APPRECIATING NATURE By Sharon Jane Akinyemi - Part 1

Ah, that thing that is so in need of in this hyperactive, adrenaline-addicted culture in which we live.  That thing that we often ignore until we feel the consequences of missing it.  That thing that 48% of Nigerians report a lack of (insomnia) occasionally and 22% report missing every night.  Insomnia in Nigeria  has become epidemic and it is wreaking havoc on our health.

A recent research notes  that ,  between 40 and 60 per cent of people over the age of 60 suffer from sleep deprivation; while women are up to twice as likely to suffer from insomnia as men. “This has to do with women’s hormones,” experts say; as sleepless nights and daytime sleepiness have been linked with hormonal changes in a woman’s life, including pregnancy, menopause, and the menstrual cycle.

The Learning Process and Sleep

Sleep, learning, and memory are complex phenomena that are not entirely understood. However, animal and human studies suggest that the quantity and quality of sleep have a profound impact on learning and memory. Research suggests that sleep helps learning and memory in two distinct ways. First, a sleep-deprived person cannot focus attention optimally and therefore cannot learn efficiently. Second, sleep itself has a role in the consolidation of memory, which is essential for learning new information.

Although the exact mechanisms are not known, learning and memory are often described in terms of three functions. Acquisition refers to the introduction of new information into the brain. Consolidation represents the processes by which a memory becomes stable. Recall refers to the ability to access the information (whether consciously or unconsciously) after it has been stored.

Each of these steps is necessary for proper memory function. Acquisition and recall occur only during wakefulness, but research suggests that memory consolidation takes place during sleep through the strengthening of the neural connections that form our memories. Although there is no consensus about how sleep makes this process possible, many researchers think that specific characteristics of brainwaves during different stages of sleep are associated with the formation of particular types of memory.

We all know that sleep is important.  Restful sleep helps to "recharge" your system, decrease stress hormones, and reduce fatigue, but you probably didn't know that it's also vitally important to protecting your brain from toxicity, damage, and even debilitating diseases like Alzheimer's.

In a recent study conducted at the University of Rochester Medical Center, researchers discovered that it's during sleep that the brain clears out potential harmful waste the builds up during the day.

You see, as you sleep your brain pumps spinal fluid into the brain to "flush out" waste into the circulatory system and eventually to the liver for removal.  Because this process is very energy intensive, it's difficult for the brain to perform it during the day while already over-active and preoccupied with performing every day tasks.

Instead, researchers found that sleeping brains were able to clear out much more amyloid-beta, the plaque-building protein associated with Alzheimer's disease.

Take home message:  If you want to keep your brain healthy and free of toxins, strive for 7 - 8 hours of sleep each night.  Nothing new there, but this information just may cause you to make it more of a priority!

Speaking of toxins, there's another very common type of toxin that can do SERIOUS damage to your health if you don't deal with it before it's too late.  Unfortunately, although nearly everyone is dealing with "infestation" levels of this toxin, most people aren't even aware of it.

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