Every person is unique. What may work for one may not always work for the other. This also applies to how many hours of sleep a person needs a night. The average is 8 hours, but it can vary depending upon a number of factors.
Here at Sleepyhead, we are all about promoting healthy sleeping habits. In this post, we are going to be discussing how you can determine how much sleep you need for a restful night.
Why is sleep important?
Your body goes into healing mode when you sleep. It is during sleep that your cells regenerate and your brain rests.
Sleep has 4 stages, namely:
Stage 1: Drowsiness
Stage 2: Light Sleep
Stage 3: Deep Sleep
Stage 4: REM (Rapid Eye Movement) Sleep
Getting to the stage of REM sleep is essential because it is at this time that the brain logs memories. If you do not attain much REM sleep, memory loss becomes the order of the day.
Sleep deprivation can trouble your health in the long run, with slurring speech, amnesia, dissociation, and lowered immunity being some of the effects it has on the body.
Being sleep deprived is not just about getting less sleep than required, it is also about getting low quality sleep.
Signs of not getting sufficient restful sleep:
- Frequent yawning throughout the day
- Feeling lethargic all the time
- Difficulty in focusing on simple tasks
- Difficulty in performing optimally at work
- Lack of willpower to indulge in any physical activity
- Experiencing mood swings
- Eating too much or too little
- Feeling dissociated when someone is talking to you while driving and while eating
Causes of insufficient sleep
Some of the causes of insufficient and irregular sleep are listed below:
- Sleeping disorders like Insomnia, Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS), REM Sleep Behaviour Disorder, Sleep Apnea
- Waking and working hours that interfere with your natural sleep cycle
- Stressing about the future and events that are out of your control
- Living in a very noisy neighbourhood
- Sleeping on an uncomfortable mattress
- Having dependents like children or elders to attend to frequently
- Poor diet and unhealthy habits like abusing certain drugs for recreational purposes
How to know how much sleep to get for a restful night:
There is a way to determine how much sleep you need for a restful night. You need to keep in mind the following points:
1. Calculate how much you sleep currently
Check your watch every night before you go to bed, and look at it again once you wake up. Make a note of your timings and the number of hours you are sleeping. As an adult, you should be getting at least 8 hours of undisturbed sleep a night.
It is worth noting the time it takes for you to fall asleep once you’re in your bed. This may indicate if you have a comfortable bed and mattress. If you need help with this, checkout the amazing range of Sleepyhead mattresses that are best suited for your specific needs.
2. Get to know the quality of your sleep
To fully determine how much sleep you need a night, you need to first understand what your current sleep pattern is like.
- How do you feel when you go to bed?
- Are you exhausted? Are you anxious?
- Do you feel your heart beat faster or slower?
- What time did you last eat?
- How do your muscles feel? Sore or relaxed?
- Were you comfortable?
- Were you in and out of sleep a lot?
- Was there a lot of noise?
- Did your mattress and bed feel comfortable?
- Did you feel too cold or too hot?
- When you wake up, try to remember how you slept. Do you feel fresh and ready to take on the day?
Answer these questions on a daily basis for at least a week before coming to a conclusion. Maintain a sleep schedule diary, if necessary. This may give you an indication if something is wrong.
Winter can affect your sleep schedule. Know how
3. Include some tech
Smart watches help you monitor your sleep quality, heart rate, sleep duration, continuity, and external factors that promote healthy sleep. Consistency is important. Once you have enough data, it’s easier to make an informed decision or change in lifestyle on that basis. Technology can act as an efficient enabler for that.
4. Age and genes
Remember that every individual might have different sleeping needs based on their genetics, age, and other factors. Genetics will determine if a person becomes a night owl or an early bird. The biological clock that regulates sleep in individuals might work differently for each of us depending on our ages. Children need more sleep compared to adults.
5. Exercise or physical activity
There is a direct relationship between the exercise or physical activity a person indulges in and the amount of sleep that they need for the healthy functioning of their body. Exercising regularly improves your sleep cycle and lowers the risk of diseases.
6. Compare against international average sleep time:
Check out the data below to see if you are falling within the range mentioned:
[su_table]
| Age Group |
Range |
Recommended Hours of Sleep Per Day |
| Newborn |
0–3 months |
14–17 hours |
| Infant |
4–12 months |
12–16 hours |
| Toddler |
1–2 years |
11–14 hours |
| Preschool |
3–5 years |
10–13 hours |
| School Age |
6–12 years |
9–12 hours |
| Teen |
13–18 years |
8–10 hours |
| Adult |
18–60 years |
7 or more hours |
| Adult |
61–64 years |
7–9 hours |
| Adult |
65 years and older |
7–8 hours |
[/su_table]
Source:
CDC
These do not take into account existing medical conditions and special cases, if any.
The 6 points you have read will help you determine how much sleep you need and how well you are sleeping. Now that you are aware of what the recommended amount of sleep is for you, it is time to take the much needed corrective action to make sure that you achieve it.
Eat a balanced diet, work hard, exercise well, and sleep well. To help you in creating the ideal environment for healthy sleeping, Sleepyhead products are available at prices 60% lower than retail.
Have a good night!
