Microsleep Symptoms, Causes and Prevention Tips You Must Know
Microsleep refers to very short periods of sleep lasting for about a few seconds. A person might even keep their eyes open and look awake during a microsleep episode but actually, the brain does not function properly at that time and it stops processing external information.
When the body is tired or exhausted and we feel a lack of energy then we might experience very short periods of switching off and closing eyelids and then suddenly we wake up to wonder how long we have been sleeping? These kinds of situations indicate microsleep.
To identify whether we suffer from microsleep, we have to understand its various symptoms, namely:
- Slow blinking of the eyes
- Experiencing sudden body jerks
- Not paying attention to whatever is around
- Low response to external factors
- Loss of muscle control
- Trouble processing information
- Slow progress of the work-in-hand
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There are various reasons why a person might get into a microsleep session. Some of the causes of microsleep are:
Sleep deprivation:
Sleep deprivation is one of the main causes of microsleep. People who work for long hours or are involved in labour-intensive work might often experience episodes of microsleep. When the body does not get enough sleep then exhaustion builds up if this happens on a regular basis. Slowly, sleep disorders start to develop which results in frequent episodes of microsleep.
Insomnia:
Insomnia is a state where the body struggles to get a good night's sleep. You could be lying on your bed with you head resting on your pillow but still be wide awake. You try attempting to sleep but you find it difficult to stop the many thoughts that invade your mind. This eventually leads to increased levels of stress. Thinking about the fact that you are not able to fall asleep is another stress factor that again keeps us awake at night. This kind of sleeping disorder might develop due to many factors like overthinking, crisis situations, uncertainty, or some devastating event that happened in your life.
Depression:
Depression might be a major cause of developing sleeping disorders. We might be depressed due to various circumstances that we face in life and that take a toll on our health. Feelings of depression might agitate the sleep cycle and make it irregular thus resulting in microsleep patterns that keep on repeating as the sleep disorder develops and matures.
Narcolepsy:
Narcolepsy is a form of sleeping disorder where a person experiences excessive sleepiness during the day. It may also cause muscle weaknesses that may even lead to a person experiencing spells of fainting or extreme weakness and having no energy. In a state of narcolepsy, a person might doze off at random periods of time during the day instead of staying awake.
Narcolepsy also involves a person hallucinating while awake which makes a person see, hear or feel things that are not really happening at that point of time. Sleep paralysis is also a symptom of narcolepsy in which a person cannot move or speak for a few minutes after waking up or before falling asleep. This can be accompanied by a feeling of suffocation which might be extremely frightening.
To reduce the effects of microsleep there are some preventive tips that we can take. Some of the preventive measures include:
Take frequent breaks:
Working for long hours without taking breaks can affect the concentration levels of the brain and hence reduce productivity. Taking small breaks at frequent intervals helps a lot to replenish the brain and give it some rest so that it can regain its focus and work with much-needed speed and accuracy.
Avoid caffeine before bed:
Having caffeinated drinks before going to bed is not going to do any good to your brain. Caffeine before bedtime tends to keep you awake for long hours and you get a feeling of being tired but not able to fall asleep because of the caffeine that’s running in your system. Avoid caffeine or any other energy drinks before bed so that you are able to fall asleep naturally.
Listen to a motivating podcast or audiobook:
While you are working on something, you might feel bored or overwhelmed due to the work pressure. In such situations, you can listen to some motivating podcasts or audiobooks to awaken your brain and to feel motivated and energized to work more in a focused way. This will also help with your general work motivation and increase productivity at work.
Maintain a healthy pattern of sleeping and awakening at the same time each day:
You should develop a fixed routine your sleep and waking patterns. Following a fixed routine trains the body to wake up and fall asleep naturally at those times every day and hence it corrects the sleep patterns in turn improving the quality of sleep. This also helps in curing any sleeping disorder that you might have developed over a period of time. You can also invest in an orthopaedic bed if you have any such medical condition which will help support your spine and back while you sleep and thus will help in improving the quality of sleep. The Nilkamal Sleep website is renowned for its range of quality orthopaedic beds and you can explore the details to make an appropriate purchase. Their ortho mattresses come with dual and three layers of foam which make them ultra-comfortable. These adapt to your body contours and protect you from developing any pains while you are in deep slumber.
Meditation
Practicing meditation every day promotes calmness and stability in your mind. It helps provide the required rest to the brain and helps in processing your thoughts and feelings in a much better way. Meditation is known to reduce stress and depression which in turn helps in improving sleep patterns. Practicing meditation has many benefits, these are just to name a few. Once in a while, you should just sit and relax and focus on your breath so as to improve the productivity levels of your brain.
Other prevention tips
Some other prevention tips include having chamomile tea before going to bed to calm your brain and promote good sleep. The weighted blankets provided by Nilkamal Sleep come with therapeutic qualities. These are known to increase the levels of relaxation and make you sleep like a little baby. Visit the website to get an insight into the curative properties of this product and then make an online purchase at your convenience.
Conclusion
Microsleep can be an alarming condition if not treated early. Any mental condition like this should not be kept unattended and proper preventive steps should be taken to cure it. Sleep is an important part of our life and good sleep improves the brain's ability to focus, increases our productivity, and improves overall health. Some of the best remedies are to resort to the right type of beds and pillows. You can avail of some of the most therapeutic products on Nilkamal Sleep.
Also Read : Suffering From Sleeping Disorders? Here’s What You Should Do – Nilkamal Sleep