Sleep is just as important for good health as diet and exercise. Good sleep improves your brain performance, mood, and overall health. Not getting enough quality sleep regularly raises the risk of many diseases and disorders; ranging from heart disease and stroke to obesity and dementia.
There is more to good sleep than just the hours spent in bed. Healthy sleep encompasses three major points.
1. How much sleep you get
How much sleep you need changes with age. Experts recommend school-age children get at least nine hours a night and teenagers get between eight and 10. Most adults need at least seven hours or more of sleep each night.
2. Sleep quality
Getting uninterrupted and refreshing sleep. People who work the night shift or irregular schedules may find getting quality sleep extra challenging. Times of great stress can also disrupt normal sleep routines.
3. A consistent sleep schedule
A sleep myth is that you can “catch up” on your days off. If you have one bad night’s sleep and take a nap, or sleep longer the next night it can benefit you. If you have a week’s worth of getting too little sleep, the weekend is not sufficient for you to catch up.
Getting Better Sleep
If you’re having trouble sleeping, hearing how important it is may be frustrating. However, simple things can improve your odds of a good night’s sleep.
- Stick to a sleep schedule. Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on the weekends.
- Create a good sleeping environment. Keep the temperature cool if possible. Get rid of sound and light distractions by making it dark and silencing your cell phone.
- Avoid nicotine and caffeine. Both are stimulants that keep you awake. Caffeine can take six to eight hours to wear off completely.
It’s not always quiet where I live, but I find that earplugs make a big difference in terms of letting me sleep.