You know those people in your life who claim they can survive on just a few hours of sleep a night? 🙄
The ones who get up before the crack of dawn to go for a run and stay up late accomplishing something important? They might seem superhuman, but they actually should be sleeping at least seven hours nightly like the rest of us mere mortals. 😅
So, how much do we need?
The National Sleep Foundation, made up of 18 scientists and researchers from organizations like the American Neurological Association, the American Geriatrics Society and Human Anatomy and Physiology Society, performed an in-depth two-year study. It resulted in slightly altering those recommended sleep ranges we’re familiar with.
What changed? Well, adults between 26 and 64 still should get between seven and nine hours of sleep, but the suggested sleep ranges for most kids widened because not everyone needs the exact same amount of sleep. The gap does narrow, though, once we’ve reached the age of 65, to between seven and eight hours.
If you regularly get seven hours of sleep but find yourself struggling to stay awake during the day, you might require closer to the nine-hour upper limit. Or your quality of sleep might be lacking. It’s important, not just for productivity, to sleep soundly for the recommended amount of time.
How can we improve?
Because we know the common factors that often interfere with our ability to catch some Zs, there are, thankfully, ways we can help improve ours (or our kids’) sleep.
Go to bed and get up at the same time every day. OK, so this one is easier said than done, but try to be more consistent with your sleep schedule.
Work out daily. You’ll fall asleep faster.
Figure out your sleep stealers and make adjustments. Like Goldilocks, you might discover that your mattress is too hard or too soft, your bedroom is too hot or too cold, or it’s too loud or even too quiet.
Another logical tip that may be hard to enact – keep electronic devices out of the bedroom. These include TVs, smartphones and computers – all those things we’re addicted to.
Don’t overeat or drink too much alcohol before bedtime.
For more help, take a sleep aid that uses natural ingredients to encourage your body to relax and destress. Valerian root and chamomile are a couple of plant-based sleep assistants. The product I personally recommend uses these ingredients in its premium, sequential gel formula that’s designed to promote sleep health by getting you to fall asleep and remain asleep until it’s time to wake up.
Tip: keep electronic devices out of the bedroom.
These include TVs, smartphones and computers.
What benefits do we get from quality sleep?
Good sleep doesn’t just help us feel bright eyed and bushy tailed when we wake up. It also has a lot of long-term health implications that can benefit us in all aspects of our lives.
We’re less prone to obesity. People who sleep poorly or not enough weigh more than average. This can be attributed to a few factors, including metabolic changes, lack of energy or motivation to exercise and a tendency to eat more. Plus, the risk of type 2 diabetes rises when we don’t sleep well or enough
We can think better. Our memory, problem-solving skills and more are positively affected. So, when you get a good night’s sleep, you’ll be more likely to remember where your keys are or figure out how to make both your client and your boss happy.
We don’t call in sick as much. (At least, not legitimately!) Our immune system performs a lot better when we sleep the minimum recommendation of seven hours.
We decrease our chances of heart disease and stroke, as well as inflammation and cell damage.
We’re healthier mentally and emotionally. People who have trouble sleeping are more prone to depression. They’re also less able to process emotions, their own and those of the people around them. We’ve all been on the receiving end of that – and it’s usually not pretty!
Experiment with what works best for you and your family to make sure you’re all getting the restorative sleep you need to be healthy, productive, and happy!
