Z.E.S.S.T. Zombie Encounter Strike & Survival Team

Sleep is a very important part of keeping healthy. Both your body and mind need sleep, and without proper rest you will likely not survive in any disaster situation. This guide will address the functions of sleep, what can impede a good nights sleep, and various important aspects of sleep.

Stages of Sleep: In order to get the most out of sleep, we must understand how it works. While sleeping, our mind goes through 90-120 minute cycles of five stages of sleep:

1. Stage One- This stage lasts about ten minutes. In this stage, the mind and body relax, but the sleeper is still aware of his surroundings. If awakened, the sleeper might say they were "just dozing".
2. Stage Two- Lasts about twenty minutes. The person is now asleep, and body temperature and heart rate begin to slow.
3. Stage Three- Lasts about 30 minutes. This is the transition stage from light sleep to heavy sleep. The sleeper is somewhat hard to awaken.
4. Stage Four- Lasts about 20-30 minutes. Deepest sleep, sleeper is very hard to awaken. During this stage, the senses are almost completely turned off. Sleep walking and bed wetting usually occur in this stage.
5. Stage Five- R.E.M. (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep, in which the sleeper dreams. The longer one sleeps and the cycles repeat themselves, the longer Stage Five sleep lasts. During this stage, brain activity increases, yet muscles become paralyzed. Before descending to Stage Five sleep, the cycles reverse from Stage Four, and the sleeper goes into Stage Three, then Two sleep before entering REM sleep. [3]

Functions of Sleep:

• Your body rests and repairs itself- Without adequate rest, you cannot function at your peak performance; this could mean life or death in some situations. Lack of sleep has also been shown to reduce the abilities of the immune system.
• The mind relaxes- In a disaster situation, you will be thinking at a fast pace, which is tiring for the mind; it needs its rest, just like your body.
• Information is organized and stored- They say that before an exam, its good to look over the exam material the night before, and this function is the reason. While you won't be taking exams during a disaster situation, your mind needs to assess the situation at hand in order to make good decisions.
• We enter R.E.M. sleep and dream- Dreaming is vital to our well-being. When we are deprived of the ability to dream, we become disoriented and irritable. When we don't sleep for more than 72 hours, we begin to hallucinate; dreaming is our mind's safe way to hallucinate, which may be a necessary function of the brain. Hallucinating can occur not only when deprived of sleep or on certain drugs, but may also occur during periods of high emotion, concentration, or fatigue. Because these states of mind are common during a disaster situation, it is important to let your brain hallucinate in sleep so that hallucinations are less likely to manifest in your waking hours. [8, 9]

As you can see, sleep is very important. However, the stress of a disaster situation, and possibly the moaning of zombies, will make it hard to sleep.

Natural Sleep Aids: For the insomniac or the occasional difficult night, there are natural ways which can help induce sleep. Remember, as with all drugs, natural remedies can have side effects and risks. There is no regulation for herbal products, and therefore dosage may depend on the brand you buy or type you find. Don't use anything you don't know what will do to your body, and if possible, talk to a doctor about these aids, especially if you are on medication already. The following is a list of natural herbs and drugs one can take:

