated and recurrent sleep paralysis and nightmare disorder.



&#8211; Talking during sleep or somniloquy, which can happen in both REM and non-REM sleep.



&#8211; Other parasomnias, which most often occur in the transition period between sleep and awakening, such as nocturnal enuresis (or nocturnal urinary incontinence) and sleep hallucinations.



<h3>6. Sleep-related movement disorders</h3>



The main characteristic of this type of sleep disorder is abnormal night movements that make it difficult to get quality rest. The consequence of that sleepless night is a less productive day.



Some of the sleep-related movement disorders are:



&#8211; Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS), characterized by an uncontrollable urge to move the legs, which begin to move involuntarily. With no single defined cause, RLS can get worse over the years.&nbsp;



&#8211; Sleep bruxism, a disorder marked by teeth pressing against each other, often making sandpaper motion. The bite of a person with nocturnal bruxism can reach a force equivalent to 115 kg.



Nocturnal cramps are also disorders that fall into this classification.



<h2>How is a sleep disorder diagnosed</h2>



Each sleep disorder has different diagnostic processes. Some depend on tests such as polysomnography, while others are behavioral.



There is another factor to consider. While some disorders leave clear signs (such as mouth pain generated by bruxism or night urination) and others alarm roommates and housemates (such as snoring or sleepwalking), some disorders can be quite silent and, therefore, even dangerous.



This happens with apnea, for example. It is often confused with excessive snoring and can take a long time to be diagnosed, reducing the patient&#8217;s life quality for a considerable time.&nbsp;



Meanwhile, narcolepsy goes undiagnosed in 75% of cases, as estimated by the Narcolepsy Network, an American organization founded in 1986.



So, how do I know if I have one or more of these types of sleep disorders? If you feel like you don&#8217;t sleep well often, feel very sleepy during the day or feel that your quality of life is decreasing and sleep plays a role in this, talk to your doctor.



By the way, always discuss your sleep with your doctor. Sleep is health. Sleep is life.

Get to know the six types of sleep disorders

Starting with the blue light emitted by electronic devices, luminosity is considered one of the great villains of sleeping well. But did you know that there is a way to have it as an ally of your night&#8217;s sleep? And, most importantly, what is the best light for the bedroom?&nbsp;



<h2>Bedroom light: the difference is in color and efficiency</h2>



It is important to note that we are talking about light itself and not about decoration. This is a personal option, according to taste, style, and needs.



But lighting isn’t personal, because there is a kind of bedroom light that induces sleep (or at least doesn&#8217;t disturb it) and a kind that disrupts sleep. And no one will consciously choose the latter.



The decision must be made considering two criteria: color and energy efficiency.



Color: White lights allow you to see better, but they are also stimulating, and therefore bad for environments that need to convey comfort, such as the bedroom. Yellow light bulbs create a cozy, relaxing and peaceful atmosphere, which is perfect for resting. Along the way, we can still find neutral lights, which allow having a more real perception of the colors of objects.



‘In the nocturnal environment, the intensity of light needs to be lower and the color temperature in household projects has to approach the tone of fire flame to help reduce the rhythm and rest’, says Antonio Carlos Mingrone, owner of an architecture office specializing in light design, in an interview with Casa Vogue magazine.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" width="1024" height="559" src="https://wordpress.persono.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/temperature-light-1024x559.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-4050" srcset="https://wordpress.persono.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/temperature-light-1024x559.jpg 1024w, https://wordpress.persono.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/temperature-light-300x164.jpg 300w, https://wordpress.persono.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/temperature-light-768x419.jpg 768w, https://wordpress.persono.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/temperature-light.jpg 1100w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Energy Efficiency: Contrary to popular belief, color does not affect the energy consumption of a light bulb. That is, yellow light does not use more energy than white light just because it is yellow. It doesn&#8217;t ‘light up better’ either. All of this is defined by power. And in this regard, LED bulbs are the champions.



In short: the best light for the bedroom is yellow LED bulbs, because it is the least violent to our circadian rhythm and the friendliest to the energy bill.



<h2>Modern light fixtures or vintage table lamps? Yes to all!</h2>



Choosing the best light for the bedroom also involves choosing the best light sources. And in this case, modern light fixtures are the right choice, especially for those who like to read before bed, a habit that is part of many people&#8217;s sleep hygiene.



But by emitting a weaker, diffused light, vintage table lamps illuminate the bedroom enough for you to see the words without having to strain your eyes and without disturbing the beginning of sleep.&nbsp;



Conversely, leaving all the lights on until late will inevitably impair the production of melatonin by the pineal gland. That is, instead of reading help you relax and sleep, it will end up being harmful.



This diffused light is also useful, for example, for you to get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom without having to turn all the lights on or, worse, use your cell phone to do so.



<h2>Light therapy for people with insomnia</h2>



Rather than not to harm bedtime light can sometimes be an ally to treat sleep disorders related to the circadian rhythm, including cases of insomnia. This is called light therapy.



Also known as phototherapy, it involves using exposure to controlled light to help gradually change the sleep patterns of a person with extreme chronotypes. For this, an artificial light box that simulates sun exposure, but without the damage caused by UV rays, is used.&nbsp;



This exposure occurs in shifts that typically range from 30 to 90 minutes. The time, on the other hand, depends on the sleep characteristics, symptoms, and lifestyle of each person, but usually occurs in the morning. If available, sunlight can be used instead of the box, provided it is done with appropriate protection.



Light therapy is not recommended for people with cataracts or other vision problems – who have a medical or medicinal sensitivity to light – or whose insomnia is unrelated to the circadian rhythm (for example, those who have difficulty getting sustained sleep).&nbsp;



On the other hand, phototherapy has also shown results in treating some cases of depression and even Alzheimer&#8217;s.



Clarity is essential for a quality sleep; after all, its absence triggers the production of melatonin.&nbsp;



Just know how to choose the light for the bedroom and use it appropriately. This applies even to those who do not have sleep disorders. Want to wake up better? Let the light in! Want to sleep better? Do this too (except at night).

