I often hear people say, "I've been having trouble sleeping lately..." but what indicators do you use to tell if your sleep is shallow?
This time, we will answer a simple question that is often asked: "Is this evidence that I'm not getting enough sleep?"
If you think you're a shallow sleeper, it's actually just your imagination!



Q1. Will sleeping in a bad position leave you feeling tired?
Q2. Is snoring a sign of shallow sleep?
Q3. Are people with their eyes half-open tired?
Q4. Does getting up frequently to go to the bathroom disrupt your sleep?
Q5. Do you have a light sleep when you remember your dreams?
Bonus: Night shifts, staying up all night... Does an irregular lifestyle make you more likely to have irregular periods?

Q1. Will sleeping in a bad position leave you feeling tired?

During the night, people turn over in their sleep about 10 to 20 times, helping to circulate bodily fluids such as blood and lymph evenly and maintaining the temperature inside their bedding at an appropriate level.

No one sleeps without tossing and turning.
So you don't have to worry too much about your sleeping position.

However, if you find yourself tossing and turning a lot in the first half of your sleep, be careful.
The first half of sleep is when you are in deep sleep, so you should be sleeping in a stable position.

Your bedroom environment, bedding, etc. may be the cause of your inability to sleep deeply, which may be affecting your sleep when you wake up, so if you think this may be the case, please check it out.

Q2. Is snoring a sign of shallow sleep?

--- 『Yes.』
People who are overweight, have small faces or chins, thick tongues, or enlarged tonsils are more likely to snore.

In most cases, the root of the tongue recedes back into the throat, causing blockage in the throat, making it difficult to breathe and leading to snoring.
People who snore are more likely to have interrupted sleep and have shallow sleep.

If you are concerned about snoring, try sleeping on your side instead of on your back.
Also, be careful as snoring is more likely to occur if you drink alcohol or use an unsuitable pillow.

It's also important to consider that snoring affects not only the sleep of the person snoring, but also that of their sleeping partner.

The biggest problem with snoring is a sleep disorder called sleep apnea.
Breathing cessation lasting more than 20 seconds occurs frequently throughout the night.
This type of sleep not only impairs daytime brain function, but also increases the risk of damage to your health.
It may be a good idea to see a certified sleep medicine physician.

Q3. Are people with their eyes half-open tired?

--- 『No.』
While we sleep, our muscles are relaxed.
Your eyes are especially likely to become dim during REM sleep, when your muscles are relaxed.

For some people, half-closed eyes are not enough and end up with half-closed eyes.

When you are asleep, it is impossible to close your eyes using your muscles.
If your eyes are half-open, it's not because you're tired, it's because you can't help it.

Q4. Does getting up frequently to go to the bathroom disrupt your sleep?

--- 『Yes.』
As diurnal animals, humans are designed to efficiently rest their brains, bodies, and minds by getting long, consistent sleep at night.

Waking up frequently to go to the bathroom is a sign that your sleep quality is not good, and you tend to wake up feeling less refreshed.

As we get older and approach menopause, our sleep tends to become shallower and shorter, and waking up to go to the bathroom often becomes a problem. However, if a young woman who has the ability to sleep finds herself getting up multiple times to go to the bathroom, it is likely that she has consumed too much alcohol or caffeine the night before.

Both alcohol and caffeine have diuretic properties.
In addition, alcohol has the effect of making sleep shallow, and caffeine has a stimulating effect, which, combined with its diuretic effect, may interfere with your sleep at night.
Also, try reviewing your evening eating habits.

Q5. Do you have a light sleep when you remember your dreams?

Although there are individual differences, people enter a dream state approximately every 90 minutes during a night's sleep.

If you sleep for seven hours, you will dream four times.
Normally, the dream state lasts for a long time in the early morning, so you may have vague memories of your dreams, but remembering your dreams is not a big problem.

However, if the dreams you are having are nightmares that continue day after night, it could be a sign of stress or depression in your daily life.
If this is the case, we recommend that you see a psychological counselor or psychiatrist.

[Extra Edition] Can an irregular lifestyle such as working night shifts or staying up all night cause irregular periods?

Although this topic is off topic, which is "Is this evidence of shallow sleep?", I would like to cover this topic as an extra topic, as many women ask about irregular lifestyles and irregular menstruation.

We have biological rhythms called "circadian rhythms," which repeat in cycles of approximately 24 hours, including sleep, eating patterns, and the secretion of various hormones, and "circatrigentin rhythms," which repeat in cycles of approximately one month, such as the menstrual cycle.These rhythms influence each other and create their own rhythms.

It is believed that if you continue to work night shifts or stay up all night, lead an irregular lifestyle, or ignore your circadian rhythm, the rhythms of the various hormones secreted during sleep will be disrupted, which will in turn affect your circadian rhythm and make you more susceptible to adverse effects such as irregular menstrual cycles.

As much as possible, try to keep your bedtime and wake-up times and three meal times consistent every day, enjoy the morning sun when you wake up, and relax in the dim light at night.

Also, be mindful of your dietary habits. Caffeine is said to be related to female hormones and can increase irritability, depression, and anxiety around the time of menstruation.

If you tend to feel blue before your period, in addition to your lifestyle habits, you should also be careful about your caffeine intake before and after your period.