• Question: Why don't we go to sleep straight away when we want? (We can stand up whenever we want straight away but we can't just go to sleep that quick)

    Asked by soggysheepy to Andrew, SarahJane on 28 Jun 2013.
    • Photo: Sarah-Jane Walsh

      Sarah-Jane Walsh answered on 28 Jun 2013:

      Have you heard the phrase mind is racing? It’s a bit like that, our mind is not mentally prepared for sleeping its still working at full speed as it was during the day. However you can change this by having a sleep routine, you train your mind to prepare to shut down, like when you shut down your computer. If your watching tv or doing work right up till bed then you will have a longer shut down as your mind is closing down all it’s applications, but if you stop doing everything 30mins before bed then your brain has stopped everything running and is ready to shut down.

    • Photo: Andrew Manches

      Andrew Manches answered on 28 Jun 2013:

      To do something when we want means we have conscious control over the action. We can consciously control the muscles to make us stand up. We don’t have the same control over entering sleep. However, there are four stages of sleep that cycle several times a night. The first of these seems just like being very relaxed. So in that way, you can do stuff to help enter this phase (i.e. don’t stand up…)

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