What is the best light for the bedroom?

From time to time, an image with many sleeping positions, from the most common to the most bizarre, goes viral on Twitter. People will comment how they sleep. It’s an image like this <a href="https://twitter.com/SanphuSA/status/1227151602840199168" data-type="URL" data-id="https://twitter.com/SanphuSA/status/1227151602840199168" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">one</a>.



But how about you? Which sleeping position is your favorite? And do you know which one is the best to ensure you sleep well and for your health?



<h2>After all, what is the best sleeping position?</h2>



The best sleeping position is the one that grants you the best sleep.&nbsp;



Just like the ideal shower temperature or the amount of ground coffee for a good cup, your sleeping position is a matter of personal preference.



All postures in bed have pros and cons that can change through life, depending on moments or health conditions.&nbsp;



For instance, did you know that pregnant women are not recommended to sleep on their back? You will soon understand why.



<h2>Pros and cons of sleeping positions</h2>



As happens with mattress hardness, the choice of sleeping position should consider your personal results. Waking up with back pain or a ‘locked up’ neck is a sign that something is wrong and that you need to make some adjustments.&nbsp;



This ‘something wrong’ could be, for example, your pillow. Rather than limiting the choice to a ‘too soft’ or ‘hard as stone’ one, your pillow must have the height to provide adequate support for your neck and for your sleeping position.



Yes, each position has a more suitable type of pillow. Softness is up to you. 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" width="1024" height="640" src="https://wordpress.persono.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/sleeping-position-1024x640.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-4028" srcset="https://wordpress.persono.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/sleeping-position-1024x640.jpg 1024w, https://wordpress.persono.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/sleeping-position-300x188.jpg 300w, https://wordpress.persono.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/sleeping-position-768x480.jpg 768w, https://wordpress.persono.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/sleeping-position-1536x960.jpg 1536w, https://wordpress.persono.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/sleeping-position-2048x1280.jpg 2048w, https://wordpress.persono.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/sleeping-position-1200x750.jpg 1200w, https://wordpress.persono.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/sleeping-position-1980x1238.jpg 1980w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h3>Sleeping in the supine position</h3>



The supine position is the popular ‘belly up’, with the back and the posterior part of the legs supported on the mattress. Many doctors consider it one of the best sleeping positions exactly because of this support.



When you lie down with your back on the mattress, <a href="https://health.clevelandclinic.org/back-side-stomach-sleep-position-best/" data-type="URL" data-id="https://health.clevelandclinic.org/back-side-stomach-sleep-position-best/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gravity</a> plays the role of keeping the body centered on the spinal column, which is less pressured and does not experience major contortions during the night.&nbsp;



The skin also benefits from this position, as it prevents the face from rubbing against the pillowcase, making skincare products be absorbed by the fabric.&nbsp;&nbsp;



The contraindication of sleeping on your back is for people with lower back pain or who suffer from obstructive sleep apnea, which can <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10445529/" data-type="URL" data-id="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10445529/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">intensify</a> when you fall asleep like this. For this same reason, pregnant women should also avoid the supine position: it is associated with more oxygen <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32118576/" data-type="URL" data-id="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32118576/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">desaturation events</a>.



<h3>3 tips for sleeping in the supine position</h3>



1. Look up. Avoid turning your head to the side when choosing this sleeping position. This strains the neck and can cause pain.



2. Pillows should support the neck and head well, avoiding uncomfortable positions.



3. Fill in the blanks. Do not hesitate to place a small cushion or pillow under your knees, lower back and other empty spaces between your body and the mattress. Comfort makes all the difference.



<h3>Sleeping on your stomach</h3>



The pronated, prone, or ‘belly down’ sleeping position. Whatever name you use, we&#8217;re talking about the same thing.



It is estimated that only <a href="https://purple.com/best-sleeping-position" data-type="URL" data-id="https://purple.com/best-sleeping-position" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">17% of the population</a> falls asleep this way, and doctors are grateful. They recommend most people to avoid this position, as it strains the spine and neck and puts pressure on the joints in these areas.



On the other hand, sleeping on your stomach can <a href="https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320870#best-positions" data-type="URL" data-id="https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320870#best-positions" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">benefit</a> people with a herniated disc or degenerative disc disease. This position can also reduce snoring and relieve mild sleep apnea symptoms.



Newborns and babies up to one year of age should never be placed belly down in the crib. Sleeping on your stomach speeds up your heart rate and <a href="https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/138/5/e20162940/60296/SIDS-and-Other-Sleep-Related-Infant-Deaths?autologincheck=redirected" data-type="URL" data-id="https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/138/5/e20162940/60296/SIDS-and-Other-Sleep-Related-Infant-Deaths?autologincheck=redirected" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">increases the risk</a> of sudden death in children. 85% of cases happen when the child is in this position.



<h3>3 tips to sleep better on your stomach</h3>



1. Choose a thin pillow. It prevents you from increasing pressure and strain on your neck and shoulders.



2. Support is everything. To reduce spinal tension, the suggestion is to place a thin pillow below the abdomen and waist.



3. Legs down. The contortion of the waist and lower back needed for you to have one of your legs tucked in can cause pain on the next day.



<h2>And can you sleep on your side?</h2>



You can, especially if it&#8217;s on the left side.&nbsp;



Sleeping on your side, with your legs stretched out and supported on the left side of the body, is excellent for people with gastric problems, as it reduces the incidence of heartburn and reflux. This is because the stomach and intestines face left, making it easier for food to pass through them thanks to gravity.



The left side is also good for your heart because it prevents aortic artery blockage.



Like pronated sleep, lateral sleep can also potentially reduce snoring and some signs of apnea.



However, sleeping on your side (and in this case either side) can strain the shoulders and cause <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/tight-jaw" data-type="URL" data-id="https://www.healthline.com/health/tight-jaw" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pain in the jaw</a> with ramifications throughout the head, in addition to ‘numbing’ the arm and potentially increasing wrinkles on the face.



