Lux vs. Low: MakeupJul.19.2020
Sleeping – probably one of our favorite things to do when we are living our tiring lives. Getting more sleep is one of the quickest ways to feel good and it is not just in your mind. Sleep improves hormone balance and can result in easier weight control, less stress, and better glucose control, and more – and sure, these are great facts to know, but there are quite a few cool facts about sleeping that you may have never even heard of. Keep reading to find out just what they are!
When you open your eyes in the morning, sunlight lets your brain know it is time to wake up. As day turns to night, your brain makes a chemical called melatonin that makes you sleepy. Because light can wake you up, your room should be dark when you sleep. So, why are some animals nocturnal? They become more active at night to hunt, mate, or avoid heat and predators, and mostly hideaway to stay away from the daytime heat!
We’ve all experienced that feeling like we’re falling off of the bed when almost falling asleep – these jerks are called hypnic jerks – a type of involuntary muscle movement called myoclonus. They often happen due to the lowering of your heart rate when falling asleep to signal your body into waking up if your heart rate gets too low.
Studies show 12% of people dream in black and white. Surprisingly, this number was 75% before color televisions came into the home. Black and white dreams generally represent your lack of emotional participation in the dream. If you are dreaming in black and white, it means that you are viewing the dream as an observer, and not experiencing the events first-hand.
We’ve all heard the saying, “you grow 3 inches while sleeping,” and no, it is, in fact, NOT a myth! You do actually grow 3 inches while sleeping, but the growth is temporary as you shrink back down to normal after you’re awake for a few hours because when you sit or stand, your cartilage discs are squeezed by gravity, like sponges!