• Melatonin- is a hormone naturally produced by the body which regulates the body's circadian rhythms. Melatonin may reduce the time it takes to fall asleep and increase the duration of sleep. However, melatonin may cause feelings of grogginess or an incomplete sleep. Studies of short term use say using the hormone is harmless, but there have not been long term studies on humans yet. Melatonin must be bought in a drugstore as it is not an herb or naturally growing.
• Valerian- is a herb that has been long used as a remedy for insomnia. In many places, it is an over the counter medicine. Valerian is not believed to be addictive or cause grogginess in the morning, yet Valerian doesn't work for everyone. Some findings show that Valerian may be more effective if taken for a longer period of time(3-4 weeks). There may also be a headache associated with using Valerian. Valerian has been introduced to North America, and originates from Europe and parts of Asia. The active ingredient lies in the root of the Valerian plant. A picture of a Valerian plant: [9] To prepare Valerian: [quote="http://nuannaarpoq.wordpress.com/thalassas-herbal/valerian"]How To Prepare To prepare Valerian tea, combine 3 to 5 grams (about 1 teaspoonful) of crushed Valerian with 150 milliliters hot water (about two-thirds cup), steep for 10 to 15 minutes, then strain. To make a bath additive, combine 100 grams (about one-half cup) of crushed Valerian with 2 quarts of hot water for each full bath. A variety of commercial preparations are available in capsule and tablet form. Typical Dosage For relief of insomnia, typical doses of Valerian extract range from 400 to 900 milligrams 30 minutes before bedtime. Because the potency of commercial tablets and capsules may vary, follow the manufacturer’s directions whenever available. For other forms of the herb, the following daily dosages are commonly recommended: Powder: 15 grams (about 3 teaspoonfuls) Tea: 2 to 3 cups daily, including 1 before bedtime Alcohol solution: 1 to 3 milliliters (about one-quarter to one-half teaspoonful) 1 or more times per day Alcohol solution (1:5): 15 to 20 drops in water several times daily Pressed juice: 1 tablespoonful 3 times daily for adults; 1 teaspoonful 3 times daily for children[/quote] [7] Be forewarned: Valerian is said to smell of old socks.
• Chamomile- an herbal remedy that has been used for centuries. Chamomile also has anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. A German chamomile is best taken as a tea. Roman chamomile has a bitter taste and may be taken as an herbal mixture. Both types cause a calming effect for many people. Chamomile should not be used during pregnancy. Chamomile can be found on almost every continent and is a fairly common plant. This is a picture of a Chamomile flower: [11] To prepare a Chamomile tea: 1. Find chamomile flowers and pick them. They usually grow in patches close to the ground, so they're easily spotted and obtained. About a hand full is a good amount. 2. Fill a pot or pan with water and boil it. Rinse off the flowers in cool water and put them into the boiling water. About two or three teaspoons of the flower per cup of water is a good balance. Fresh or dried flowers make no difference. 3. Let the flowers and water boil for a few minutes, then the tea is ready. Sugar or honey may be added as well. [10]
• Kava- an herbal remedy used for stress and anxiety relief. Kava induces relaxation without hindering memory or motor function. However, kava is now considered unsafe due to a possibility of liver toxicity. Because it is considered unsafe, I needn't go into explaining where to find it.
• Tryptophan- a chemical which is necessary for serotonin production in the brain. Research has shown that serotonin is involved in sleep and deep sleep. Since tryptophan is in milk and warm milk helps some people fall asleep, tryptophan has been much sought after. However, use of trytophan yielded side-effects for some, but not all: skin tightening, joint pain, muscle aches, and weakness. These people also developed anxiety, depression, and learning difficulties. Some people died. The effects of tryptophan are still being studied, and though it is not available as a dietary supplement, tryptophan can be put into your diet through food sources such as turkey, cheese, nuts, beans, eggs, and milk. You may also boost seratonin levels by eating foods rich in carbohydrates.
• 5-hydroxtryptophan(5-HTP)- a derivative of tryptophan, and also the precursor to melatonin, which regulates sleep cycles. Some findings show that 5-HTP may ease symptoms of depression, anxiety, and insomnia. Other studies show that 5-HTP may be useful in controlling appetite and pain. There are also a few studies that show no benefit with supplementation of 5-HTP. It is available as a medicine, but may interact with other medications and drugs.
• Catnip- Apparently catnip can be relaxing for humans, but this is just speculation right now and no studies have been conducted.
• Passionflower- also known as maypop. Widely used for insomnia, and can have a calming effect.
• Hops- another herb which may promote sleep, but there is no conclusive evidence yet. [5]