<h3>3 tips to sleep well on your side</h3>



1. If you can, choose the left side. The health benefits of supporting the body on the left side at night are clear.



2. Neck pillows. Choose taller models, which support the head without the neck hanging to the side.



3. And for the legs, place a small, thin pillow between your legs to increase comfort. If you want, supporting the column is also suggested.&nbsp;



<h3>Sleep in fetal position</h3>



Are you one of those people who sleep ‘shrunken’, looking like a gift package? That is called the fetal position.



It is highly recommended for people with a herniated disc because the sideways-and-tucked-in position reduces spinal sprain and relieves joint pain.&nbsp;



This adds to the same benefits of sleeping on your side. You just have to be careful not to ‘over-squeeze’ your body, which would end up straining your muscles too much. Instead of an energetic morning, you will have to deal with body aches.



<h2>3 tips for sleeping well in the fetal position</h2>



1. Relax. Shrinking your legs relieves pressure on your spine, but it can strain your body more than necessary.



2. On the left side, preferably. All the benefits of sleeping supported on the left side also apply to those who choose the fetal sleeping position.



3. Don&#8217;t forget the neck. Look for a pillow that allows your head to be supported without it being tilted, which happens with very low pillows.



How do you know if you sleep in the right position?



Waking up feeling well, refreshed, and invigorated is a sign that the sleeping position you have chosen is the most appropriate.&nbsp;



Just make sure you are aware of the risks it can bring to your health and, if necessary, gradually adjust your posture.&nbsp;



For example, if you have been waking up with a lot of back pain, sleeping on your stomach is not recommended. But starting to sleep on your side is not a simple process. Start by placing pillows on both sides of your body, to simulate the security that the belly supported on the mattress provides.



If you are in doubt, talk to a healthcare professional. It could be a family doctor, an orthopedist, or a physical therapist. All of them can help you choose your best sleeping position.



Good night and, above all, good morning without body aches.

Know the best sleeping position

A quick check on Google shows more than 230 million results for searches on the ideal amount of time we should sleep. Considering this and popular culture, we… go nowhere, because we’ll get many different answers. But then… how many hours should we sleep?



If you clicked on this post expecting an exact number that came out of a complex magical formula, you may think you didn’t find what you were looking for. But everything can be explained, even why there shouldn’t be an exact answer for “how many hours should we sleep?”.



Let’s explain.



<h2>How many hours should we sleep daily?</h2>



The amount of sleep a person needs depends on several factors, including age, genetics, health conditions, sports practice, medication intake and accumulated tiredness, among many other variables.



On average, an adult person needs between 7 and 9 hours of sleep a day. Here, adult means aged between 18 and 64.



This <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29073412/" data-type="URL" data-id="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29073412/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">conclusion</a> comes from the US National Sleep Foundation, who gathered specialists from different fields to analyze the existing literature on sleeping time.



The study divided recommendations on sleep time in nine age groups, from birth until old age. On the table below you’ll find the recommended sleep time for each group. The table also includes acceptable sleep time and non-ideal sleep time, but this can vary depending on each person.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" width="1024" height="975" src="https://wordpress.persono.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/hours-should-we-sleep-1024x975.jpg" alt="Recommended hours of sleep by age group and acceptable hours of sleep by age group according to the National Sleep Foundation" class="wp-image-4008" srcset="https://wordpress.persono.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/hours-should-we-sleep-1024x975.jpg 1024w, https://wordpress.persono.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/hours-should-we-sleep-300x286.jpg 300w, https://wordpress.persono.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/hours-should-we-sleep-768x732.jpg 768w, https://wordpress.persono.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/hours-should-we-sleep-1536x1463.jpg 1536w, https://wordpress.persono.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/hours-should-we-sleep-2048x1951.jpg 2048w, https://wordpress.persono.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/hours-should-we-sleep-1200x1143.jpg 1200w, https://wordpress.persono.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/hours-should-we-sleep-1980x1886.jpg 1980w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Note that these numbers can vary from person to person, as <a href="https://www.einstein.br/especialidades/medicina-do-sono/sono-normal" data-type="URL" data-id="https://www.einstein.br/especialidades/medicina-do-sono/sono-normal">there are</a> the so-called “long sleepers” and “short sleepers”, who have different sleep hour needs.



<h2>The ‘lie’ of advising to sleep 8 hours a day</h2>



Lie is too strong a word but using 8 hours of sleep as the universal standard is a distorted view of reality.



From the age of 14, sleeping 8 hours a night can be considered within the acceptable standard, but while this is the minimum limit for younger people, it is the maximum recommended for older people.



Knowing how many hours we should sleep is an individual matter, and it is not the only quality standard for bedtime. Sleep regularity is just as important as quantity. Other parameters of a good night are:



<ul><li>Sleep latency – It doesn&#8217;t take you more than half an hour to fall asleep;</li><li>Night awakenings – You wake up at most once a night;</li><li>Quick return to sleep – When you wake up in the middle of the night, you go back to sleep within 20 minutes;</li><li>Efficiency – You spend 85% of your time in bed sleeping.</li></ul>



But knowing all this is impossible. For example, how many times you wake up in the middle of the night. Often, it&#8217;s just micro-awakenings that get in the way of sleep phases, but they are too short to be remembered. This, for example, is what happens to patients with sleep apnea.



Additionally, there is no way to measure sleep latency without using technology. After all, there is a transition between being awake and sleeping, when we do not know for sure if we are here or there.



For this, there are <a href="https://persono.com/" data-type="URL" data-id="https://persono.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">devices that monitor sleep</a> and show you this (and other) data in apps or websites. Some of these ‘sleep trackers’ have the same result accuracy as medically valid exams.



Persono&#8217;s technology, for example, has been tested and is recommended by Team Brasil and COB, the Brazilian Olympic Committee. Do we need to say more?



To learn more about our pillow with Persono technology, visit the website: https://www.persono.com/



<h2>How much sleep does a person need?</h2>



The table of recommended sleep time is just a guide that helps you understand the quality of sleep, which is why the times are shown in periods, some of them rather wide.



