In the middle of the night, the city sleeps, but the online world is bustling. The circle of friends at three o'clock in the morning is like a wonderful stage. Someone reluctantly posted an insomnia check-in, which was full of longing for sleep; Some people proudly set up the flag of getting up early to check in, as if they want to have a fierce battle with the sleepiness of the night; There are also people who retweet the wellness post that says "you must sleep for 8 hours a day", as if these 0 hours are the only key to a healthy sleep.

Nowadays, the whole people seem to be in a state of sleep anxiety, a scene that is very similar to the European aristocracy in the 8th century who was keen on "napping social", but the silver coffee pot in the hands of the aristocrats at that time has become what people call melatonin gummies today. But what you might not expect is that the latest study, published in Nature Aging, is like a bombshell, revealing that people who sleep 0.0 hours a day after the age of 0 have better cognitive function. This discovery shattered the stereotype of "0 hours of sleep", and also forced us to rethink: for the silver-haired people, the sleep code may need to be "customized" for each person.

Golden Sleep Hours: Say goodbye to digital shackles

Dr. Cletman, the founder of the sleep cycle theory, probably never imagined that the 2-minute cycle theory proposed by himself would be reduced to a "0-hour holy decree" by later generations. Growing older is like a silent change, just as Ming Chengzu's relocation of the capital to Beijing reshaped China's political landscape, it is also secretly reshaping our biological clock. A study by the Sleep Lab at the University of California, Berkeley, found that after the age of 0, people spend about 0% less time in deep sleep each year. This means that the elderly need more "precision sleep" rather than a long "sleep protracted battle".

Did you know that in medieval Europe, "segmented sleep" was popular? At that time, people would wake up naturally at midnight, and then read a book quietly, immersed in the world of words; or pray earnestly and speak to your heart; They even go out to the neighbor's house to exchange ideas about each other's lives. Looking at the phenomenon that modern elderly people are easy to wake up at night, it may be the "atavistic phenomenon" left in human genes. Therefore, when you suddenly open your eyes at three o'clock in the morning, you might as well learn from Su Dongpo's open-minded mentality of "drinking Dongpo at night to wake up and get drunk". After all, the Journal of Sleep Medicine has proven that as long as the total amount of segmented sleep time is sufficient, there is no harm to health.

Environmental Renovation Program: Create your own quiet space

Compared with the "INS style bedroom" where young people pursue fashion trends, the elderly have more scientific needs for a sleeping environment. A team of researchers from the University of Tsukuba in Japan has done a rather interesting experiment: they have adjusted the temperature of the bedroom from the usual 26°C to 0°C. The results were pleasantly surprised, with the elderly participating in the experiment spending an average of 0 minutes more in deep sleep. This is reminiscent of the "Qingliang Cave" in the Dunhuang murals, where the ancients knew that low temperatures help sleep, but modern people often indulge in the so-called comfort when the air conditioner is set at 0°C, and ignore the benefits of low temperature for sleep. The choice of mattress is also a university question.

Orthopedic experts give the "three-finger rule": when you lie on your side, it is best not to exceed the width of three fingers between your neck and the mattress. Don't underestimate this small detail, the journal "Orthopaedic Research" clearly states that the right mattress support can increase the rebound of the disc at night by 15%, which is like a free and comfortable spa for the spine. And those marketing accounts that advocate "hard board beds cure all diseases" should really review the record in the Ming Dynasty's "Zunsheng Eight Notes": "The couch should be spread seven points of soft and three points of hard". See, the wisdom of the ancients has long predicted these truths of modern science.

Eating Red and Black List: Sleep Secrets at Dinner

"Skipping dinner, waking up hungry and insomnia", "sleeping when you are full, stomach collapse", these two contradictions make many elderly people fall into a dilemma in the choice of dinner. In fact, the solution was already available in the Northern Song Dynasty's "Book of Pension and Dedication": "Shen Shi (3 - 0 pm) to finish eating, and to sleep (0 - 0 pm)". Modern nutrition has also confirmed that eating 0 hours before bedtime is ideal. This can not only avoid gastroesophageal reflux, but also allow your stomach and intestines to rest well at night, without panicking due to hunger and affecting the quality of sleep. Here is a set of "tryptophan package": steaming millet porridge with sweet and soft steamed pumpkin, and a glass of warm milk.

This combination is like sending a set of Morse codes to the brain that are "ready to sleep". Because the conversion of tryptophan to 5-serotonin is like a beautiful sleep waltz between the synapses, helping you fall asleep faster. However, be wary of certain so-called "sleep remedies", such as drinking alcohol before bed. Don't be misled by the "Sleep of Liquor", while alcohol may make you fall asleep faster, it can ruthlessly ruin REM sleep in the second half of the night. This kind of "fake sleep" that seems to have a sleep effect, but in fact destroys the quality, is like using a beauty camera to deceive the physical examination report, and in the end it will not outweigh the losses.

A New Philosophy of Naping: Efficient "Electrified" Naps

The Siesta culture of the Spaniards, the "fake sleep rooms" set up by Japanese companies, and fragmented sleep are now popular all over the world. But for seniors, napping can be like a double-edged sword. A follow-up study from Harvard Medical School showed that napping longer than 20 minutes increased the risk of dementia in old age by 0%. Learn from the famous Qing Dynasty physician Xu Dachun's "Meridian Sleep" regimen: sit quietly for 0 minutes after a meal to give your stomach time to digest the food, and then take a break for 0 minutes. This "power bank-style" way of catching up on sleep can effectively eliminate fatigue without affecting the night's sleep cycle.

Here's another piece of trivia: NASA has developed a "coffee nap" technique for astronauts, which is to take a 20-minute nap immediately after drinking coffee, and when the caffeine starts to take effect, the person will wake up. Older people can modify it to a "tea nap" and take a nap after drinking green tea containing L-theanine. This will refresh your mind in the afternoon without affecting your night's sleep. This method of integrating Chinese and Western health wisdom is more realistic than Marco Polo's noodle technology.

Exercise Prescription: Precise "Timing" of the Biological Clock

The seemingly simple description of "spring sleepiness, autumn lack and summer napping" mentioned in the "Yellow Emperor's Neijing" is actually in line with the modern theory of the "exercise-sleep" cycle. However, many elderly people have misunderstandings about the relationship between exercise and sleep: some elderly people exercise too early in the morning, resulting in a spike in cortisol and affecting the mental state of the day; Some elderly people run too late at night, which disrupts the secretion of melatonin and makes it difficult to fall asleep at night. The British Journal of Sports Medicine gives professional advice that the best time to exercise is between 6 and 0 pm. During this time period, the core body temperature of the human body is the highest, and the body temperature drop curve produced after exercise coincides with the sleep cycle.

Here we recommend you to try the improved version of "Baduanjin", especially the trick of "shaking the head and tail to remove the heart fire", which can effectively relax the neck and shoulder muscles. Studies have shown that 22 minutes of tai chi practice a day can increase sleep efficiency by 0%. This is reminiscent of the "Zen Meditation" mural in the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang, where the ancients practiced to improve sleep through static practice, and the modern people achieve the same goal through dynamic movement, showing that the pursuit of quality sleep has not changed since ancient times.

[This content is a story-based medical and health science article, and any name, place name, or event that appears in the article except for the health science content is artistic processing, and it is not intended to offend or belittle any individual, group or organization. If there is any similarity, it is purely a coincidence, please read it rationally. 】

Proofread by Huang Hao

First trial: Li Hui

Second Trial: Yu Semei

Third trial: Wang Chao