Along with natural drugs, there are also techniques one can use to relax and induce sleep. The following is a whole body relaxation technique:
From Sleep Aid Tips:
1. Lie down on your back, facing the ceiling, with your body in a straight line, with shoulders relaxed and aligned.
2. The arms should be straight – but not rigid – with elbows alongside the waist, palms turned upwards toward the ceiling.
3. Relax your head and close your eyes.
4. Breathe in deeply down to your diaphragm (lower abdomen), so that your belly rises with each breath, and allow your body to sink into the floor.
5. Breathe out slowly and relax.
6. Focus attention on your breathing: listen as you inhale and exhale each breath and notice how quiet and how deep your breathing can become.
7. Repeat for as long as possible, preferably up to ten minutes of peace and relaxation. When completed, gently stretch your body to get your blood circulating a little faster, and slowly stand up.

There are numerous other specialized relaxation techniques. For the sake of space, I'll just give you the link to the page here. [6]

Factors which determine a good night's sleep:

• Regular Sleep Schedule- Our bodies have a "circadian rhythm", which is our usual time of sleeping and waking up. Keeping a regular sleep schedule will help you get a fuller sleep. This means going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, even on weekends. The body can tolerate at most a one hour difference of disruption from the circadian rhythm; further disruption causes one to feel tired the next day. Thus, this is why some experience "The Mondays"; they stay up late all weekend, then try to go back to their work schedule the next Monday, causing their circadian rhythm to be disrupted.
• Bedtime Routine- Do something relaxing before going to bed to get yourself ready to sleep. Doing something stressful or exiting before going to sleep will make it harder to sleep soundly. Also, avoiding very bright lights will get your mind ready to dream. Taking a hot bath, if available, may also help.
• Environment- This will likely be the hardest factor to control in a disaster situation. Whatever shelter you find will likely not be very sleep friendly due to noise, temperature, or the unpredictable nature of your surroundings. The ideal sleeping environment is quiet, cool, and dark. If quiet is not possible, try earplugs or headphones with relaxing music. If dark is not possible, an eye shade will help. Keeping cool may be especially difficult, but a fan or proper clothing may help.
• Comfort- This will probably also be difficult in a disaster situation, but not impossible. Having a good mattress and pillow is ideal, but mosses and comfortable grasses will do as well. Try to keep allergens out of the sleeping area as well. I usually keep a box of tissues by my bed because of my allergies, and because getting up makes it harder to go back to sleep.
• Bedroom anxieties- Having things which cause stress or anxiety in the bedroom may disrupt sleep. For example, if seeing a clock causes you to worry about when you need to get up, remove the clock from sight. If there's a window with zombies knocking on the outside of it, you're definitely not getting to sleep there either. Sleep in a stress-free environment if possible.
• Eating- Try to finish eating 2-3 hours before going to sleep. Eating too much may make you feel full and bloated, which may make it hard to sleep. Spicy foods may also cause heartburn, so avoid those before bedtime. Don't drink too many fluids either, or your sleep may be constantly interrupted by trips to the bathroom.
• Exercise- Exercising regularly will make it easier to fall asleep, but exercising sporadically or right before bed will make sleeping more difficult; we become more alert and our body temperature rises. Finishing exercise at least three hours before sleeping and exercising in the late afternoon will ensure the best sleep.
• Drugs- Drugs affect the body in all sorts of ways, few of which are helpful. Even sleeping pills can be bad in a disaster situation as they cause a very heavy sleep and disrupt dreaming, as most depressant drugs do. One can also build a tolerance to sleeping pills, and they may also be addictive. Alcohol in particular should be avoided for these reasons, plus the fact that alcohol can cause nighttime awakenings. Stimulants such as caffeine or nicotine can also cause a restless sleep and awakenings, and users will have trouble falling asleep. Caffeine in particular can affect a person for up to six hours. [1]

Napping: Napping has been associated with laziness and weakness, but naps are sometimes very useful. As with many mammals, most people get tired in the late afternoon, around 1 pm to 3 pm. A short nap can rejuvenate the body, improve focus, and if the nap lasts long enough, improve learning and memory. Depending on the situation, naps may vary in their length of time:

• 20 minute naps- yields mostly Stage Two sleep. 20 minute naps often increase alertness and concentration, as well as elevating mood and sharpening motor skills. If you want to boost alertness on waking, drink something with caffeine in it; caffeine usually takes about twenty to thirty minutes to take effect.
• 45 minute naps- have been known to include REM sleep, which enhances creative thinking and boosts memory processing. If you need to wake up quickly, limit your naps to under 45 minutes. Otherwise, you may feel groggy after waking from a nap which lasts longer.
• 90-120 minute naps- usually allow the mind to go through all stages of sleep, allowing your mind to clear itself, improve memory recall, and catch up on lost sleep. If a nap is long enough to go through all the stages, it may limit grogginess after the nap.

Napping tips:
Set an alarm- oversleeping is never a good thing
Have a light blanket- in case you get cold, but nothing too heavy, since too much warmth may make you oversleep
Find somewhere to lay down- it takes longer to fall asleep when upright
Eliminate noise and light- your sleep will be fuller
Relax your body- concentrate on relaxing your muscles one group at a time, and breathe deeply
Quiet your mind- do something repetitive and relaxing with your thoughts, like counting sheep. However, thinking about sleeping will not help you get there any faster.
Find out your "chronotype"- people can be either a lark, an early riser(waking as early as 6 am and going to sleep around 9 or 10 pm), or an owl, a late riser(waking as late as 8 or 9 am and going to sleep around midnight or 1 am). Naturally, if you wake up earlier, you'll want to nap earlier as well, closer to 1 pm. Likewise, if you wake up later, you'll want to nap later, closer to 3 pm. [2]

Microsleeping: Another thing to consider is the phenomena of "microsleeps", or short bits of heavy sleep. Microsleeps often occur when a person is excessively tired but trying to stay awake while performing a monotonous task. Microsleeps can actually be dangerous as they are uncontrollable bursts of sleep which usually occur without the sleeper knowing. In fact, microsleeps usually occur with the sleeper's eyes open. They may last from a few seconds to a few minutes, during which time the sleeper does not respond to outside information. Microsleeps have been known to help people be more awake and alert the next day, but is not a solution to sleeping; your body will tire eventually, and microsleep episodes will occur when you don't want them to which may be hazardous to yourself and those around you. [4]

Polyphasic Sleeping This is something that I just stumbled on. Apparently the body can be adjusted into taking six 20 minute naps spaced every four hours throughout the day and be rested all day. Since R.E.M. sleep is known to be the most important part of sleeping, and sleep deprivation causes R.E.M. rebound, it makes sense that short naps of heavy R.E.M. sleep fulfill the R.E.M. sleep requirement your body needs. Apparently it takes 7-14 days to convert to a polyphasic sleeping schedule. There is one major drawback of a polyphasic sleep schedule: if you stray from the nap schedule by more than a half hour(on the six naps only method), the whole schedule will be ruined and you will feel exhausted for days. The other problem is that most schedules and daily lives revolve around a monophasic sleep schedule, the one most of us use(sleep in one large block). Switching to a polyphasic schedule may cause social problems due to the rigor necessary to keep the schedule. It is also unknown how outside influences affect the system, such as drugs, alcohol, and even being active affect the cycle. [12, 13] This method seems viable in theory; however, not much research has been done looking into it, and most of the experiments have been conducted by bloggers instead of accredited scientists. Because we actually know so little about how sleep works, it is unknown as to whether this is safe or not. If you decide to do adapt to a polyphasic sleep schedule, do so at your own risk.

