Why is sleep important? Does it really matter if you only get 6 hours of sleep per night instead of 7 or 8? What happens if you get more than 8 hours of sleep? Can sleep help you lose weight? Can sleep prevent you from getting sick?
According to the National Institute of Health, “sleep plays a vital role in good health and well-being throughout your life. Getting enough quality sleep at the right times can help protect your mental health, physical health, quality of life, and safety. The way you feel while you're awake depends in part on what happens while you're sleeping. During sleep, your body is working to support healthy brain function and maintain your physical health. In children and teens, sleep also helps support growth and development. The damage from sleep deficiency can occur in an instant (such as a car crash), or it can harm you over time. For example, ongoing sleep deficiency can raise your risk for some chronic health problems. It also can affect how well you think, react, work, learn, and get along with others.”
It makes sense when you look at the effects of sleep deprivation!
But what constitutes sleep deprivation? How many hours of sleep do you really need? Check out the following recommended sleep chart provided by the National Sleep Foundation.
As an adult 25-64 years old, writing this article, I should aim for 7-9 hours of sleep nightly. Can you imagine if I am deficient even 1 hour a night? That’s 7 hours per week, 28-31 hours per month, 365 hours a year!
But wait…if sleep deprivation contributes to all of these negative health issues, then more MUST be better, right?! Well, actually, NO. According to www.webmd.com, “oversleeping has been linked to a host of medical problems as well, including diabetes, heart disease, and increased risk of death”.
Getting the right amount of sleep does seem to be very important to our health so why is the majority of the population sleep deprived. According to Precision Nutrition, there are typically 2 reasons (both we can control), why we have poor sleep.
1. We stay up late on purpose.
a. Voluntary bedtime delay such as watching TV, going out with friends, overbooking our days, reading a book and more.
2. We have a poor sleep ritual.
a. Good sleep doesn’t just magically happen. You need time to transition from a busy day and relaxation.
How do you go about changing this? Precision Nutrition recommends the following 11 tips for a great night sleep.
1. Decide on a bedtime in advance and start planning for it 1-2 hours in advance.
2. Limit your caffeine to the morning with no caffeinated beverages after 2pm.
3. 1-2 hours before bed, take out a piece of paper and do a brain dump.
4. Turn off all electronic screens (TV, computer, electronic readers…etc) an hour before bed.
5. Make yourself some decaf tea, listen to soft music and read something light.
6. Turn off all gadgets and put them in another room.
7. Set your bedroom temperature to 67-70°F.
8. Take an Epsom salts bath before bed.
9. Dim the lights. Darken your bedroom.
10. Try some white noise.
11. Developing a sleep ritual can take time. Continue the behaviors even if the outcome of sleep takes longer to come around.
I hope these tips are helpful in your quest to find better sleep. Stay tuned for next time to learn what to do when sleep rituals are not enough.
Hayley Earley, BS, CSCS, Pn1
hearley@mvhospital.net
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