To understand how much sleep you need, you should consider factors such as health, stress levels, and even current sleep patterns. A sudden change in patterns, even with the same number of hours, can completely change the way a person wakes up.



You can only assess sleep quality accurately with a polysomnography, but by answering a few questions you can get a very clear idea of ​​whether you are getting enough sleep.



<ul><li>Do you feel good and energetic when you wake up with the time you currently sleep?</li><li>Do you have a chronic illness or temporary health condition that could change your sleep patterns?</li><li>What medications are you taking?</li><li>Are you able to perform your activities, including intense work and physical exercise, with enough energy?</li><li>Do you rely on caffeine or other energy substances to get you through the day?</li><li>Do you have a regular routine?</li><li>Are there any sleep problems in your medical history?</li></ul>



Once you have answered these questions, you will be able to identify and adjust your sleep time. Good night!

The pressing question: how many hours to sleep?

The discussion around a good night’s sleep generally focuses on how many hours we should spend in bed every day, but this is not the only criteria we should consider. The quality and continuity of sleep phases are as important as the number of hours a person sleeps.



As our body goes through a cycle that lasts around 24 hours every day, the circadian rhythm, our sleep is also divided in cycles that are repeated through the night.



Sleep cycles are divided in different stages (or phases) with specific functions. In short: the sleep phases make up a cycle; the repetition of this cycle makes up the act of sleeping; and the act of sleeping is part of our great circadian cycle.



<h2>What are sleep cycles</h2>



Sleep is divided in four phases that, together, make up a sleep cycle.



Throughout the night, the body repeats this cycle <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK526132/" data-type="URL" data-id="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK526132/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">four to six</a> times, each lasting around 90 minutes. This is why, ideally, you should sleep for around six to nine hours.



These cycles <a href="https://www.sleepline.com/stages/" data-type="URL" data-id="https://www.sleepline.com/stages/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">are not identical</a>. During the night, sleep phases get shorter or longer, and may even not appear in certain cycles. An example of this is the REM phase. In a ‘normal’ sleep, this phase only appears after sleeping for one hour and a half, which can happen on the night’s second cycle.



But the duration of each sleep cycle can also be influenced by outer factors: time, temperature, noise, light and feeding. Caffeine, for example, may diminish non-REM sleep duration, leading to dramatic consequences in the next day.



<h3>Understanding sleep phases</h3>



Now, you’ll get to know all sleep phases, what happens in your body and brain during each phase, and how long they last.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" width="1024" height="512" src="https://wordpress.persono.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/SLEEP-PHASES-GRAPHIC-1024x512.png" alt="" class="wp-image-3930" srcset="https://wordpress.persono.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/SLEEP-PHASES-GRAPHIC-1024x512.png 1024w, https://wordpress.persono.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/SLEEP-PHASES-GRAPHIC-300x150.png 300w, https://wordpress.persono.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/SLEEP-PHASES-GRAPHIC-768x384.png 768w, https://wordpress.persono.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/SLEEP-PHASES-GRAPHIC-1536x767.png 1536w, https://wordpress.persono.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/SLEEP-PHASES-GRAPHIC-2048x1023.png 2048w, https://wordpress.persono.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/SLEEP-PHASES-GRAPHIC-1200x599.png 1200w, https://wordpress.persono.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/SLEEP-PHASES-GRAPHIC-1980x989.png 1980w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h4>Phase 1: Non-REM N1</h4>



Average duration: between 1 and 5 minutes, accounting for around 5% of the sleep cycle.



Being the first phase in the sleep cycle, Phase 1 is the shorter of them all. Since the brain is still in between being awake and asleep, it is the phase in which we are more prone to waking up.



Since it represents a transition moment and the body is still not fully relaxed, we are still conscious about what’s going on around us, and sometimes we don’t even realize we are starting to sleep.



Some physical characteristics of Phase 1 are:



&#8211; Breathing slows down



&#8211; Arterial blood pressure drops



&#8211; Heartbeat becomes constant



&#8211; Body temperature decreases



&#8211; Alpha and theta brainwaves are produced



&#8211; Muscles relax



&#8211; <a href="https://www.ninds.nih.gov/health-information/patient-caregiver-education/brain-basics-understanding-sleep" data-type="URL" data-id="https://www.ninds.nih.gov/health-information/patient-caregiver-education/brain-basics-understanding-sleep" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Muscles may contract</a>



People sleeping in a more regular way tend to spend less time in Phase 1 during the latter night cycles.



<h4>Phase 2: Non-REM N2</h4>



Average duration: Around 25 minutes in the first cycle, and increasing in the remaining cycles. It can reach up to 50% of the total sleep duration.



As happens with the previous phase, Phase 2 is considered a light kind of sleep that starts preparing the body for the deeper sleep stages. It is much harder to wake up a person during Phase 2 than during Phase 1, since the person is less receptive to external stimuli.



During the second sleep phase:



&#8211; muscles are relaxed



&#8211; the heart and breathing become even slower



&#8211; the body’s metabolic processes slow down



&#8211; the brain produces high-frequency wave shots called sleep spindles.



Phase 3: Non-REM N3 or deep sleep



Average duration: Between 20 and 40 minutes in the first cycles, decreasing in the final cycles.



Now we are at the deep sleep stage, when it’s even harder to wake up. By the way, it is not recommended to wake someone up during Phase 3, since this may cause what’s called sleep inertia, that feeling of disorientation that many people experience when they wake up.



Cognitive tests performed in people woken up during N3 show that they had damaged brain activity for up to an hour.



Phase 3 can also be called Delta Sleep or Slow Wave Sleep, both referring to the type of waves emitted by the brain during this stage.