Lucid Dreaming: A lucid dream is when one becomes aware that they are dreaming while dreaming. In doing so, lucid dreamers report being able to control their dreams, as well as explore themselves through their subconscious. Why add this dream technique to a guide about sleep? Being that in disaster situations you will be getting less sleep, you will be entering dream sleep much faster and will likely have more vivid dreams. And more likely than not, your dreams will become nightmares. To allow yourself a good dream, you can control it to keep your sleep a peaceful one.
Methods - Preparing to become lucid
While there are no "perfect" methods on which to go by(after all, our brains are all different), these general guidelines will get you on your way to lucid dreaming. Developing your own methods may be necessary for the highest lucidity rate.

1. Practicing Dream Recall: Having a lucid dream and not remembering it won't be any fun for you. Plus, by recognizing dream elements, it will be easier for you to become lucid. Dream recalling is actually simpler than one might believe; simply wanting to remember your dreams makes it easier to do so. Also, keeping a dream journal or other recording device near your bed so you can record your dreams as soon as you wake up. Wait much longer and they slip away from your memory.
2. Performing Reality Checks: Reality checks are little checks to do throughout the day to make sure you're not dreaming. When thinking about it enough, it will eventually carry over to your dreams, and hopefully allow for lucidity when you realize you are dreaming. The following are a list of reality checks one can perform throughout the day.
   • Looking at a clock to see if it stays constant; if it doesn't, you're dreaming.
   • Looking at a body of text. If it changes, you're dreaming.
   • Looking in a mirror. Your image often appears blurry in a dream
   • Looking at your hands; you will not likely have five fingers in a dream
   • Jumping into the air; you can fly in dreams
   • Poking yourself; your flesh may be more elastic in dreams
   • Pinch yourself/bite yourself; you can't feel pain in a dream
3. Immerse yourself in the subject of lucid dreaming: the more you're thinking about it, the more likely you are to have the mindset of questioning reality carry over into your dreams.

Methods: Improving the quality of your lucid dreams
If you've been practicing the above techniques, you may find that you've gotten a lucid dream. It may not have been very long or how you wanted it to go, but be proud of yourself that you've at least gotten there. The following are methods of improving your lucid dreaming experience:

1. Learn the best time to have a lucid dream: Learning when your body will enter R.E.M. sleep will allow you to set yourself up to have a lucid dream much more effectively. Dreams most often occur during mid-day naps and at the end of our sleep cycles.
2. Prolonging lucid dreams: It is said that spinning your body around in circles may help if you feel yourself waking up. It is also cautioned that you will not only probably find yourself in a new setting, but that you may lose lucidity if you don't remind yourself that you're dreaming. Rubbing your hands together is also said to prevent the feeling of lying in bed.
3. Set a goal: If you find yourself lucid but don't know what to do with it, you probably won't have as much fun had you set a goal for yourself. Figure out what you want to do once you get a lucid dream and try to accomplish it once you become lucid.
4. False Awakenings: This is apparently quite common when lucid dreaming; perform a reality check whenever you wake up to make sure you aren't still asleep.

Unsuccessful?
Don't worry about it! Getting frustrated won't help. Just keep working at it and figure out what allows your body to have the most amount of lucid dream sleep. It is common for the first few lucid dreams to be short or unproductive because you are so exited about being able to lucid dream. With time and practice this should fade, and you will be able to exercise a greater control over your dreams. There are many pages on the internet about lucid dreaming which have quite a few tips and techniques in them. One such site is here. [14]

Sources:
[1] The Sleep Foundation- Healthy Sleep Tips
[2] How to nap - Boston.com
[3] Stages of Sleep
[4] Microsleeps
[5] Natural Sleep Drugs
[6] Relaxation techniques
[7] About Valerian, including preparation of Valerian Tea
[8] Glencoe's Understanding Psychology Textbook
[9] Sleep - Wikipedia
[10] How to make homemade Chamomile tea
[11] Chamomile, Medicinal Herb Use, Chamomile Pictures
[12] Polyphasic Sleeping
[13] Wikipedia - Polyphasic Sleeping
[14] How to Lucid Dream - WikiHow

See this article's originally posted location here: http://ww2.zombieinitiative.org/node/3863