In the first half of the night, the majority of the time spent sleeping consists of deep non-REM sleep. However, in the second half of the night, there is more rapid eye movement sleep and stage two non-REM sleep. Lack of sleep and long shifts have been linked to medical errors in the emergency room and decreased productivity in the workplace.
It's important to focus on getting batches of sleep that match the 90-minute ultradian cycles, even if it's fractured throughout the day. When sleep is disrupted, it's essential to expose the child to morning and evening sunlight to anchor their circadian clock.
Learn how light in the middle of the night can act as a blocker to dopamine and reduce the brain's capacity to release it, as well as tips for leveraging the dopamine system for a better life.
Understanding the impact of light on our circadian rhythms and mood is crucial for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Even a small difference in our internal clock can have significant effects on our overall wellbeing.
A study out of Denmark shows that a 20-minute non-sleep deep rest protocol can reset levels of neuromodulators in the basal ganglia to the same levels they were after a long night's sleep. Short naps of 10 minutes or less can often be more beneficial than longer naps, and elevating your feet has also been shown to help clear out the glymphatic system of the brain.
The neurochemistry in our brain is primed to do focused work during the first few hours of the day which require precision and detail. Therefore, it is important to expose ourselves to bright light in the morning and avoid dimming the environment during the daytime.