Among the many functions and benefits of Deep Sleep, we can find:



&#8211; Muscle and brain restoration



&#8211; Real brain and mind rest and relaxation



&#8211; Restoration and reconstruction of tissues, bones and muscles



&#8211; Immunity strengthening



&#8211; <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21377416/" data-type="URL" data-id="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21377416/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Creativity development</a>



&#8211; Memory processing



&#8211; Release of GH, the growth hormone



Alcohol consumption, stress, sleep apnea and diseases such as fibromyalgia may hamper or even prevent a person to reach the deeper sleep phases.



Phase 4: REM sleep



Average duration: Unlike other sleep phases, that become shorter as the night goes by, REM sleep lasts more. During the first cycle, it lasts for around 10 minutes, and it can last up <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6024010/" data-type="URL" data-id="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6024010/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">to an hour</a> as sleep progresses.



The last phase of the cycle is the REM sleep – REM meaning Rapid Eye Movement, exactly what happens. During this phase, the body goes through what we call atony, a kind of temporary muscle shutdown. Only eyes and breathing muscles remain active.



Some characteristics of REM sleep are:



&#8211; Increase in brain activity, which was slowly diminishing its pace during the earlier sleep phases



&#8211; More vivid dreams, related to said increase in brain activity



&#8211; More erratic and irregular breathing



At the end of the REM sleep, a new cycle begins, but not necessarily at Phase 1. It is perfectly normal to start it from Phase 2, jumping the first ‘half awake, half asleep’ stage. Even better, or we would be waking up more times during the night.



Good night, and good sleep.

Get to know the four sleep phases

Feeling hungry when it’s time to have lunch or dinner, the drowsiness that comes at night or the level of predisposition you have during the morning or the afternoon. You may think all this is a matter of ‘practice’ or a habit that you developed throughout your life and according to social norms. But it is not quite like that. All of it is defined by your circadian rhythm.



Circadian rhythm, as its name tells, means ‘around 24 hours,’ which means that it can be slightly longer than one day. In one of the most known studies in the field, Professor Nathaniel Kleitman, from the University of Chicago, and his assistant, Bruce Richardson, isolated themselves in a dark cave for more than a month and noted that our circadian rhythm may actually last up to 28 hours per cycle.



<h2>1. What is circadian rhythm?</h2>



Circadian rhythm are physical, mental and behavioral changes that happen in a cycle of about 24 hours. These <a href="https://www.nigms.nih.gov/education/fact-sheets/Pages/circadian-rhythms.aspx" data-type="URL" data-id="https://www.nigms.nih.gov/education/fact-sheets/Pages/circadian-rhythms.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">changes</a> are greatly affected by natural light and darkness, and affect most living beings, from humans to microbes, and even plants.



Also called circadian cycle, it is part of what is commonly called biological clock. In other words, it is the automatic control of our body’s actions that varies according to daytime or nighttime. This way, we don’t need to worry about “remembering” to sleep or secret hormones, for example.



The mechanics of the circadian rhythm is individual and particular of each person: nobody’s works the same, not even identical twins. This is why, for example, some people are more productive in the morning and others at night – it’s natural of each person. In this specific case, this ‘tendency’ is regulated by the chronotype – more on that later.



<h2>2. What’s the function of the circadian rhythm?</h2>



Sleep regulation is the most important and known function of the circadian rhythm, but it is also responsible for regulating hormonal functions, our feeding, and a wide range of other activities of the human organism.



Some of those activities include the way to react to energy consumption throughout the day, arterial blood pressure and fat storage.



<h2>3. How does the circadian rhythm work?</h2>



The main trigger for the circadian rhythm is light (and the lack thereof). It’s not strange, then, that blind people tend to have problems in their biological clocks, since they do not perceive light signals through their eyes.



What’s more, until not long ago, the mechanics of the circadian rhythm was still a scientific mystery. The discovery of details on how it acts by American geneticists Jeffery C. Hall, Michael Rosbash and Michael W. Young was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine and Psychology in <a href="https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/medicine/2017/advanced-information/" data-type="URL" data-id="https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/medicine/2017/advanced-information/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">2017</a>. Hall and Rosbash are also chronobiologists.



Working together, the trio identified a gene that is responsible for decoding a protein that is accumulated during the night and, later, is degraded during the day. They identified additional protein components of this system, which has a self-maintenance mechanism.



<h2>4. Which factors affect circadian rhythm?</h2>



Light is one of the biggest influence factors of our circadian rhythm because it is the trigger for producing melatonin, whose production peak happens between 2 and 4 a.m. Exposure to artificial light during the night hinders its secretion, leading to a deregulation in the circadian rhythm.



Besides light, other factors affect its functioning, such as body temperature, study and work times, physical activities and the times you practice them, what you eat, and your age (this is why, for instance, teenagers are more nocturnal: at this age, there is a delay in the melatonin curve).



<h2>5. Is it possible to change a person’s circadian rhythm?</h2>



Naturally, through life, the circadian rhythm undergoes alterations. Age itself makes it variate. But, for different reasons, people might need to change their sleep cycle and wake up – whether due to changing a lifestyle, having a new job, moving to a place in a different time zone or other reasons.



For these changes to be permanent, it is necessary to work in the long run. For instance, taking sleeping medicine at night and having a high caffeine dose in the morning may help at the beginning and in given moments, but they do not represent an effective change.



If you want (or need) to change your sleep routine, some techniques that actually work are light therapy, adjusting food and sport practice times, diminishing stimulant consumption, and maintaining a regular waking up time. Little by little, adaptation happens.



<h2>6. How does the circadian rhythm affect sleep?</h2>



Despite involving other body processes, the majority of references to circadian rhythm ends up related to sleep. That happens because it is a 24-hour cycle regulated by the presence and absence of light, which keeps us alert during the day and resting at night.



Besides the circadian rhythm, there are other biological rhythms:



&#8211; Ultradian rhythms (cycles of less than 20 hours that repeat several times during the day, such as the respiratory cycle)



&#8211; Infradian rhythms (which last more than 28 hours, such as the menstrual cycle)



<h2>7. Are circadian rhythm and chronotype the same?</h2>



Even though they are closely related, circadian rhythm and chronotype are not synonyms.



