Seven ways to improve your sleep according to science

To celebrate World Sleep Day, here na our science-based guide to get correct deep sleep.

Across di world, pipo dey struggle wit lack of beta sleep. For America alone, e dey estimated say between 50 and 70 million pipo dey suffer from dis condition, and on global stage, experts don call epidemic.

However, some simple adjustments dey – both psychological and physical – wey you fit apply to help improve di quality of your sleep.

Here na our guide to get delicious, restful slumber according to di latest scientific research plus some long-forgotten historical tricks.

Vary your sleep wit di seasons

Research show say we need more sleep during dark, cold winter months pass during di summer. Dis na becos pipo dey normally experience seasonal sleep.

According to one German study, pipo experience both longer REM and deep sleep for December pass for June.

REM sleep na di most active stage of sleep, na time wen we dream and our heart rate increase, while deep sleep na wen di body repair muscle and tissues and e dey important for d consolidation of long-term memory.

Try a nap

For many kontris, to get catnap na daily ritual, and research show say regular naps good for our health.

According to one 2023 study, to nap evri time go help keep our brains bigger for longer and e fit delay brain ageing by between three to six years. Dem don link smaller brain volume to diseases like Alzheimer and vascular dementia.

E also get short-term benefits. Short naps, wey no last pass 15 minutes, fit immediately improve how well we perform mentally, wit results wey last up to three hours afta we wake up.

Di key to correct naps na to keep dem short (afta 20 minutes we begin drift into deep sleep) and to make sure you get one mid-afternoon so e no go affect your sleep for night.

Beware of di danger of microsleeps

No be all naps good for us. Some dey last for just few seconds and these microsleeps fit result in serious harm if dem occur wen you dey drive.

Microsleeps dey very common among pipo wey dey suffer from narcolepsy or pipo wey no dey get enough sleep for night.

One study discover say wen pipo sleep for just six hours a night for 14 days back to back, dem go get plenty microsleep like those wey no sleep at all for night.

If you dey regularly experience microsleeps, na sign sign say you no dey get enough sleep generally.

Aim for quality ova quantity

Di amount of sleep we need different from pesin to pesin. Di most recommendations na for between seven and nine hours.

But di amount of sleep you get na only one part of di equation. Quality dey mata too if not more.

Most of us go don experience say we no dey boot well wen we wake up, if we no sleep well for night. Dat na because wen we sleep, our brains flood wit cerebrospinal fluid go clear out accumulated debris and toxins. Dem dey call dis waste-clearance system, di glymphatic system, wey dey work best for di same time every day.

Syncing sleep wit our natural circadian rhythms – di brain 24-hour internal clock wey dey regulate di cycle of alertness and sleepiness – dey give rise to di best-quality rest.

Dey thankful for modern beds

Today most pipo for Western world dey lucky to wake up on soft bed, perhaps wit a spring mattress or memory foam. However, no be like dat e be before.

For olden day, many pipo bin dey open dia eyes every morning to stuffy air and pitch-blackness – as na inside "box bed" dem dey sleep. Dem go close these popular sleeping-cupboards, as e dey help to keep pipo warm at night.

Later, di "tick" mattress come, one bag of cheap materials like straw or leaves. Unfortunately, dem also provide di ideal place for ticks, fleas and bedbugs to hide.

But di true inventors of a bad night sleep, arguably na di Victorians, wey create different kind unpleasant solutions for homeless pipo, from rows of coffin-beds to rope wey dem fit use hang pesin ova for a rest.

Sleep in two shift

Today, na normal thing for pipo to wake up for di middle of di night. For pipo wey no fit sleep for full eight hours, e dey okay, if dem get short sleep, wake up later, then sleep again.

Dem fit fill these little slumber gaps wit different kain activities, from household chores to gossip in di dark. Then afta sometimes, sleep go worry dem again, dem go, go back sleep and wake up for morning.

Get cosy and cuddle up

Before now, e dey hard to see pesin wey get one bed to their self. Like it or not, most pipo gatz share – and no be only wit dia siblings wen dem dey small or as a married couple.

Until di 19th Century, many pipo go don sleep for di same bed wit oda pipo like friends, colleagues and even total strangers.

Beta bedfellow go provide warmth and conversation into di early hours of di morning – though you go gatz overlook dia morning breath and contribution to a bedful of biting parasites.