9 myths about sleep into which it is time to stop believing

Dream - the most familiar and at the same time incomprehensible to human activity, so it is surrounded by speculation and terrible myths. Heroine gathered popular misconceptions about sleep. We understand if you can wake a sleepwalker, has a sweet or cheese at night and whether to be afraid that swallow a spider while sleeping.

1. During sleep, the brain is resting

Our brain is never at rest, even if you're dead after a sound sleep do not think so. It continues to monitor the work of the body to process entered information per day. This is significantly less active than in the waking mode, but not idleness.

Night actively working the hippocampus, which is responsible for moving information from short-term memory to long-term. That is why to learn something new productive just before bedtime.

2. Dream can be seen only during deep sleep

See the dream is possible at any stage of sleep. During the night we see several dreams, but usually do not remember half of them. Matter what time one sees a dream, may depend on its nature: for example, it is believed that in a paradoxical or rapid phase of dreams most emotional, vivid and memorable, and the slow phase of dreams are more close to reality.

3. If you can not sleep - stay in bed

A common mistake people suffering from insomnia - to stay in bed in order not to chase a dream. In fact, experts recommend trying to fall asleep just 20 minutes - if it did not work, it is necessary to get up and go do something. Obsessive attempts to shut down just yet will irritate the nervous system and create an unhealthy emotional connection between the bed and waking. Try to read or listen to music - and do it so long as you will not feel sleepy again.

Try not to get hung up on the idea that you get up early - it does not help to calm down.

4. Lunatics can not wake up

It is believed that epileptics can not wake up, so as not to hurt their psyche and does not cause aggression. But it is a dangerous delusion. In fact, to wake a person could and should be, especially if he, for example, briskly directed through the window. In this state, it can unknowingly harm themselves and get more injuries than from a sudden awakening. It is better to gently wake a sleepwalker, and send to the bed.

5. You can make up for lost sleep on weekends

The myth about the "sleep off over the weekend" sounds logical, but only in words. A recent study published in Current Biology, reports that attempt to compensate for the missing hours of sleep in his spare time does not negate the negative effects of the lack of proper rest during the week. Much more useful to establish a regime to stick to it and do not move more than an hour.

6. Alcohol will sleep better

I fall asleep you can, and quickly, but do not expect high-quality recreation. Because of the alcohol a person often wakes up at night, including the toilet. In addition, the state of intoxication interferes with the body to dive into the deep phase of sleep, which is what it happen all the recovery processes. So what do you oversleep, maybe for a long time, but it is unlikely you will feel full of energy.

7. If you omit the glass in the car or on the air conditioner - it will not sleep

One of the misconceptions of those who spends much time behind the wheel: the coolness in the car will not fall asleep. For any advice on how to go all night and not sleep on the road, should be treated with skepticism. It is much safer to stay in a suitable place and take a nap of 15-45 minutes, than to suffer the different methods to keep fit.

8. During the night we ingest a few spiders in his sleep

Spooky myth that in a dream, we can easily swallow a spider and not notice - fortunately, only a horror story. You'll be glad to know that the home spider rather frightened a sleeping person (as, indeed, and waking) than decides to crawl around his mouth or nose.

9. From cheese or sweet will have nightmares at night

This strange mystical myth is not supported by any research. In the case of cheese on the contrary: a couple pieces will help to quickly fall asleep. All thanks to the content in the product of tryptophan - an amino acid that is involved in the production of serotonin, and that, in turn, promotes good sleep.