How Much Sleep Do You Really Need? We have noticed especially with our friends that the older they get the less sleep they seem to need. We are not sure if they just cannot get to sleep or they need less sleep. I remember my mother saying that she spent a lot of sleepless nights as she got older. She always looked real tired to. Now my wife and I are starting to experience the same thing. If we get a good nights sleep, we are so amazed and thankful!
One night my wife went to the casino around 1 AM with our neighbors. Thats right one o’clock in the morning. She thought the place would be empty. Was she ever wrong. It was filled with seniors who could not sleep!
Not everyone requires the same amount of sleep to get by, however the rule of thumb seems to be an average of 7 hours sleep a night. If you are not getting this much sleep then you may become sleep deprived which can cause all kinds of problems. If you can awaken feeling refreshed without an alarm clock, then you are probably doing ok with regards to getting enough sleep.
Some people need more sleep than others. This need is based on genes, age, sex, and previous sleep amount, among other things. It also varies across the life cycle.
Sleep Deprivation and Health
Sleep loss increases the risk of high blood pressure, inflammation, weight gain, and diseases associated with these risk factors, such as diabetes and heart disease. Sleep loss can also impair the performance and mood.
The effects of sleep loss build up without us even being aware of it and results in decreased performance, poor mood, and health problems.
Sleep deprivation, too, can have deadly consequence such as falling asleep while driving and many deadly accidents occur every year.
Determining Your Sleep Needs
There are a number of ways to test if you are getting sufficient sleep. You may already know the answer, but here are a few ways to test your assumptions:
- Do you need an alarm clock to wake.
- Try going to sleep 15 minutes earlier. Do you still need an alarm clock? If you do, push your bedtime up another 15 minutes.
- Do you need caffeine to stay awake, if yes you are probably not getting enough sleep.
- Do you have issues such as sleep apnea that are affecting your sleep quality. Sleep apnea is marked by intermittent pauses in breathing during sleep.
- Do awake refreshed
- Do you always feel tired
- Do you fall asleep on the couch after supper
There are many ways to tell if you are getting enough good quality sleep and if you think that you are not, you may want to consider changing your lifestyle to enhance your sleeping patterns. You may also want to check with a doctor if you feel that there are some other underlying reasons for not getting sufficient sleep.
What Works for People
Not everything works for everybody, since we are different. You might want to try some of these to see if they help you”
- Get into a routine before going to bed
- Read for awhile in bed, only boring stuff
- Turn the TV off and don’t watch TV in bed
- Your bed room should be a place of tranquility
- Avoid caffeine from lunchtime on
- Stay away from any stimulants
- Take a shower or bath before going to bed
- Don’t watch exciting shows just before you go to bed
If you know of other ideas, that work for you, please leave your comments. Our readers will appreciate any help they can get to help them sleep more and better.
