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May 6, 2009 · "The Perfect Sleep" puts me in mind of a flywheel spinning in the void. It is all burnished brass and shining steel, perfectly balanced as it hums in its orbit; yet, because it occupies a void, it satisfies only itself and touches nothing else.
Mar 13, 2009 · The Perfect Sleep: Directed by Jeremy Alter. With Anton Pardoe, Anthony Dilio, David Beck, Ken Clark. Against the backdrop of a noirish dreamscape, a tortured man returns to the city he swore he would never return to, in order to save the woman he has always loved yet can never have.
- (1.2K)
- Action, Drama, Romance
- Jeremy Alter
- 2009-03-13
- 3 min
- Invest in a Better Mattress and Bedding. Having the best mattress for your needs and preferences is vital to making sure that you are comfortable enough to relax.
- Block Out Light. Excess light exposure can throw off your sleep and circadian rhythm. Blackout curtains over your windows or a sleep mask over your eyes can block light and prevent it from interfering with your rest.
- Minimize Noise. Keeping noise to a minimum is an important part of building a sleep-friendly bedroom. If you cannot eliminate nearby sources of noise, consider drowning them out with a fan or white noise machine.
- Set the Thermostat to 65 to 68 Degrees Fahrenheit. You do not want your bedroom temperature to be a distraction by feeling too hot or too cold. The ideal temperature can vary based on the individual, but most research supports sleeping in a cooler room that is around 65 to 68 degrees.
- Overview
- 1. Increase bright light exposure during the day
- 2. Reduce blue light exposure in the evening
- 3. Don’t consume caffeine late in the day
- 4. Reduce irregular or long daytime naps
- 5. Try to sleep and wake at consistent times
- 6. Take a melatonin supplement
- 7. Consider these other supplements
- 8. Don’t drink alcohol
- 9. Optimize your bedroom environment
Making changes to your diet and lifestyle may help improve sleep quality. Certain supplements and natural remedies could also be beneficial.
A good night’s sleep is just as important as regular exercise and a healthy diet.
Research shows that poor sleep has immediate negative effects on your hormones, exercise performance, and brain function.
It can also cause weight gain and increase disease risk in both adults and children.
In contrast, good sleep can help you eat less, exercise better, and be healthier.
Over the past few decades, both sleep quality and quantity has declined. In fact, many people regularly get poor sleep.
Your body has a natural time-keeping clock known as your circadian rhythm.
It affects your brain, body, and hormones, helping you stay awake and telling your body when it’s time to sleep.
Natural sunlight or bright light during the day helps keep your circadian rhythm healthy. This improves daytime energy, as well as nighttime sleep quality and duration.
In people with insomnia, daytime bright light exposure improved sleep quality and duration. It also reduced the time it took to fall asleep by 83%.
A similar study in older adults found that 2 hours of bright light exposure during the day increased the amount of sleep by 2 hours and sleep efficiency by 80%.
While most research involves people with severe sleep issues, daily light exposure will most likely help you even if you experience average sleep.
Exposure to light during the day is beneficial, but nighttime light exposure has the opposite effect.
Again, this is due to its effect on your circadian rhythm, tricking your brain into thinking it’s still daytime. This reduces hormones like melatonin, which help you relax and get deep sleep.
Blue light — which electronic devices like smartphones and computers emit in large amounts — is the worst in this regard.
There are several popular methods you can use to reduce nighttime blue light exposure. These include:
•Wear glasses that block blue light.
•Download an app such as f.lux to block blue light on your laptop or computer.
Caffeine has numerous benefits and is consumed by 90% of the U.S. population.
A single dose can enhance focus, energy, and sports performance.
However, when consumed late in the day, caffeine stimulates your nervous system and may stop your body from naturally relaxing at night.
In one study, consuming caffeine up to 6 hours before bed significantly worsened sleep quality.
Caffeine can stay elevated in your blood for 6–8 hours. Therefore, drinking large amounts of coffee after 3–4 p.m. is not recommended, especially if you’re sensitive to caffeine or have trouble sleeping.
