Sleep — such a peaceful word, isn't it? But while
you're dozing, your body's systems are doing lots of
crazy things that will blow your mind. Don't worry:
They're all normal. Still, you may never think of
hitting the hay the same way after reading this.
1. Your body temperature drops.
Just before you fall asleep, your core body
temperature begins to decrease, says Michael Breus,
PhD, a clinical psychologist and sleep specialist, and
author of The Sleep Doctor's Diet Plan: Lose Weight
Through Better Sleep. This drop signals to your brain
to release melatonin, which affects your circadian
rhythm (or sleep/wake cycle) and tells your body it's
time for bed. Your temperature is lowest around 2:30
A.M., so if you're able to, program your thermostat to
rise one degree at that time for an hour or two.
Otherwise, you may find yourself stealing your
spouse's covers for extra warmth.
2. You lose weight.
One reason you should always step on a scale in the
morning, not in the evening: You lose water through
perspiring and breathing out humid air during the
night, according to Dr. Breus. This happens during
the day too, but eating and drinking while you're
awake negates any weight loss. If you're sleeping
just four or five hours per night, you could be
canceling out whatever smart diet and exercise
choices you're making during the day. To whittle
your waistline, get at least seven hours of sleep per
night.
3. You get taller.
You won't exactly wake up feeling like the Jolly
Green Giant, but you do gain height while you sleep.
"The discs in your spine that act as cushions between
the bones rehydrate and get bigger because the
weight of your body isn't pressing down on them, like
it is when you're standing," says Dr. Breus. "If you
have a firm mattress,sleeping on your side in the fetal
position may be best for getting taller because it
decreases the load on your back."
4. Your blood pressure and heart decrease.
When you're resting, your body doesn't need to work
as hard or pump as much blood, so these systems
slow down. Blood pressure needs to dip at night so
your cardiac muscle and circulatory system have time
to relax and repair, says Dr. Breus. It's especially
important for people with high blood pressure to get
at least seven hours of sleep to experience that
temporary drop — it reduces the risk for heart
disease. And if you have sleep apnea, get treatment
right away because that condition can increase
nighttime blood pressure, says Dr. Breus.
5. Your muscles are temporarily paralyzed.
Sounds scary, but it's actually what keeps you from
acting out your dreams, says Lisa Shives, MD, an
internist and sleep medicine specialist and the
medical expert forSleepBetter.org.
6. Your eyes twitch.
During REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, your eyes
dart from side to side, not that scientists know why
exactly. Dreams occur during REM sleep, so it can be
disconcerting to wake up during this deep — not light
— sleep stage. You might feel most refreshed if you
wake up right after you cycle through all the sleep
stages, with REM occurring toward the end. Though
it varies from person to person, one sleep cycle
usually lasts 90 minutes, so try sleeping in intervals
of 90 minutes. For example, you may find it easier to
awaken after sleeping for 7.5 hours (five cycles) than
after 8 hours (5 1/3 cycles).
7. You get sexually aroused.
Just as men get erections during REM sleep, women
become sexually stimulated then, too. And no, it's
not tied to whether you're having that Brad Pitt
dream again. Your brain is more active during REM
sleep (since you're dreaming), so it requires more
oxygen — as a result, blood flow all over the body
increases. "There is natural clitoral engorgement
because blood rushes to that area and causes
swelling," says Dr. Shives. Does that make you more
likely to orgasm if you engage in middle-of-the-night
nooky? Scientists aren't sure, but go ahead and
experiment!
8. You're more likely to have gas.
You won't be happy to hear this, but during the
night, your anal sphincter muscles loosen slightly,
making it easier to let out a toot or two. Luckily, your
sense of smell (and your spouse's) are reduced while
you sleep — that's why fire alarms were invented,
because it's hard to smell smoke while you're
snoozing. So even if you experience flatulence, rest
assured: Nobody is likely to notice.
9. You may have a full-body spasm.
"As people fall asleep, many of them experience a
full-body jerk, and it's totally normal," says Dr.
Shives. As many as 70% of people experience this
phenomenon in which muscles suddenly contract
(the technical name for it is "hypnic jerk"). Some
experts think that these spasms may have to do with
anxiety and/or an irregular sleep schedule, while
others think they're unavoidable. So if you like to
snuggle with your spouse as you wind down in bed,
be sure to pry yourselves apart before you're both out
cold, or else you may accidentally shake each other
awake.
10. Collagen production in your skin
increases.
Collagen is a protein that strengthens blood vessels
and gives skin its elasticity. When you're asleep,
you're in a fasting state, so growth hormone is
released to tell your fat cells to release energy stores
— as it turns out, growth hormone also stimulates
collagen growth. "Since collagen production spikes
while you sleep, moisturizing facial creams that
contain retinols and retinoids are best to use before
bed because these products boost collagen turnover,
combat pigment problems, and fight fine lines and
wrinkles," says Melanie Palm, MD, a dermatologist,
an assistant clinical professor at the University of
California, San Diego, and a staff physician at
Scripps Encinitas Memorial Hospital.
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