Scientists don’t yet understand exactly why we need sleep so badly. They believe it restores us physically and helps us organize things in our brain.1 We do know, however, that we can’t live an Active Wellness lifestyle without it. We cannot force ourselves to fall asleep, just as we can’t force ourselves to digest food more quickly or to eat as much as we want without gaining weight. In other words, we can’t control our sleep patterns; however, we can create the right conditions for sleep, both mentally and physically. That is, we can create good sleep habits for a pleasant sleep experience.
The study of sleep makes for fascinating science. Here are some interesting facts about other species:
• English bulldogs are the only canines known to experience sleep apnea, a breathing disorder. Their unusual airway anatomy (short snouts and underbites is the likely reason.2
• Sea otters hold hands when they sleep so they don’t drift away from each other.3
• Whales and dolphins literally fall half asleep. Each side of their brain takes turns so they can come up for air.4
• Trees go to sleep at night by relaxing their branches and perk them up in the morning.5
• Snails can sleep for three years.6
• Giraffes can get by on an average of 30 minutes of sleep each night.7
There are also intriguing facts about humans and our sleep patterns:
• We are the only mammals that willingly delay sleep.8
• Thirty minutes of exercise each day correlates with 14 minutes of extra sleep per night.9
• Parents of newborns lose about six months’ worth of sleep in their child’s first two years of life. Each additional child increases the mother’s loss of sleep by 46%.10
• Sleepwalking is most likely to occur between the ages of three and 17, with 15% of people thought to be sleepwalkers.11
• Women sleep longer than men. The reason is that women tend to multitask more than men; therefore, their brains work harder and take longer to recover.12
• We can dream in color or in black and white. About 12% are believed to dream exclusively in black and white.13 Today about 75% dream in color, while only 15% did before color television became available.14
Scientists used to think that everything shut down when we sleep, but over the last 60 years, they’ve discovered that our brains are very active while we sleep. In fact, some parts of the brain use more oxygen and glucose while asleep than when awake. The timing of our need for sleep is based on how long we have been awake and our body clock. For example, if we stay awake all night, we will feel more tired at 4 am than at 10 am. Recent breakthroughs may have identified the gene that makes some people cope more easily with a lack of sleep.15
Have you tried Kenko Sleep Technology to help you get a great night’s sleep? For the entire month of November, Nikken Registered Customers will receive cash back in the form of Nikken Reward Points on the purchase of any Kenko Naturest® Fit or any Kenko Sleep Pack. There’s nothing else like the Kenko Naturest® Fit anywhere—it’s only from Nikken. Designed with natural latex nodules to massage you while you sleep, the reflective fibers help keep you warm while promoting air circulation. Tourmaline interspersed between 800 gauss magnets help create a calming effect, to help you get your best night’s sleep, every night! The Kenko Naturest® Fit transforms any mattress into a Kenko Sleep System that supports your body’s natural abilities to recuperate while sleeping!
Active Wellness Blog 