You probably hear it a lot: it's important to sleep well. This is because during our sleep, we recover. When you enter deep REM sleep, your body releases hormones including growth hormones. These hormones help to repair your muscles and tissue. If we sleep poorly, our recovery is less good both physically and mentally and you can notice this during the day for example: concentration problems, fatigue, mood swings and aching muscles.

Sleep stages

When we sleep you are dealing with 4 phases.

• The first and second phases make up your light sleep. In this phase, "wakefulness" turns into sleep.
• In the third stage, you enter the deep sleep phase, where you build up energy for the next day.
• Deep sleep now turns into REM sleep, this is stage 4 and after this you wake up.

It takes an average of 90 to 120 minutes to go through all the phases. After this, the cycle begins again. Adults typically go through 4 to 6 of these cycles per night.

Deep sleep (stage 4)

This phase is the most important for your recovery, also our dreams take place in this phase. This is where we process the information we took in during the day. Deep sleep is your restorative sleep needed to feel good every day.

In deep sleep:

• Are memories and emotions processed

• Does physical recovery take place
• Blood sugar levels and metabolism are balanced
• Is the immune system active and is restored
• Are the brain detoxified

You now know what your sleep stages look like, but how do you ensure optimal sleep?

These tips can support you in doing so:

1. Create an evening routine: watching a Netflix series or scrolling on your mobile before bed is not conducive to your sleep. This has to do with the production of melatonin and the presence of cortisol. These two hormones are important for sleeping and waking up. At the end of the day, melatonin is produced. This is also called our "sleep hormone. The hormone cortisol causes us to wake up and have energy in the morning and decreases during the day. If we have a lot of exposure to (blue) light before bedtime, it can interfere with the production of melatonin. At least 2 hours before bedtime, put away your phone and turn off your TV.

In the evening, do mainly the things that relax you. For example, you can read a book, do short meditation, breathing exercises, writing your thoughts. See mainly what you like as an evening routine and what works for you.

2. Eat more tryptophan-rich foods: tryptophan is a protein which is the precursor to the production of serotonin, and serotonin in turn is the precursor to the production of melatonin. By eating more tryptophan-rich foods, you stimulate the production of melatonin. Examples include: bananas, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, lentils, dark chocolate (80%) and sunflower seeds.

3. Reduce your stress: stress and being constantly on is not great for your sleep. This is because your hormone cortisol is higher, which can lead to a lesser production of melatonin. Say no more often to the things you don't want to do. Plan me-time moments a few times a week and do the things that relax you. Think about walking in nature, getting a massage, reading, writing or meeting up with a friend.

4. Support your body with supplements: there are several supplements you can use to support your sleep. Here it is important that a therapist works with you to see which supplements are best for you. This can be done through a online or telephone advice on supplements.

 

If you would like to know even more about sleep then you can download the free e-book 'sleep'.