Sleep on time very important. Without an adequate amount of sleep, mental and physical health can suffer.
There are more than 100 million Americans of all ages who are not getting an adequate amount of sleep. Not getting enough sleep can have untoward consequences on school and work performance, interpersonal relationships, health, and safety.
How much sleep do I need
Experts generally recommend that adults sleep at least 7½ to 8 hours per night, although some people require more and some less.
A recent National Sleep Foundation Sleep in America poll found that adults (age 18-54) sleep an average of 6.4 hours per night on weekdays and 7.7 hours on weekends. The poll showed a downward trend in sleep time over the past several years. People sleeping less hours use the internet at night or bring work home from the office. Sleep loss can lead to daytime sleepiness that adversely affects performance.
The National Sleep Foundation also reported that older adults (age 55-84) average 7 hours of sleep on weekdays and 7.1 hours on weekends. Sleep is most often disturbed by the need to use the bathroom and physical pain or discomfort in older adults.
A downward trend in sleep time has also been observed in children. Optimal sleep time varies by age. An earlier Sleep in America poll found a discrepancy between recommended and actual sleep time in children, with actual sleep time 1.5 to 2 hours less than recommended. Caffeine consumption caused a loss of 3 to 5 hours of sleep and having a television in the bedroom contributed to a loss of 2 hours of sleep each week in children.
So, This is how we will be calculating that how much sleep do I need.
Why is sleep so important?
The quality of your sleep directly affects your mental and physical health and the quality of your waking life, including your productivity, emotional balance, brain and heart health, immune system, creativity, vitality, and even your weight. No other activity delivers so many benefits with so little effort!
When you’re scrambling to meet the demands of a busy schedule, though, or just finding it hard to sleep at night, getting by on less hours may seem like a good solution. But even minimal sleep loss can take a substantial toll on your mood, energy, mental sharpness, and ability to handle stress. And over the long-term, chronic sleep loss can wreak havoc on your mental and physical health.
Sleep isn’t merely a time when your body shuts off. While you rest, your brain stays busy, overseeing biological maintenance that keeps your body running in top condition, preparing you for the day ahead. Without enough hours of restorative sleep, you won’t be able to work, learn, create, and communicate at a level even close to your true potential. Regularly skimp on “service” and you’re headed for a major mental and physical breakdown.
The good news is that you don’t have to choose between health and productivity. By addressing any sleep problems and making time to get the sleep you need each night, your energy, efficiency, and overall health will go up. In fact, you’ll likely get much more done during the day than if you were skimping on shuteye and trying to work longer. We must focus on these things as sleep is also one of the most important criteria for best holistic healthy life.
What are some tips for getting a good night’s sleep?
- Create an optimal sleep environment by making sure that your bedroom is comfortable, cool, quiet, and dark. If noise keeps you awake, try using background sounds like “white noise” or earplugs. If light interferes with your sleep, try a sleep mask or blackout curtains.
- Think positive. Avoid going to bed with a negative mind set, such as “If I don’t get enough sleep tonight, how will I ever get through the day tomorrow?”
- Avoid using your bed for anything other than sleep and intimate relations. Do not watch television, eat, work, or use computers in your bedroom.
- Try to clear your mind before bed time by writing things down or making a to-do list earlier in the evening. This is helpful if you tend to worry and think too much in bed at night.
- Establish a regular bedtime and a relaxing routine each night by taking a warm bath, listening to soothing music, or reading. Try relaxation exercises, meditation, biofeedback, or hypnosis. Wake up at the same time each morning, including days off and vacations.
- Stop clock watching. Turn the clock around and use only the alarm for waking up. Leave your bedroom if you can not fall asleep in 20 minutes. Read or engage in a relaxing activity in another room.
- Avoid naps. If you are extremely sleepy, take a nap. But limit naps to less than 30 minutes and no later than 3 pm.
- Avoid stimulants (coffee, teas, cola, cocoa and chocolate) and heavy meals for at least 4 hours before bedtime. Light carbohydrate snacks such as milk, yogurt, or crackers may help you fall asleep easier.
- Avoid alcohol and tobacco for at least 4 hours before bedtime and during the night.
- Exercise regularly, but not within 4 hours of bedtime if you have trouble sleeping.
- Excessive and improper Fasting If we are doing something like fasting , we must do in proper way so that we get the benefits of fasting in right way and it will not impact our sleep.
How Sleep time cycle works
Waking up easy is all about timing. Sleep time cycle alarm clock tracks your sleep patterns and wakes you up during light sleep. Waking up during light sleep feels like waking up naturally rested without an alarm clock.
Stages of sleep
During sleep, you usually go through five stages of sleep. Simplified, stages 1-2 are light sleep, 3-4 deep sleep, and the fifth stage is REM sleep, also referred to as rapid eye movement sleep. The dream state.
The first is light sleep and in this stage, you drift in and out of sleep. Your eyes move slowly, your muscle activity is slow, and you would be easy to wake up.
In the second stage, your body starts preparing for deep sleep. Eye movements and brain waves slow down, your body temperature drops, and your heart rate slows down.
Entering the third stage, you are now in deep sleep. Extremely slow brain waves called delta waves are intermixed with smaller, faster brain waves.
In stage four, you stay in deep sleep and your brain almost exclusively produces the slow delta waves, guiding you towards the fifth stage.
Entering the last stage, stage five, also called REM sleep. Now your eyes are closed but move rapidly from side-to-side, due to the intense dream and brain activity you go through in this stage.