Sleep is as essential as food and water. Sleep improves both physical and mental health.  Clocking in at least seven hours of good night’s sleep on a regular schedule can reduce stress levels and improve overall well-being. Shorter sleep will negatively impact our quality (shorter) life. 

Malaysians Are Not Sleeping Enough

It has been observed that people worldwide are sleeping less each night, averaging 7.0 hours of sleep per night (compared to 7.1 hours in 2019). On weekdays, they sleep an average of 6.8 hours, which is similar to 2019, while on weekends they sleep for 7.5 hours (compared to 7.9 hours in 2019). A survey conducted in 2018 by Nielsen revealed that Malaysian adults sleep for an average of only 6.4 hours per night.

Although many of us may think that nothing happens when we sleep and that it is a waste of productive time to sleep too much, sleep research studies conducted in the past few decades have shown that sleep is more than just resting our tired bodies. Our brains remain active throughout the night, and sleep has distinct stages that cycle predictably throughout the night.

What Happens When We Sleep?

Our body has an internal clock known as the circadian clock. It is responsible for regulating our sleep-wake cycle. This clock is triggered by external cues such as daylight, which makes us alert, and darkness, which makes us drowsy. However, it can also be triggered by artificial bright light, especially blue light from electronic devices. Additionally, stimulants like caffeine can make us feel awake even during nighttime.

When we sleep, our bodies go through different stages:

1. REM (Rapid Eye Movement or Dream Sleep)

• During REM sleep, your eyes move quickly in different directions, and this is when dreaming often occurs.
• Despite the name, the brain is highly active during REM sleep, similar to when you're awake.
• Your voluntary muscles become temporarily paralyzed, preventing you from acting out your dreams.
• REM sleep is associated with creativity, problem-solving, and emotional processing. It's crucial for a good night's sleep and overall well-being.

2. non-REM sleep

• Non-REM sleep includes different stages, such as light sleep and deep sleep.
• In non-REM sleep, your eye movements are slower and less frequent compared to REM sleep.
• The brain gradually slows down from wakefulness to deep sleep, and this is the time when your body restores and repairs itself.
• Unlike REM sleep, your muscles are not paralyzed during non-REM sleep, and you may move around more.
• Non-REM sleep is essential for physical restoration, immune function, and memory consolidation.

In simple terms, REM sleep is when you dream, and your brain is very active, while non-REM sleep includes different stages that focus on physical restoration and memory consolidation. Both REM and non-REM sleep are vital for a well-rounded, restorative sleep cycle.

We repeat these two cycles 4-6 times during the night, with short wake-ups in between. Each cycle takes around 90 minutes, but the type of sleep we get changes throughout the night. At the start, we get mostly deep sleep for the first 90 minutes, laying the groundwork for a good night's rest.

Sleeping is a Journey

Let’s imagine sleep as a journey.

Deep Sleep:

- Purpose: Think of deep sleep as a time when your brain is like a busy worker delivering important packages (information) to different places for long-term storage.

- Activity: Your brain is focused on organizing and storing all the things you've learned and experienced during the day.

- Analogy: It's like a delivery service ensuring that the information you gathered gets safely stored in the right places for future use.

Light Sleep:

- Purpose: Light sleep is like a cleaning crew that comes in after the busy work of deep sleep. Its job is to tidy up and clear out unnecessary things to make room for new information.

- Activity: During light sleep, your brain removes some memories and refreshes itself, preparing for the next day.

- Analogy: Imagine a cleaning crew that sweeps away unnecessary clutter, making your brain ready for new learning and experiences.

In simple terms, deep sleep is when your brain is actively organizing and storing information, while light sleep is like a clean-up crew that refreshes your mind for the next day. Both are essential for a healthy and productive sleep cycle. Missing any part of our sleep, whether it's deep, light, or REM sleep, leads to reduced memory, learning, and understanding.

Getting a good night's sleep involves more than just the number of hours spent in bed. According to a sleep expert at the National Institute of Health, there are three key aspects to healthy sleep. Firstly, it's important to get the right amount of sleep. Secondly, your sleep quality is important - you should aim for uninterrupted and refreshing sleep. Finally, maintaining a consistent sleep schedule is crucial for good sleep hygiene.

Many people believe that they can make up for lost sleep by sleeping in later or taking naps on subsequent days. However, these methods can harm the body's sleep cycle and prevent it from reaching deeper stages of sleep.

Saffron – A Spice Of Gold 

Saffron is a spice extracted from the stigmas of the Crocus sativus plant. Saffron threads are fine and orange-red, and the cultivation requires intensive labour and time making it a highly priced spice.

Aside from being used in colouring and flavouring agents, saffron also has been widely used in traditional medicine as an herbal therapy in the Middle East and Mediterranean countries.

There are three main bioactive components in saffron, including volatile agents (safranal), bitter principles (picrocrocin), and dye materials (crocetin and its glycoside, crocin). Studies found that saffron and its bioactive compound crocin have a significant effect in improving sleep quality, especially on non-REM sleep (Deep and Light sleep) without shortening REM sleep. 

Kordel’s Slipvel for A Good Slumber

Kordel’s Slipvel has a unique formula featuring the patented Affron® Saffron extract, which has been clinically proven to improve mood, reduce anxiety, alleviate occasional stress, and promote better sleep.

Affron® - USA Award-Winning Herb Ingredient

Affron® is a premium Saffron ingredient standardized to >3.5% Lepticrosalides (crocins > 3.5%, safranal 0.03%), which is responsible for beneficial properties and organoleptic properties of Affron®.

It uses a patented low-temperature proprietary extraction process that creates superior Saffron quality with long-lasting active stability and with the lowest daily dosage of only 28mg.

Affron® is backed by 8 human clinical studies that have shown to improve the quality of sleep, improve stress and mental disorders such as depression. 

In a randomized double-blind controlled trial, 63 healthy adults with self-reported sleep problems were given Affron® for 28 days, the sleep quality improved in just 7 days. It is shown that there is a greater reduction in awakenings after sleep onset and an increase in alertness upon awakening. 

Affron® is clinically shown to support restorative sleep and has not indicated to come with any adverse effects. It is an all-natural, Halal and Kosher certified, non-GMO extract, with the lowest dosage of 28mg per day, a rapid one-hour absorption rate, and high bioavailability. Its strong product differentiation earned the Frost & Sullivan New Product Innovation Award in 2020.

Embark on a restful journey with Kordel's Slipvel, your trusted companion in overcoming sleep challenges, ensuring each night is a soothing and rejuvenating experience for a brighter, more energized day ahead!