Simply put: chronotype is the synchronization of circadian rhythms, which, as its name suggests, occurs every 24 hours (circa: close to; diano: one day).



<h2>8. What happens if the circadian rhythm is deregulated?</h2>



A deregulated circadian rhythm causes bad sleep, and sleeping badly has deep impacts in a person’s physical, mental, emotional, and even financial health. These effects include more difficulty in making decisions and an increased risk of hypertension, stroke and heart attacks, among others.



Even when a person continues sleeping more or less the same number of hours and there is an external impression that everything remains the same, the deregulation of the circadian cycle makes sleep become fragmented, which prevents reaching the deeper sleep phases (N3 and REM). It’s as if, instead of really sleeping, you spent the whole night nodding off, without actually resting.



There is evidence that suggests that frequently ignoring your circadian rhythm <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41380-021-01157-3" data-type="URL" data-id="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41380-021-01157-3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">increases the risk</a> of suffering from depression.



<h2>9. How can I take care of my circadian cycle?</h2>



Most sleeping tips are also tips to keep a stable circadian cycle. Here are some of them:



&#8211; Keep a regular sleep schedule, aiming to go to bed and wake up at similar hours whenever possible. Creating a pre-sleep routine or practicing sleep hygiene can help in achieving this regularity.



&#8211; Be exposed to natural light during the morning and avoid artificial light at night. Natural light helps regulate your body’s natural cycles, while artificial light is one of the biggest enemies of sleep.



&#8211; Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and heavy foods at night. Coffee is a stimulant that can be in effect up to seven hours after its consumption. On the other hand, alcohol is a sedative: it gives the impression of sleepiness, but it’s just sedation. Heavy (rich in fat, spicy, seasoned) foods have a slow digestion, making nocturnal rest difficult.



&#8211; Avoid long or late naps. The ‘perfect nap’ lasts between 15 and 30 minutes and happens, at most, during the middle of the afternoon.



<h2>10. What sleep disturbances can circadian rhythm produce?</h2>



There is an entire category of sleep disturbances related to problems in the circadian rhythm – that is, the lack of alignment between effective sleep time and the time a person should be sleeping depending on their natural tendencies. They are:



<ul><li>Late sleep phase</li><li>Early sleep phase</li><li>Mal-adaptation to Shift Work Syndrome</li><li>Rapid change of time zone syndrome (jetlag)</li><li>Disorder in non-24h sleep-wakefulness cycle</li></ul>



Do you have any doubt on how the circadian cycle works? Comment on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/persono.us/" data-type="URL" data-id="https://www.instagram.com/persono.us/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Persono’s social media</a> and we’ll help you out. Good night!

10 questions and answers about circadian rhythm

Melatonin. Have you already said thanks for it?



Thanks to melatonin you sleep when it is dark and you can get a wide variety of benefits that only happen thanks to a good night’s sleep, ranging from muscle and emotional restoration to memory fixation.



You surely have heard a lot about melatonin. It is impossible to open a post or article about sleep and not find out about the ‘sleep hormone.’



If you still have doubts about it, it is time to find answers.



<h2>1. What is melatonin?</h2>



Melatonin is a natural hormone secreted by the pineal gland, a small endocrine gland located in the brain of vertebrates.



Popularly known as the ‘sleep hormone’, the production of melatonin is triggered by darkness. That is why we naturally feel sleepy at night and wake up in the morning, when light interrupts the activity of the pineal gland.



This process explains why this hormone essential in regulating the circadian rhythm and, consequently, in the sleep cycle.



Melatonin can also be produced synthetically in laboratories. More on that below.



<h2>2. Is melatonin sale forbidden in Brazil?</h2>



Not anymore. In 2017, the justice allowed the importation of melatonin as a pharmaceutical supply in Brazil. Since then, it can be sold in compounding pharmacies under medical prescription.



In 2021, ANVISA also freed the use of melatonin for formulating food supplements. According to the entity, these supplements must be destined exclusively for people aged 19 and older, and its maximum daily dose is 0.21 mg.



Despite the surprise and dissent on releasing melatonin as a ‘food supplement,’ exogenous melatonin can already be purchased throughout Brazil without medical prescription.



<h2>3. Is melatonin harmful?</h2>



Despite being produced by the body, an exaggerated consumption of exogenous melatonin (the kind produced in laboratories) can be harmful.



In excessive doses, the hormone may have the opposite effect as desired because of an important disruption of the circadian rhythm, which becomes ‘confused.’ The result is notable daytime drowsiness, lack of sleep at night and the presence of nightmares and/or vivid dreams.



Other effects of overconsumption are nausea, dizziness, irritability, anxiety, bowel disorders and joint pains, among others. And yes, in theory, you can have a melatonin overdose.



Do not use melatonin or any other drug without medical prescription.



<h2>4. Can melatonin lead to addiction?</h2>



Technically, melatonin does not lead to addiction, since there are no studies proving the presence of addictive proprieties. This does not mean that it is harmless.



An excessive intake of the exogenous hormone can make its natural production drop, creating dependence, which is different from addiction. See also item 3 in this post.



<h2>5. What is the ideal dose of melatonin?</h2>



The medical community has no consensus on the ideal dose for the general population. The quantity for each patient must be determined individually by the treating doctor.



&nbsp;If you are taking melatonin and still have difficulties sleeping or are feeling drowsy during the day, contact your doctor. It may be a signal of a too low or too high dose.



<h2>6. Can children take melatonin?</h2>



The Boston Children&#8217;s Hospital explains that, ‘in general, melatonin seems to have relatively few side effects in children, most of them minor, such as increased bedwetting, nightmares, and morning grogginess.’



However, the Hospital also explains that the hormone can only be administered in children aged three and older and after medical research to identify if the difficulties in sleeping are situational or if they appear due to other sleep disturbances, such as apnea or restless leg syndrome.



For children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders, the use of this hormone can be especially beneficial.



Yet again, we recommend never taking or giving your child any drug or supplement without medical prescription.



