Experts from brown University (Rhode island) have discovered why many people can’t sleep away from home.
The fact that the new place they perceive as insecure, and while sleeping one of the hemispheres of the brain keeps increased activity. The study is published in the journal Current Biology, reports “Russian newspaper”.
The researchers used different methods of scanning the brain (magnetoencephalography, polysomnography,structural MRI) in 11 healthy volunteers. These people suggested sleep two nights in the laboratory.
The subjects, being in an unfamiliar place, it is more difficult to sleep. In addition, during the experiment, they periodically lost different sounds in the headphones.
During the first night activity slow brain waves (“speaking” about the depth of the sleep) in the left hemisphere was much lower than in the right. Furthermore, the reaction of the left hemisphere to sounds in the headphones was much faster and “brighter”.
The results are consistent with the hypothesis that difficulty sleeping in a new environment is necessary for survival in a potentially dangerous place, say the study authors. — The left hemisphere of the brain remains more alert, faster sleep and Wake up, if you notice unfamiliar signals.
Approximately the same mechanism is observed in animals. So, “odnopolchane” sleep is characteristic of some birds and marine mammals, such as whales and dolphins. This allows them to remain vigilant and periodically rise to the surface for breathing.
However, the authors note that the human brain easily adapts. That’s why people often go on business trips, constant sleep problems do not experience.
Sometimes to reduce the “first night effect” can be, if you take your pillow to a new location. Can also help reduce bright lights and turn off screens two hours before bedtime, reducing caffeine consumption in the afternoon.
