Before the pandemic, I was concerned about the lack of sleep most individuals experienced. Now, since we've been spending much more time at home, my concern has shifted to the quality of an individual's sleep.
As a society, we are plagued by ruinous behaviors that disturb and destroy sleep patterns. Examples of sleep hygiene improvements include: TV, computer or phone use just before bed or when we're actually in bed; eating or drinking alcohol or caffeine too close to bedtime; light and noise that directly disturbs sleep and, of course, the inability to "turn off our brain" to gently ease into slumber.
Many of these issues are an easy fix. Wean yourself and take the TV out of the bedroom; ban technology from your sleep haven; follow common sense and avoid heavy foods, alcohol and caffeine an hour before retiring; make sure your surroundings promote sleep with a soothing, calm atmosphere and read, listen to appropriate music or white noise to calm your brain and help bring on much needed slumber! Turning off the brain is the most challenging for many of us....mindful breathing and meditation appear to be the most valuable distraction to an over-active imagination. Try it!!
Below, see just how much sleep individuals of all ages need. It's surprising!
I suggest you compare recommended sleep cycles with the reality of your lives!
Start good sleep habits as soon as you can, as best you can!
Improving your sleep hygiene, which includes your bedroom setting and sleep-related habits, is an established way to get better rest.
Deciding how much sleep you need means considering your overall health, daily activities, and typical sleep patterns. How Were the Recommendations Created? To create these recommended sleep times, an expert panel of 18 people was convened from different fields of science and medicine. The members of the panel reviewed hundreds of validated research studies about sleep duration and key health outcomes like cardiovascular disease, depression, pain, and diabetes. After studying the evidence, the panel used several rounds of voting and discussion to narrow down the ranges for the amount of sleep needed at different ages. In total, this process took over nine months to complete. Other organizations, such as the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) and Sleep Research Society (SRS) have also published recommendations for the amount of sleep needed for adults and children. In general, these organizations closely coincide in their findings as do similar organizations in Canada. Improve Your Sleep Today: Make Sleep a Priority Once you have a nightly goal based on the hours of sleep that you need, it’s time to start planning for how to make that a reality. Start by making sleep a priority in your schedule. This means budgeting for the hours you need so that work or social activities don’t trade off with sleep. While cutting sleep short may be tempting in the moment, it doesn’t pay off because sleep is essential to being at your best both mentally and physically. Improving your sleep hygiene, which includes your bedroom setting and sleep-related habits, is an established way to get better rest. Including your bedroom temperature and aroma. Getting more sleep is a key part of the equation, but remember that it’s not just about sleep quantity. Quality sleep matters, too, and it’s possible to get the hours that you need but not feel refreshed because your sleep is fragmented or non-restorative. Fortunately, improving sleep hygiene often boosts both the quantity and quality of your sleep.
Once you have a nightly goal based on the hours of sleep that you need, it’s time to start planning for how to make that a reality.
Start by making sleep a priority in your schedule. This means budgeting for the hours you need so that work or social activities don’t trade off with sleep. While cutting sleep short may be tempting in the moment, it doesn’t pay off because sleep is essential to being at your best both mentally and physically.
Examples of sleep hygiene improvements include: If you or a family member are experiencing symptoms such as significant sleepiness during the day, chronic snoring, leg cramps or tingling, difficulty breathing during sleep, chronic insomnia, or another symptom that is preventing you from sleeping well, you should consult your primary care doctor or find a sleep professional to determine the underlying cause.
sleepfoundation.org