Healthy Sleep with our Wellness Services

The best bridge between despair and hope is a good night's sleep. - Matthew Walker

Two Different Types of Sleep: non-REM and REM

When we close our eyes and eventually fall asleep, our brain activates two types of sleep: non-REM and REM (rapid eye movement). Both types, or phases/stages of sleep, are essential for a person's quality of life and wellness. Non-REM sleep has two opinions on how many stages are in this vital part of sleep. One theory proposes we have four (4) stages of non-REM sleep: stage 1 is closing your eyes and falling asleep, stage 2 is where our heart rate and body temperature drops that brings on a light sleep, stage 3 is where we commence a deep sleep, and stage 4 is where we experience a deeper sleep. The more popular model of non-REM is with three stages: stage1 is where we begin to drift off to sleep (10 to 24 minutes in duration), stage 2 is a light sleep that lasts approximately 25 minutes where the body temperature and heart rate drops, and stage 3 is a deep sleep where the body commences to restore itself as well as supporting the brain for learning and memory processing that lasts about 15 minutes. REM sleep, the sleep many wellness apps focus on, plays a key role with information processing, activating deeper learning, creating important memory, and where we dream. REM sleep occurs after the stages of non-REM have been completed, and adults on average spend around 20% - 30% of their sleep in REM sleep. The first time REM occurs in the sleep cycle REM lasts about 10 minutes but as our sleep cycle repeats itself throughout the night, each REM cycle can last up to one hour in our sleep before we awake. The brain is very active during REM sleep, and a "good" REM cycle can reduce anxiety and depression as well as increase cognitive function and immune system performance.

Sleep is a 90 Minute Cycle

Each sleep cycle lasts for a period of ninety (90) minutes that includes: light sleep for relaxation and transitioning. deep sleep for overall restoration, and REM sleep for emotional processing and memory consolidation. We also now understand that deep sleep tends to decrease later in the night/sleep cycle, while REM sleep increases, hence the early hours of sleep are seen by many as essential for brain-mind-body restoration. Another interesting finding with our wellness and sleep shows that if we have at least 5 cycles of our 90 minute sleep cycle (7.5 hours of sleep), we tend to wake up less foggy and groggy in the morning. This recent finding in sleep hygiene gives good support to the goal of 7.5 hours of sleep for adults to maximize cognition performance, deeper focus, better mood, and greater perspective throughout the day. Part of our sleep hygiene program is to empower our clients to learn that sleep is more than "lights off," it is our body's nightly critical ritual of wellness renewal. Each 90-minute cycle is a rhythm of healing, learning and dream, quietly ensuring we wake up with our best version of our self.

Behaviours That Impact our Sleep

The growing focus on the importance of sleep arose from two key activities: better research processes and medical equipment for brain research, and the increase in sleep disorders with children, teens and adults. This in turn has caused us to become more aware of what behaviours and lifestyles can have a negative impact on sleep. Alcohol for example does help some people fall into a light sleep, but alcohol consumption is also a key reason why our deep sleep is reduced and there is eventually an increase risk in sleep disruption. Furthermore, caffeinated substances such as coffee, soft drinks, diet pills, and certain cough medication stimulates the brain and causes a delay in falling asleep, or in some cases, an increase risk of insomnia. Certain medications and wellness supplements can also cause a reduction in deep sleep by way of disturbing certain brain neurotransmitter activities that are essential for the 90 minutes sleep cycle. Nicotine (vaping, cigars, smoking, e-cigarettes) has a higher chance of disrupting the sleep cycles within two to three hours of falling asleep. Eating meals late at night (best to eat at least 3 hours before sleep) and eating certain types of food groups are also sources of poor sleep. We see a client's sleep hygiene as a mirror of their daily habits, regular mood-thought regulation, consistent physical activities, and healthy food choices ripple though our bodies that impacts our overall quality of sleep. Sleep well, live better.

Turning Off Devices to Reduce Stimulation

The constant wireless-digital world we work and live in has created many benefits as well as challenges in our health and well-being, especially with sleep. Research shows we no longer have a sense of work - life balance, but instead, we now manage a work - life integration due to unlimited apps and smart devices that allow continuous conference calls, emails, team meetings, texting, and work flow into our homes and bedrooms. Concurrently, we also see children and teens stay up later with online school work and social media that has caused alarming rates of sleep disorders among today's youth. Furthermore, research has been showing over the past several years that fewer and fewer adults read from a traditional book that traditionally provided the adult brain pleasure and relaxation (as well as learning) in the evening before sleep. Beneficial as our apps and smart devices may be, device overuse causes two major impacts on sleep: delaying a person going to sleep (sleep procrastination) and or impacting the overall quality of sleep (sleep disorder). Create a safe space in your bedroom to clear your mind - keeping devices out of the bedroom lets your body reclaim the night as a sanctuary for deep rest and sustaining regeneration.

Position Yourself to Sleep Better

Two most common sleep positions are on our side and or on our back. It is generally not recommended for people to sleep on their stomach, and when it comes to which position is better for sleep, on the side or on the back, there is research to show both have a direct positive impact on our overall health. One area that sleep provides good health for all of us is in our neck and spine health, and it is common to find many healthcare practitioners encourage their patients to sleep on their back for optimal spine, neck and shoulder health. The negative side effect to sleeping on your back is the increase of snoring and sleep disturbance. Furthermore, those who suffer from sleep apnea may not be advised to sleep on their back as this may reduce the opening of a person's airways. Sleeping on the side with your legs straight, not curled, and a proper pillow between the legs and one for the head and neck reduces the risk of snoring and as well does support spine and neck health. Additional research has shown that sleeping on the left side promotes healthy blood flow and reduces weight on certain vital body organs. Dr Mark impresses upon his clients the way a person rests shapes the way a person rises in the morning, thus align your body in the best possible position so that wellness follows you when you awake!

Centre for Stress Management Three Stages for Better Sleep Wellness Program

The Centre for Stress Management has four main pillars for wellness in all of our services we provide: Work-Life Integration, Movement - Nutrition, Think - Mood Regulation, and Relax - Rest - Sleep. Our wellness programs are carefully designed where the most common cause for healthcare issues is addressed: work - life stress and poor sleep management. Our Relax - Rest - Sleep wellness pillar has shown over the years to not only improve the quality of sleep for our clients, but it is also nature's way of restoring and rejuvenating the human body for greater physical and cognitive performance when you understand the three key phases from in getting good sleep: Relaxing, Resting, and Sleep. Email us on info@stresshk.com and see how we can improve your relaxing, resting and sleeping habits that will improve your daily well-being behaviors and overall wellness (quality of life).