How to Have a Restorative Night’s Sleep

Sleep is the best anti-aging treatment nature has given us. Quality sleep has the power to trigger an efficient cellular repair process in just one night. So much happens at the cellular level during a night’s sleep that when we don’t manage to sleep, our brain becomes foggy, and we slow down. The whole body seems to go into crisis if we spend a sleepless night.

People who struggle to fall asleep know their quality of life plummets. That’s why sleep has become a sought-after commodity. Nowadays, in the most sophisticated retreats and centers, the most obvious and simple recommendation is emphasized: try to sleep between seven and eight hours every night.

Dr. Alejandro Bello, a sleep and integrative medicine expert at SHA, explains sleep’s ability to repair the nervous system and brain. “It has recently been discovered that the nervous system has a kind of lymphatic system to cleanse the brain of toxins and waste, but this cleaning system, like the brain taking out the trash each night, only works during the REM phase, the deepest stage of sleep, where rapid eye movements occur.”

This is why experts are increasingly focusing on sleep architecture because it’s important to spend the right amount of time in REM sleep and minimize micro-awakenings.

During the cleansing triggered by sleep, the brain clears cerebrospinal fluid of Tau protein, which is linked to Alzheimer’s disease. Several studies show that people suffering from sleep deprivation have a higher risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s.

Sleep is essential for learning and memory. In a clinical trial with Harvard University students, it was demonstrated that sleep regularity (going to bed and waking up at the same time each day) can predict good academic performance. This happens because quality sleep is essential for memory consolidation. While we sleep, short-term memory is transformed into long-term memory.

Recent discoveries suggest that sleep also plays a role in proper metabolic function. Chronic sleep deprivation affects testosterone production and reproductive capacity in both men and women.

“Sleep also helps stabilize the immune system and even reduce cancer risk. The REM phase of sleep is closely related to emotional self-regulation, helping to reset the system and reduce the intensity of anxiety and fear,” explains the SHA expert.

Dr. Bello emphasizes to his patients the importance of ensuring a good night’s sleep every day. However, it often isn’t given enough importance. “Not sleeping is serious, it shortens life and leads to illness. We need to get people to prioritize sleep as they do with nutrition,” reflects the doctor.

To improve sleep quality, Dr. Bello suggests finding the root cause of the problem before resorting to sleeping pills or supplements like melatonin.

“Taking a sleeping pill doesn’t guarantee quality sleep; you’ll just be unconscious for a few hours. Most studies show that taking medication for sleep doesn’t improve sleep architecture. Your sleep will remain the same or worse, but you’ll think you’ve slept.” For this expert, the priority should be to improve sleep habits and create a routine that promotes restorative rest. Taking medication or supplements should be the last resort.

When we take a melatonin pill or gummy, we’re supplementing a bodily function that has been disrupted by an excessively illuminated lifestyle, where there’s little distinction between day and night, which interferes with the secretion of the hormone regulated by circadian rhythms.

Melatonin is the hormone involved in regulating the sleep-wake cycle, and its primary function is to induce sleep. Its main synthesis occurs in the pineal gland, although it is now known to also be synthesized in other organs such as the retina, bone marrow, skin, gastrointestinal tract cells, cerebellum, and the immune system.

“The biggest problem with melatonin supplements is that they create tolerance, and increasingly larger doses are needed to achieve the same effect. It’s better to turn off screens two hours before bed, dim the lights, and reinforce routines and habits that enhance the natural production of melatonin. That’s the approach we follow at SHA to improve our patients’ sleep.”

To have a restorative night’s sleep, the ideal is to reduce all lights in the house starting at eight in the evening. Dr. Bello ensures that in his home, he only uses candles to create a calm atmosphere and help the body naturally secrete melatonin.

Additionally, Dr. Bello recommends avoiding screens that emit blue light, as they suppress the endogenous production of melatonin, making it harder to fall asleep and shortening the REM phase.

An hour before bed, it’s important to engage in relaxing activities, avoid overstimulation, and disconnect from the internet and social media. “You can’t go straight to bed if you haven’t slowed down during the day; you have to wind down gradually,” says the doctor. One of the habits that most affects sleep is going to bed with the day’s problems, precisely because we haven’t taken time to reflect. “For many people, bed is the only time they think about their problems, but that’s a very bad idea if we want to fall asleep,” notes Dr. Bello.

The bedroom should be at about 18 degrees Celsius (64 degrees Fahrenheit), as the brain needs to lower the body’s temperature by one to three degrees to sleep deeply and avoid waking up. Additionally, the room should be completely dark because the human brain is very sensitive to light.

Listening to classical or relaxing music, journaling, reading, or meditating are habits that help the brain prepare for sleep. The night ahead is so important that it’s worth helping the brain sleep the hours it needs to cleanse itself and gift us a great day the next morning.

SHA offers a specialized pack for Sleep Well that, from an integrative approach, seeks to identify the causes behind difficulties in falling asleep or maintaining deep sleep. This is achieved through measurements using technology specialized in determining key physiological values related to the body’s natural rhythms.