Sleep is a process of self-repair of the body. Being able to sleep comfortably until dawn is a happy thing. But as we grow older, the human body's melatonin level has dropped year by year, and sleep is getting worse and worse.
Recently, a new study published by the American Journal of Sleep Research has given a trick for people who are not sleeping well:
Change to a thick quilt will help the body increase the release of "melatonin" and thus improve the quality of sleep.
" Life Times " interviews experts and tells you how the weight of the quilt can control sleep and teaches you to stabilize the body's melatonin level.
interviewed experts
Psychological therapist at Sleep Medicine Center, Beijing Huilongguan Hospital, Meng Fanlei
Wuhan Central Hospital, Department of Pharmacy, Supervisor pharmacist Huilin Zeng
Chief physician of the Department of Brain Diseases, Second Affiliated Hospital of Hunan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Department of Brain Diseases (Department of Neurology) Li Xiangrong
covers a thick quilt to increase melatonin release
This study led by Uppsala University in Sweden will conduct two-stage trials according to the principles of randomization and crossover.
- in the first stage, participants were asked to cover a thick quilt, and the weight of the quilt was equivalent to 12.2% of the participants' weight (taking 60 kg as an example, the quilt weighed about 7.3 kg);
- in the second stage, participants covered a lighter blanket, about 2.4% of the body weight (taking 60 kg as an example, the quilt weighed about 1.4 kg).
researchers collected saliva samples from participants to analyze the effects on melatonin, oxytocin , cortisol , and sympathetic nervous system .
Results show that the weight of the quilt has a significant effect on the melatonin concentration: when the quilt is covered with thicker cover, the melatonin concentration in the participants' saliva increases even more. Specifically, thick quilts can increase the average saliva melatonin concentration of participants between 22:00 and 23:00 (1 hour before bedtime) by about 6.6±0.7pg/mL, an increase of 32% compared with those who cover light quilts.
Effect of thick quilts and light quilts on melatonin in saliva However, no obvious differences between the two groups were found, such as cortisol, α-amylase , oxytocin, etc.
To sum up, this study proves for the first time that thick covers help increase the release of melatonin before bedtime and thus improve sleep.
How does the weight of the quilt affect sleep?
In fact, as early as 2020, researchers at Karolinska Medical College in Sweden found that after analyzing the data of 120 people, they found that falling asleep with thick quilts (6~8 kg) can significantly improve sleep in just one month, but there is no explanation for the relevant mechanism behind it.
And in this study, the research team revealed for the first time a mechanism by which thick quilts promote sleep:
This may be the pressure applied by the thick quilt activates the sensory afferent nerves of the skin and transmits sensory information to the solitary nucleus through the spinal cord. After receiving the "pressure" signal, the solitary nucleus is further projected to the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus.
3 neurons secreting oxytocin in the paraventricular nucleus are connected to pineal gland , which in turn affects the release of melatonin. Melatonin can regulate the body's circadian rhythm and help the body fall asleep.
Although this study suggests that thick quilts can help improve sleep quality, the heavier the better.
quilt is too heavy
A quilt is too thick to compress the chest, reduce lung capacity, and easily cause the temperature of the quilt to be too high, resulting in excessive metabolism in the human body and increased sweat, making people easily catch a cold by kicking the quilt when sleeping, and may feel tired after waking up.
quilt is too light
quilt is too light, and the heat insulation effect will be poor.The body surface is stimulated by cold, and the cerebral cortex is excited, making it difficult to fall asleep, or sleep is not deep.
The weight of the quilt is not a one-size-fits-all standard. It is best to choose according to the season and quilt material:
- In winter, it is recommended to choose 3 to 6 kilograms of quilts, but it should not exceed 8 kilograms. You can cover the blanket according to the coldness;
- Spring and Autumn quilts just need to choose 1 to 1.5 kilograms of quilts, and the weight of the down quilt is about half of the quilt.
What else can I do to promote melatonin release?
people's sleep is affected by melatonin. In addition to the weight of the quilt suggested that this study affects melatonin release, the following factors can also influence the secretion of melatonin in the human body.
1Light
Melatonin is a "light control" hormone: during the day, the secretion of melatonin is inhibited, and people will wake up; at night, the light decreases, the secretion of melatonin increases, and people will fall asleep.
"work at sunrise and rest at sunset", try to contact sufficient sunlight during the day, and try to get darker at night, for example:
- reduce night light exposure, change the bedroom curtains to blackout, and wear an eye mask when necessary;
- pull the curtains in time after getting up to perceive natural light;
- Try not to turn on the light when sleeping;
- Adjust the position of the bed to avoid outdoor light shining directly on the face;
- Try not to touch electronic products half an hour before going to bed, and do not bring your phone to the bed.
2Age
35 years old, the gland function of human gland will be reduced, and the secretion of melatonin will be significantly reduced, and it will decrease to 1/4 of the peak at the age of 70. Therefore, older people are more susceptible to sleep problems than younger people.
It is normal for the elderly to lose sleep. You can take a nap for about 15 minutes during the day. As long as you have enough energy during the day, you don’t have to worry too much. However, if you tend to be anxious or depressed, you should go to the psychology department or sleep center for treatment in time.
In addition, it is best not to place clocks in the bedroom to avoid "ticking" sounds causing anxiety. Try not to look at the time after getting up at night, otherwise it may be more difficult to fall asleep.
3Time difference
When spanning two or more time zones, it is difficult for us to adjust the sleep-wake cycle because the biological clock is still stuck in the original time zone.
People who often need to have jet lag can use exogenous melatonin under the guidance of a doctor. At present, the products containing melatonin on the market can only play an auxiliary role for insomnia and have no therapeutic effect, and are only suitable for 3 groups of people:
- people who need to have a time difference, the recommended daily dosage is 1 to 3 mg;
- shift workers who are on duty at night and sleep during the day;
- sleep time is shifted back, and the sleep rhythm is disordered, such as those who can only fall asleep until early morning or even dawn.
4work and rest
After waking up, people start to accumulate sleep pressure. After accumulating for a whole day, they can help them fall asleep faster at night. The longer you stay awake, the more stressed you sleep.
However, too much sleep in bed and daytime sleep will be released in advance, resulting in insufficient sleep stress at night. For example, some elderly people take a nap earlier at night and may not have enough "sleep pressure" to help fall asleep when lying in bed late at night. ▲
Editor of this issue: Zheng Ronghua
Copyright Statement: This article is original by "Life Times" and reproduction is prohibited without authorization.
