A comfortable bed, cool temperature and ambient light can influence our sleep.

We all know that a healthy sleep needs to be six to eight hours a day. Babies and younger children even need as much as 18 hours in order to grow and develop well. Unfortunately, some of us may suffer from deprivation and insomnia. Several factors may cause our sleepless nights. It could be work, becoming new parents, external stimuli and stress.

Read these 30 facts about sleep to understand more how our sleep patterns work.

1. Melatonin is released starting at 9 PM. It peaks at 1 AM.
2. The ideal temperature for snoozing is between 68 and 70 deg F (20 and 21 deg Celsius).
3. Increasing the temperature on your feet can induce drowsiness.
4. Eat food rich in tryptophan about one hour before bedtime.
5. When you dream, your blood pressure, breathing, and heart rate increase similar to daytime level.
6. Dreaming happens approximately 90 minutes after falling asleep.
7. Eating foods rich in carbohydrate during dinner time help set the circadian rhythm.
8. Eating protein rich foods during breakfast helps you keep awake during the day.
9. Avoid eating fatty foods before bedtime.
10. Apnea and other related disorders may lead to dementia and Alzheimer’s disease later on in life.
11. The five-star Corinthia Hotel in London offers a package for those who find sleep the ultimate luxury.
12. Lack of sleep can cause sperm count to decrease.
13. Wake every day at the same time to train your circadian rhythm.
14. Light, including those coming from fluorescent, influences the production of melatonin.
15. Taking 90-minute naps can have similar effects to memory learning as having a full night’s sleep.
16. Power naps only last for 15 minutes.
17. A narrow jaw increases you chances of developing apnea.
18. Moderate exercises can lead to a sound sleep but high-intensity workouts can prevent you from getting one.
19. Lack of sleep can worsen pain due to arthritis.
20. Oversleeping may be an indication of depression.
21. Cool pillows in the fridge if it gets too hot to sleep.
22. Papaya contains choline which can aid in a better slumber.
23. Fear and anger are common emotions evoked in a dream.
24. The faces we see in our dreams are those we have seen before even we seem not to recognize some of them.
25. Sleeping naked helps promote deep slumber and weight loss.
26. Women commonly sleep in a fetal position.
27. A couple’s level of happiness can be measured by the distance between them when they sleep.
28. Creative people tend to sleep on their left side more.
29. Those who sleep on their left side tend to have more nightmares than those who do on their right side.
30. Sleeping on your front induces more vivid dreams.

Sleep is a normal occurrence most people just take for granted. However, for some, it is a luxury that is so difficult to achieve. People are willing to spend in order to get a good night’s sleep. Many sleep centers and clinics offer solutions for apnea and insomnia. However, there are cases when you do not need to spend that much on achieving a peaceful slumber. Sometimes, all it takes is to know more about your circadian rhythm and find ways on how to reset it.

Photo credit:  vObOt on Deviant Art