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Optimizing your personal sleep cycle can be huge for your health and well-being
Do you struggle to get out of bed each morning? Are you a night owl that takes pride in burning the candle at both ends? While short bouts of insomnia or sleep deprivation are generally nothing to be concerned about, chronic sleep loss can be a serious issue.
While most people instinctively understand that a good night’s sleep is important, few actually make those eight or more hours on the pillow a priority. While everyone’s sleep needs vary, here are standards from the experts and why getting enough sleep is essential.
Understanding the Sleep Cycle
If you want to know what happens when you sleep, this starts with your sleep cycle. This process consists of two phases: NREM (non-rapid eye movement) and REM (rapid eye movement). Both are essential functions for your body.
NREM sleep refers to the sleep that generally accounts for 75-80% of your total night’s sleep. Many health benefits come from NREM sleep. It helps restore energy, grow and repair tissue, and release the hormones essential for development and growth.
REM sleep refers to the sleep that accounts for the other 20-25% of your total sleep each night. This is when your dreams occur, and this stage is essential for the mind to consolidate and process emotions, stress, and memories. It is also considered to be a vital function that stimulates the regions of the brain used to develop new skills and learning.
How Much Sleep is Enough?
Having a healthy and uninterrupted sleep cycle is essential, but how much sleep should you be getting each night? That depends! The amount of sleep you require changes as you age. The Sleep Research Society and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommend:
Age Group: Recommended Hours of Sleep Daily:
- Infants (4-12 months) 12-16 hours (including naps)
- Toddlers (1-2 years) 11-14 hours (including naps)
- Pre-school (3-5 years) 10-13 hours (including naps)
- School Age (6-12 years) 9-12 hours
- Teen (13-18 years) 8-10 hours
- Adult (18-60 years) 7+ hours
These are simply guidelines since everyone’s body and needs are different. One way to tell how much sleep you need each night is to try the no-alarm-clock test. Give yourself several nights to sleep without interruption, including the ability to wake naturally in the morning. How long did you sleep? This is likely your base sleep need.
Why Getting Enough Sleep Is So Important
If you’re not getting enough sleep, it can be more than just frustrating. It can both unhealthy and dangerous. A good night’s sleep not only contributes to your physical, mental, and emotional well-being, but it can also keep you safe and help you operate at peak performance during waking hours.
Some of the reasons that sleep is so important include:
- Good sleep can improve productivity and concentration. Sleep is vital for many aspects of brain function. One study found that lack of sleep can be the equivalent of alcohol intoxication, which also means you’d be a danger on the road, operating heaving machinery, or making life or death decisions in this state. On a positive note, getting the right amount of sleep has been shown to enhance memory performance and improve problem-solving skills in both adults and children.
- Poor sleep can make you overweight. If you’re looking to shed a few pounds, you can start by catching a few more zzz’s each night. Studies show that people who don’t get enough sleep tend to weigh more than those who do. This is due to fluctuations in the hormones that stimulate and suppress appetite.
- Good sleep can improve your physical health. Poor sleepers can suffer from a variety of adverse health effects. For example, people who don’t get enough sleep have a higher risk of heart disease. A lack of adequate sleep is also linked to how your body reacts to insulin, creating a higher risk of diabetes.
- Poor sleep can impact your mental and emotional health. Since sleep helps your brain function properly, a lack of it can lead to serious issues. Poor sleep has been linked with depression and increased risk of suicide. Another study found that sleep loss impacts a person’s ability to socially interact with others.
Tips for Better Sleep Habits
While getting enough sleep is important, sleep quality is equally vital. You might get the recommended hours of sleep per night and still wake up feeling tired or have symptoms of a sleep disorder. If you do have symptoms of a sleep disorder (such as gasping for air or snoring), it’s important to speak with your doctor. Otherwise, some improved sleep habits can help boost your quality of sleep.
- Stick to a strict sleep schedule, even on weekends.
- Add daily exercise to your schedule.
- Sleep on a comfortable mattress and pillows.
- Avoid consuming alcohol, caffeine, or sugar close to bedtime.
- Turn off all electronics before bedtime.
If you want to live a long and healthy life, it’s time to make a sleep a priority. Your sleep schedule should be firm, just like any other daily activity, so avoid compromising on something that contributes to your physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
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This content is sponsored by Andrew Armstrong.
Photo: Shutterstock