Sleep … Isn’t it NICE?
There are people who enjoy a great night’s sleep each night. They wake up refreshed and ready to go. THE REST OF US sleep here and there, don’t sleep at all this night while sleeping half the night on others nights. Then there are others that “sleep” while really not getting any “good” sleep. Then there are others that sleep a few hours a night and toss, turn and “think” the rest of the night.
We all probably fall into one or a few of these categories. Unless you are in the category that sleeps all night and wake up refreshed and ready to go, you are taking years off your life each year. The lake of sleep affects your health more than feeling tired.
How many hours of sleep do you need?
Average Sleep Needs | |
Age | Hours |
Newborns (0-2 months) | 12 - 18 |
Infants (3 months to 1 year) | 14 - 15 |
Toddlers (1 to 3 years) | 12 - 14 |
Preschoolers (3 to 5 years) | 11 - 13 |
School-aged children (5 to 12 years) | 10 - 11 |
Teens and preteens (12 to 18 years) | 8.5 - 10 |
Adults (18+) | 7.5 - 9 |
Chart Taken from HELPGUIDE.ORG
Definition
A basic definition of enough sleep is getting enough sleep that you wake up feeling alert, refreshed, and ready for the day. The amount of sleep required is different for everyone depending on age, genetics, and physiological factors.
Sleep Deprivation is referred to, in many research studies as interrupted sleep. Interrupted sleep is sleep that does not complete normal sleep cycles.
To better explain this, I will explain sleep cycles.
There are 2 stages of sleep. They are REM and Non-REM.
The Non- REM sleep has four stages; each is a deeper level of sleep than the previous stage. REM (Rapid Eye Movement) Sleep is our “Dream Sleep”. In the deepest stage of sleep, our brain activity is very low and the body’s organs and muscles are in a restorative stage. Non REM sleep, we fall into REM sleep. Here the body is “paralyzed” while our brain is working.
The Sleep Cycle last approximately 90 minutes and we repeat this cycle 4 – 6 times over the course of the night. If all goes well, we wake up refreshed and ready for the day … no matter what it may bring.
Problem comes when a cycle is “broken” or interrupted. All stages of sleep have a function and are important. When the cycle is interrupted, we have to start over from the beginning.
Contributors to interrupted sleep are:
Swing Shifts or Night Shifts - Working different shifts or “odd Hours” throws our bodies a huge curve ball. Swing shifts are the most difficult. You can never really develop a routine that your Circadian Clock can ever really set its self to. Night shifts would not be bad … IF the rest of the world were on it with you. The problem here is coming home to a family that is up while you are sleeping. This also welcomes more outside factors to interrupt your sleep cycle.
Having to wake up during the night by noises, babies, spouses, neighbors, or outer outside factors.
Tobacco and Alcohol – Many believe that these products “relax” them. They do the opposite. Both cause disruptions in the sleep cycle. Think of a car running on some outside source and when that is gone, the car kicks back into running on “normal” gasoline. Tobacco and alcohol are drugs. When the “wear off” your body “kicks” back to reality. Here the body basically has to start the sleep cycle over.
EFFECT
When you do not get your sleep at night, it adds up. Sleep Deprivation means your body is not getting the sleep that we NEED.
Symptoms of Sleep Deprivation include: shallow sleep, awaking early, difficulty falling asleep, and fatigue.
The effects of Sleep Deprivation may seem minor at first. These effects add up and can QUICKY “snowball”. The results of Sleep Deprivation include:
Fatigue, lethargy, and lack of motivation
Mood swings and irritability
Reduced creativity and problem-solving skills
Inability to cope with stress
Reduced immunity; frequent colds and infections
Concentration and memory problems
Weight gain
Impaired motor skills and increased risk of accidents
Difficulty making decisions
Studies have shown that these effects add up and can lead to swings in hormone levels or worse, to include: Increased risk of diabetes, heart disease, and other health problems
SO NOW, We know that we are not getting enough sleep. And NOW we may understand why. BUT WHAT DO WE DO NOW.
According to studies, we can “make up sleep”. Many studies advise that getting an extra hour or two of sleep on the weekend will not fix the problem. It is suggested that we try to spread the
extra sleep over the week, in the form of an extra half hour each night. This allows for gradual changes in our routine. Speaking of change in our routine, Like in our diet and exercise plans, Changes in our routine may be a huge contributor to getting enough sleep.
extra sleep over the week, in the form of an extra half hour each night. This allows for gradual changes in our routine. Speaking of change in our routine, Like in our diet and exercise plans, Changes in our routine may be a huge contributor to getting enough sleep.
Here are a few suggestions:
Keep a consistent bed time … even on the weekends. Designate a time to go to bed and a time to get out of bed. Keep that time a designate SLEEP TIME.
No food or drink other than water 2 – 3 hour prior to bed time
No Caffeine after noon. No reason behind this on other than it allows plenty of time for caffeine to get out of your system before bed time
Do not exercise 2 hours prior to bed time. Exercise elevates heart rate, blood pressure and body temperature. It takes time for these to return to “normal”. The 2 hours AND a nice relaxing bath or shower would help. IF prior to bed is the only time that you can get your exercise, DO IT. Just make it your routine and adjust your schedule accordingly. Allow time to “recover and take time to get that relaxing bath or shower. IT HELPS!
Keep your Bedroom reserved for sleep and sex. Your body and brain get into routines. If you watch TV in bed, Light stimulates the brain and prevents relaxation. If you read “to relax” that is fine, but allow for that in your schedule and keep 7 – 8 hours reserved for sleep.
Keep bedroom cool, and dark. Heat and light stimulate the brain.
These are simple and easy fixes to simple problems. If you have tried these suggestions, and still feel tired or feel the “something is just not right”, PLEASE, ask your doctor about this during your annual physical or check-up, or make an appointment with a sleep expert. Your Health Insurance plans may pay for this as preventative cost (ask your benefits administrator about it). It will help and MAY JUST SAVE YOUR LIFE!!