<h2>7. Besides regulating sleep, what else does melatonin do?</h2>



Besides regulating the circadian rhythm, melatonin acts in different body parts.



According with IIMEL – Instituto Internacional de la Melatonina, linked to the University of Granada, Spain, extra-pineal melatonin (the kind produced outside of the pineal gland) has anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative properties, working as a cytoprotector to maintain cell health.



<h2>8. Is it true that melatonin prevents Coronavirus?</h2>



Melatonin does not prevent a person from testing positive for sars-cov-2, or Covid-19, but it acts as a kind of barrier that prevents pulmonary cells from being infected by the virus and, consequently, activates the immunological system. The virus keeps circulating in the respiratory tract for some days and, with time, it disappears without causing the disease (asymptomatic).



However, Regina Pekelmann Markus, a teacher at the Instituto de Biociências at USP who led the study that came to these findings, highlights two important alerts. First, the infected person, even when asymptomatic, keeps breathing out polluted air that may infect those around him/her. It is essential that everybody keeps using facemasks and maintain social distance.



Additionally, the hormones in this study ‘have nothing to do with melatonin for sleep, that people can take,’ but with melatonin produced in the lungs.



Nasal administration of melatonin, either in drops or spray, was considered in the research, but not studied yet. Thus, there is no study that let us say that taking melatonin helps prevent Coronavirus. Don’t go running to the store.



If you have any doubt about melatonin, ask us on Persono’s Instagram for us to answer there and update this post for everyone to read.

8 questions about melatonin that you did not know who to ask

The traditional Michaelis dictionary defines hygiene as ‘care for body grooming’, but also highlights its medical explanation: ‘area that studies diverse means for conserving and promoting health.’ When we talk about sleep hygiene, both meanings fit together well.



Sleep hygiene is a group of techniques to apply before sleeping, or even during the day, that aim at having a healthier sleep.



In short, it is a process that ‘shows’ the body when it is time to sleep, a series of conscious actions that help the body achieve a healthier rest.



<h2>Why practice sleep hygiene?</h2>



The human body has superpowers fit for the strongest comic heroes. But in order to ‘save the world’ (or yourself, in this case), it needs to recharge energies, and that happens when we sleep.



At night, and among other activities, our metabolisms process learnings and emotions lived throughout the day, and it calms our sympathetic nervous system, which grants providing adequate responses to emergency or stressful situations. Out of all the alert systems in our bodies, this is the one that uses more energy.



Hygiene also has an essential function in accompanying and treating diseases whose symptoms or consequences include low sleep quality. Such is the case of fibromyalgia, a rheumatological chronic disease that causes pain sensitivity and diffuse pain in several areas of the body. People suffering from these diseases do not have a good rest, so taking care of their sleep also has positive impacts on these other symptoms.



But sleep hygiene is for everybody, and this explains why it has been a target of the corporate world. In his book ‘Why we sleep’ (Simon &amp; Schuster), Matthew Walker, neuroscience and psychology teacher at the University of California, tells us how companies have increasingly been worrying about their employers’ good rest. Companies such as Procter &amp; Gamble and the Goldman Sachs Group even offer free courses on sleep hygiene for their teams.



<h2>How to practice sleep hygiene</h2>



In theory, the basic concept of sleep hygiene works for everybody. After all, it is about creating a healthy environment to sleep and habits to enhance that process.



But as sleep is personal, so is the ideal hygiene. Consequently, it is important to test and learn the techniques that work best for you. Maybe some of them are not included in this post, since sleeping is such a peculiar thing. Each of us should create our own routine according to what makes us feel more comfortable.



<h3>See 10 tips below:</h3>



1. Have a set time to sleep and wake up. To create a habit, you must be disciplined. So, you must aim at sleeping and waking up at the same time, even on holidays and weekends. In the short term, your body will get used with the routine.



2. Create a relaxing sleep routine. Its objective is to help your body relax and send it the signal that sleep time is coming. This moment may include anything that may help you disconnect from the day: a warm bath, a calming tea or reading a book.



3. Unplug from electronic devices. The blue light emitted by electronic devices hinders the production of melatonin, the sleep hormone. If, for whatever reason, you need to keep the mobile around, activate the blue light filter some hours before going to sleep.



4. Do physical activity regularly. Exercising improves sleep quality, especially when performed outside, since natural light helps regulating the circadian cycle.



5. Limit caffeine intake. Caffeine effects may last for more than six hours in your body, even if you don’t feel it so actively. You should avoid taking caffeinated beverages, such as coffee, black tea and energy drinks, after lunchtime.



6. Have a bedroom that works for you. A dark, silent room with moderate temperature helps falling asleep and improves rest quality.



7. The bed is for sleeping and sex, not for working. It’s important to ‘teach’ the brain to associate bed with rest, and not with other activities such as studying. Dr. Raj Dasgupta, certified sleep doctor and member of the University of South California, says that sex is not included in those “other prohibited” activities.



8. Go to sleep only when you are sleepy, for the same reasons stated on the previous point. Rolling in bed from one side to the other will only cause frustration and anxiety associated with the bed. If you cannot fall asleep within 20 minutes, get up, go to a different room and return only when it’s the right moment.



9. Limit nap time to 30 minutes most. Sleeping a lot during the day hinders the normal rhythm of nighttime sleep.



10. Free yourself from the daily stress before going to bed. Of all the sleep hygiene tips, this may be among the most important ones. To get rid of the anguish that turns sleeping into a tense experience, you could keep a sleeping diary to write your worries, which helps you getting them out of your head. Other options are making a list of things to do on the next day, and meditation and relaxation exercises.



Important: incorporate sleep hygiene changes to your routine little by little. Find out what works for you, which is not necessarily what works for your partner or friends. Be patient: it takes time to create habits.



Diminishing sleep latency – the time it takes between lying in bed and falling asleep – is the best way to know if your sleep hygiene is working for you. To measure that effectiveness, you can keep a sleep diary or invest in a sleep tracker – a device that monitor your sleep quality.