If you do crave a cup of coffee in the late afternoon or evening, stick with decaffeinated coffee.
While short power naps are beneficial, long or irregular napping during the day can negatively affect your sleep.
Sleeping in the daytime can confuse your internal clock, meaning that you may struggle to sleep at night.
In fact, in one study, participants ended up being sleepier during the day after taking daytime naps.
Another study noted that while napping for 30 minutes or less can enhance daytime brain function, longer naps can harm health and sleep quality.
However, some studies demonstrate that those who are used to taking regular daytime naps don’t experience poor sleep quality or disrupted sleep at night.
If you take regular daytime naps and sleep well, you shouldn’t worry. The effects of napping depend on the individual.
Your body’s circadian rhythm functions on a set loop, aligning itself with sunrise and sunset.
Being consistent with your sleep and waking times can aid long-term sleep quality.
One study noted that participants who had irregular sleeping patterns and went to bed late on the weekends reported poor sleep.
Other studies have highlighted that irregular sleep patterns can alter your circadian rhythm and levels of melatonin, which signal your brain to sleep.
If you struggle with sleep, try to get in the habit of waking up and going to bed at similar times. After several weeks, you may not even need an alarm.
SUMMARY
Melatonin is a key sleep hormone that tells your brain when it’s time to relax and head to bed.
Melatonin supplements are an extremely popular sleep aid.
Often used to treat insomnia, melatonin may be one of the easiest ways to fall asleep faster.
In one study, taking 2 mg of melatonin before bed improved sleep quality and energy the next day and helped people fall asleep faster.
In another study, half of the group fell asleep faster and had a 15% improvement in sleep quality.
Additionally, no withdrawal effects were reported in either of the above studies.
Several supplements can induce relaxation and help you sleep, including:
•Ginkgo biloba: A natural herb with many benefits, it may aid sleep, relaxation, and stress reduction, but the evidence is limited. Take 250 mg 30–60 minutes before bed.
•Glycine: A few studies show that taking 3 grams of the amino acid glycine can improve sleep quality.
•Valerian root: Several studies suggest that valerian can help you fall asleep and improve sleep quality. Take 500 mg before bed.
•Magnesium: Responsible for over 600 reactions within your body, magnesium can improve relaxation and enhance sleep quality.
•L-theanine: An amino acid, L-theanine can improve relaxation and sleep. Take 100–200 mg before bed.
Having a couple of drinks at night can negatively affect your sleep and hormones.
Alcohol is known to cause or increase the symptoms of sleep apnea, snoring, and disrupted sleep patterns.
It also alters nighttime melatonin production, which plays a key role in your body’s circadian rhythm.
Another study found that alcohol consumption at night decreased the natural nighttime elevations in human growth hormone (HGH), which plays a role in your circadian rhythm and has many other key functions.
SUMMARY
Avoid alcohol before bed, as it can reduce nighttime melatonin production and lead to disrupted sleep patterns.
Many people believe that the bedroom environment and its setup are key factors in getting a good night’s sleep.
These factors include temperature, noise, external lights, and furniture arrangement.
Numerous studies point out that external noise, often from traffic, can cause poor sleep and long-term health issues.
In one study on the bedroom environment of women, around 50% of participants noticed improved sleep quality when noise and light diminished.
To optimize your bedroom environment, try to minimize external noise, light, and artificial lights from devices like alarm clocks. Make sure your bedroom is a quiet, relaxing, clean, and enjoyable place.
SUMMARY
- Rudy Mawer, Msc, CISSN
Is The Perfect Sleep streaming? Find out where to watch online amongst 200+ services including Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video.
- Jeremy Alter
- 99 min
- 2
Dec 22, 2023 · Proper sleep is an essential part of human functioning. Find out how much sleep you need, learn how to identify sleep problems, and get tips for better sleep.
This unique world provides the foundation for the dark and vivid dreamscape of The Perfect Sleep. In a timeless city, a man with no known name (Anton Pardoe) returns to the violent, brutal underworld of assassins he escaped ten years earlier.
