How long did you sleep tonight? What about the night before? How much sleep do you need? Let's find out how much you need to sleep to feel energetic and rested
Don't store avocado like this: it's dangerous
How long did you sleep tonight? What about the night before? How much sleep do you need? Let's find out how much you need to sleep to feel energetic and rested
Keeping track of your sleep may not be a top priority, but getting enough sleep is essential for health general organism. You may not realize it, but the amount of sleep can affect everything, weight, metabolism, brain function, and mood.
The time you go to sleep, however, tends to vary depending on your social life, working hours, family obligations, or just when you start feeling tired. Even if this changes every night, the alarm clock always rings at the same time in the morning, for this reason it is important to sleep a specific amount of hours in order to function at its best the next day.
Index
How much sleep do you need?
La amount of sleep what you need changes over the course of your life; a newborn baby may need up to 17 hours of sleep each day, while an older adult can get by on just 7 hours of sleep a night.
According l 'American Academy of Pediatrics and CDC, these are the general sleep guidelines divided by different age groups:
- birth at 3 months: 14 to 17 hours
- 4 to 11 months: 12 to 16 hours
- 1 to 2 years: 11 to 14 hours
- 3 to 5 years: 10 to 13 hours
- 6 to 12 years: 9 to 12 hours
- 13 to 18 years: 8 to 10 hours
- 18 to 64 years: 7 to 9 hours
- 65 years and over: 7 to 8 hours
Obviously, the needs related to sleep and rest can be different, even within the same age group. Some people may need at least 9 hours of sleep a night to feel well rested, while others in the same age group may need as much as 7 hours.
Signs that you are not getting enough sleep
La sleep deprivation it's a real thing for many people, especially with increasing work stress. Too little sleep can affect many of your body's systems and restorative functions.
You may also sleep too little due to:
- insomnia
- obstructive sleep apnea
- chronic pain
Some signs that you may not be getting enough sleep are:
- you are sleepy during the day
- you are more irritable or moody
- you are less productive and focused
- your appetite increased
- your judgment and decision making are not what they usually are
- the skin shows dark circles, dull complexion, drooping corners of the mouth
Uno study of 2020 showed that sleep deprivation doubles the odds of making placement errors and triples the number of drops in attention. Additionally, sleep and mental health are closely linked with the disorders they contribute to depression and anxiety.
What are the stages of sleep?
Hours of sleep are based on:
- your alarm clock
- five or six 90-minute sleep cycles
- 15 minutes to fall asleep
When you fall asleep, your brain and body go through several cycles. Each cycle comprises four distinct phases. The first three stages are part of sleeping with non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and the last stage is the REM sleep (Rapid Eye Movement).
NREM stages were classified as stages 1, 2, 3, 4 and REM. They are now generally classified like this:
- N1 (formerly phase 1): this is the first phase of sleep and the period between waking and falling asleep
- N2 (formerly stage 2): The onset of sleep begins at this stage when you become unaware of your surroundings. The body temperature drops slightly and breathing and heart rate become regular
- N3 (formerly stages 3 and 4): This is the deepest, most restorative sleep stage during which breathing slows, blood pressure drops, muscles relax, hormones are released, healing occurs, and the body is re-energized
- REM: This is the final stage of the sleep cycle. It takes up about 25% of the sleep cycle. This is when your brain is most active and dreams occur. During this phase, your eyes move back and forth rapidly under the lids. REM sleep helps improve your mental and physical performance when you wake up
It takes, on average, about 90 minutes to run each cycle. If you can complete five cycles a night, you would sleep 7,5 hours a night. Six full cycles are about 9 hours of sleep. Ideally, you should wake up at the end of a sleep cycle instead of in the middle of it, to feel more refreshed and energetic. (Read also: Stages of sleep, what are they and how many hours of deep sleep does your body need to regenerate?)
Why is sleep important?
Sleep is critical for many reasons, such as:
- regulates the release of hormones that control appetite, metabolism, growth and healing
- increases brain function, concentration, concentration and productivity
- reduces the risk of heart disease hit out
- helps with weight management
- keeps your immune system healthy
- reduces the risk of chronic health conditions, such as diabetes and hypertension
- improves athletic performance, reaction time and speed
- can reduce the risk of depression
Tips for better sleep
improve sleep health, consider the following tips.
During the day:
- exercise regularly, but try to plan your workouts at least a few hours before bed. Exercising too close to bedtime can lead to disrupted sleep (Also Read: This is the best time to train according to a new study)
- increase exposure to sunlight or bright lights during the day. This can help maintain your body's circadian rhythms, which affect your sleep-wake cycle
- try not to take long naps, especially in the late afternoon
- try to wake up at the same time every day.
Before going to bed:
- limit alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine in the evening. These substances have the potential to disrupt sleep or make it difficult to fall asleep
- turn off electronic devices at least 30 minutes before going to sleep. The light from these devices can stimulate the brain and make it more difficult to fall asleep
- get into the habit of a soothing routine before bed, such as taking a hot bath or listening to soothing music
- turn off the lights just before bed to help your brain know it's time to sleep
- turn down the thermostat in the bedroom. 18,3 ° C is an ideal temperature for sleeping.
To bed:
- avoid looking at screens such as TV, laptop or phone once you are in bed
- read a book or listen to white noise to help you relax once you're in bed
- close your eyes, relax your muscles and focus on regular breathing
- if you can't fall asleep, get out of bed and move to another room. Read a book or listen to some music until you start to feel tired, then go back to bed.
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On sleep disorders could it be interesting for you:
- Do you always wake up at the same time at night? What it means and what your body wants to tell you
- How to live longer: this simple and free daily habit is the secret of longevity
- Here's how your nutrition can help you sleep better at night
- Going to bed early and sleeping well improves college performance. The MIT study
- Sleeping with the TV and lights on makes you gain weight
- Sharing the bedroom with your dog improves sleep quality
- Women need more sleep (at least 20 minutes), here's why