Our pillow with Persono technology does exactly that: it monitors your sleep and, on the next day, offers a report on how your night was. Besides sleep latency, it also tells you about sleep consistency, how many times you woke up during the night, what time you woke up and more.



One last tip: promote changes to your sleep hygiene little by little in your routine. Find out what works for you, which is not necessarily what works for your partner or friends.



Keep up with the contents from Persono through our Blog and our Instagram.

What is Sleep Hygiene and how to create your own routine to sleep well

Contrary to popular belief, not all people who suffer from insomnia have the same symptoms. As happens with the different classifications for sleep disorders, there are also different classifications and types of insomnia.



In the definition of the International Classification of Sleep Disorders, this characteristic is already evident. ‘(Insomnia is) a repeated difficulty of sleep onset, duration, consolidation or that occurs despite adequate opportunities and circumstances for sleep, resulting in some form of daytime difficulty’.



In other words, insomnia can be related to the onset, number of hours, depth, quality, or a combination of two or more of these factors in a person&#8217;s sleep. Knowing which of them affects each person is essential to define the appropriate treatment for each case.



<h2>Primary Insomnia vs. Secondary Insomnia</h2>



As with hypersomnias, types of insomnia can also be separated into <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3480567/" data-type="URL" data-id="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3480567/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">two major groups</a>: primary insomnia and secondary insomnia.



In other words, insomnia can be a symptom or a disease.&nbsp;



Primary insomnia is a problem in itself, existing ‘on its own’, and its occurrence does not depend on triggering situations to happen. Its cause or causes may have intrinsic or extrinsic factors involved, but they are not related to other disorders.



Secondary insomnia occurs due to a medical illness or disorder, sleep disturbance, or the use of legal or illegal substances. In summary, secondary insomnia actually has a detectable cause, and that cause is related to other factors, either natural or induced, in a person&#8217;s life.



In these cases, treatment should focus on both problems: the sleep difficulty and its origin. If it is the use of any medication, for example, talk to your doctor to discuss the possibility of changing the time you take it.



<h2>Classification of different types of insomnia</h2>



In the specialized literature, we can find different ways of classifying the types of insomnia. This is a way in which sleep researchers and scholars categorize and analyze different forms of the disorder.



The classification presented in this article is based on the one presented in the III Brazilian Consensus on Insomnia, 2013, a document prepared by ABS – Associação Brasileira do Sono, in collaboration with 29 of the country&#8217;s leading sleep specialists.



<h3>Acute Insomnia</h3>



The first type of insomnia is called acute insomnia, whose main characteristic is its short occurrence term. It usually comes and goes in less than a month and has a well-marked trigger, such as the death of a loved one.



Acute insomnia can also be called ‘short-term insomnia’ and is <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16453985/" data-type="URL" data-id="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16453985/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">more common</a> in women than men. 



<h3>Insomnia Associated with Mental Disorders</h3>



As the name implies, this insomnia has the essential characteristic of being caused by or associated with a psychiatric disorder, what means that it is a symptom of this other disease.



Mood and anxiety disorders are most commonly associated with insomnia, but depression and attention deficit disorder can also trigger sleep problems.



<h3>Insomnia Associated with Medical Illnesses</h3>



This is the type of insomnia caused by and/or associated with a particular clinical condition.



Some of the diseases often related to insomnia are asthma, hyperthyroidism, heart failure and chronic pain syndromes (such as fibromyalgia), in addition to pregnancy and menopause.



<h3>Insomnia Associated with Poor Sleep Hygiene</h3>



Sleep hygiene is a set of techniques to apply in order to achieve a healthier sleep. Having inadequate habits that interfere with your bedtime can lead to a form of insomnia.



Among these habits are late consumption of caffeine and alcohol, excessive use of electronic equipment and very exhausting physical and intellectual routines at night.



<h3>Insomnia Associated with Medicine or Substance Use</h3>



This type of insomnia can appear both in people who take medication or consume sleep-depriving foods, and in those who remove substances that used to help them sleep from their routine.



For example, if a person who takes a muscle relaxant before going to bed suddenly withdraws from that medication, they may experience a kind of withdrawal that disrupts sleep.



<h3>Psychophysiological Insomnia</h3>



To be considered psychophysiological, insomnia must be caused by the sum of a hyperalert state and another action that compromises sleep. It&#8217;s what many call ‘ruminating’ when you lie down.



In many cases, this compromising action can have a ‘snowball’ effect. The person goes to bed worried about the damage they will have the next day if they sleep poorly and, because of this anxiety, they effectively end up having a poor quality rest and ‘confirming’ the suspicion that they would have a bad day. It&#8217;s a vicious cycle.



<h3>Paradoxical Insomnia</h3>



The Insomnia Consensus says that ‘the essential feature of this condition is the complaint of insomnia without the presence of daytime impairment, or the impairment being disproportionate to the complaint.’



When a person with paradoxical insomnia undergoes a polysomnography, the result does not show compatibility ‘between the values ​​of sleep onset latency and subjective total sleep time, and the objective values ​​of these parameters.’



<h3>Idiopathic insomnia</h3>



The key feature of idiopathic insomnia is not having a medical cause or condition as the trigger for sleep problems. That is, it is a primary chronic insomnia. Some theories support that this type of insomnia is the result of an underactive sleep system or an overactive awakening system, but its trigger cannot be exactly determined.



<h3>Behavioral insomnia in childhood</h3>



Naturally, this is an insomnia condition that occurs in children. More specifically, in children with a specific behavioral dysfunction, such as a lack of setting limits.&nbsp;



If a child never has a bedtime, it is normal for him or her to think that they do not need to sleep regularly.



Often, the effects of this type of insomnia have a series of daytime repercussions, including for their parents or guardians.



Remember: only a doctor can diagnose an insomnia disorder and determine which type of insomnia a person has. If you have noticed any changes in your sleep patterns or if you feel that your sleep lacks quality, seek for a health professional.