​Rest makes the brain happy

Lack of sleep makes one tired, speeds aging, hinders weight management, and weakens both intellectual and mental performance. It is worth going to sleep at 10 pm or at 11 at the latest. This way you are asleep during the peak of melatonin hormone production that makes sleep peaceful and refreshing.

The quality of sleep is affected by the luminosity of the bedroom. During the light season you should use thick blinds that make the bedroom dark even though it’s light outside. Even a small amount of light destroys the deep sleep. One needs at least two and a half hours of deep sleep, only then will sleeping promote also mental health.

According to studies, the sleeper needs six liters of clean air per second, i.e. more than 20 m³ per hour. This is more than when we are awake, because during sleep the body excretes heavily waste products through the skin and breathing. The bedroom air remains fresh with air conditioning, or the window can also be kept open all night. Ventilation in the evening is not enough to guarantee clean air for the whole night. One stays warm by using a warm blanket made of natural fibers, even if the temperature is below 20° C. Then the inflammatory irritation of the respiratory tract is also low; warmer air is often too dry and thus irritates mucous membranes.

It is a good idea to keep the bedroom as a cell phone and electronic gadget free zone. You should also turn off all the electricity in the bedroom. The radiation and magnetic field of different types of electrical equipment such as chargers, weaken sleep.

The best thing for sleep would be to sleep naked. Even loose nightgowns disturb the fluid circulation when you change your position at night. The person sleeping next to you is also a disruption to sleep because we change the position about 20–50 times a night. Ideally, everyone should have their own bedroom, or at least their own bed. Pets should also be kept away from the bedroom.

Relax yourself in the evening by doing something you like, whether it's reading, light exercise or even sauna. This reduces the level of stress hormones, cortisol and adrenaline, which makes one feel good and safe. In the evening you should definitely forget about working on the computer and watching exciting films.

Sleep is an important factor for our health – take its quantity and quality seriously. Cherish and develop your sleep into a good level, so that you wake up refreshed. As a result, there may be a significant improvement in the quality of life and the return of joy into life.

Stress-free life is the way to happiness

To be happy one needs to live as stress-free life as possible. In addition to the stress caused by work and life situations, our brain is subject to stress, caused by the rapid, noisy and pervasive nature of today’s entertainment. This is not natural for our psychological infrastructure. In addition, the brain is stressed by traffic noise and news about violence and disaster.

We are constantly targeted by TV broadcasts, cell phone radiation and waves, and in many places, local network bombardment, the synergy of which is still not well known. In cities, infra-red sounds (sounds below 16 Hz that we cannot hear) are present everywhere, affecting the human nerve system.

To balance the flow of these stressful factors, it is good to consciously calm one’s life. It is good to seek silence every day. Walking in the woods, being in nature or pottering in the garden have a calming effect.

Even if the brain needs rest, it also get refreshed when we do something creative. Write, draw, make music, do crosswords or cross stitches – your brain will thank you. Also meeting friends and other people invigorates the mind. Voluntary work often makes one happy, because it feels good to be able to help others.

You can also actively relax your mind by doing yoga or listening to calming music before going to bed. The day can begin by meditation, or just by emptying your mind for a moment. And for us Finns, there is nothing that makes us relax more than going to sauna!

Vessi Jalkanen

Biohacker
Preventive Health Science Expert
Agronomist, farmer
Chairman of the board, Salli Systems