I don't know how many times we've been told to make sure we get enough sleep. This advice begins with a child getting ready to go to school, an athlete preparing for a big game, or an adult struggling with life's stresses and health problems. So, what is the true definition of “enough sleep”? To determine the answer, we must pay attention to many variables and also consider the characteristics of the lifestyle that suits what you live. It is impossible to get enough sleep without determining in advance how much sleep your body needs.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Listening to the Body
Step 1. Do a simple sleep test
This method does not take overnight to see the results.
- The time you have to "sleep more" for a few days is your chance to take this test. You may need several nights in a row for best results.
- The first step of the test is to go to bed at a reasonable time. If you're looking for a time when you can get more sleep, maybe you can do it on the weekends or on vacation from work or school. For this test to work, you must try not to stay awake longer than usual because you may sleep longer later in the day. Get accurate results from this test by following a bedtime schedule every night.
- Next, don't set an alarm clock. Sleep until you wake up on your own. If you're like most people, you may have to sleep a lot the first night, maybe even 16 hours or more. This is because you are in a situation called “sleep debt”.
- If you have a serious sleep debt, you'll need to address it before you can get the best results from this test. If you don't have much sleep debt, continue this test.
- After the first night of sleeping longer than usual, continue at the same bedtime, and don't set an alarm. After a few days, you will wake up automatically at the same time every day. Now, you know how much sleep your body needs each day.
- If you've gotten enough sleep, you should stay fresh and be able to do monotonous activities without getting sleepy.
Step 2. Pay off your short sleep debt
Sleep debt occurs when you can't get the sleep your body needs, and usually this debt accumulates over time.
- You borrow a few minutes or hours each time you cut back on sleep. This can happen either in the short term or after a few months.
- Overtime, playing, or studying, then waking up with an alarm clock because you really have to wake up is a "device" to add to your sleep debt.
- Pay off your short-term sleep debt by adding an hour of sleep each night, and take the opportunity to take longer naps or naps until you pay back the amount of sleep you wasted in the short term.
- This means you have to record how many hours of sleep you waste, therefore, you must know how much sleep is needed.
Step 3. Take a vacation for long-term sleep debt
Accumulated long-term sleep debt may take weeks or even longer to get paid off and return to your original sleep schedule.
- Take a vacation with nothing on your schedule, then go to bed at the same time every night and sleep longer in the morning until you wake up on your own.
- Don't force yourself to sleep a lot this holiday. Just pay off your sleep debt and get back to your usual sleep schedule.
- Once you've paid off your sleep debt and returned to your usual bedtime, you'll reach a point where you don't need an alarm clock in the morning. This can be done if you go to bed early to get the amount of sleep you need.
- If you go to bed early, but you're still tired and have trouble getting up in the morning, try going to bed earlier. Not everyone fits into a fairly normal bedtime. You may need a little more sleep. If sleeping fast doesn't help, consult a doctor
- If you've been trying to pay off your sleep debt and still feel very tired and tired during the day, you may have a health problem or medication that is the result. Make an appointment with your doctor to evaluate your persistent fatigue and tiredness.
Step 4. Avoid health problems by getting the sleep you need
Understanding more about the symptoms associated with sleep debt is a good way to be aware of what happens when you reduce the amount of sleep your body needs.
- Research conducted by the University of Chicago followed a group of volunteers for six days and they were only allowed to sleep for four hours each day.
- After six days of accumulating a sleep debt, the people in the study had elevated blood pressure, increased levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which is made up of half the amount of antibodies used in the flu vaccine, and developed early symptoms of insulin resistance, which is the first step in developing type 2 diabetes. two.
- Other symptoms that appear in people with little sleep are difficulty concentrating, difficulty making decisions, blurred vision, difficulty driving, irritability, fatigue, and memory problems.
- Scientists also evaluate the symptoms that appear in people who move for long periods without getting enough sleep. These symptoms include obesity, insulin resistance, stroke, memory loss, and heart disease.
Step 5. Identify situations that change the amount of sleep you need
Sometimes, stress and physical changes can trigger a need for sleep.
- Pregnancy is an example of physical changes that trigger an increased need for sleep, at least during the first trimester.
- Other situations that cause the body to need extra sleep are illness, injury, intense physical exertion, difficult emotional situations, and intense mental work.
- Allow yourself to take a short nap or get a little more sleep to replace the stressor.
Step 6. Identify your sleep needs by age
Many professional sources publish charts that provide guidance for common sleep needs broken down into age groups.
- As we get older, the amount of sleep we need will decrease. An extreme amount of sleep is a newborn with a need for sleep of 11 to 19 hours a day, with 14 to 17 hours being considered the standard sleep time. Adults over the age of 65 need 5 to 9 hours of sleep each night, with a standard sleep of 7 to 8 hours.
- One of the most trusted sites is the National Sleep Foundation, which provides a guide to recommended sleep times and is divided into different age groups. This chart includes the recommended number of hours, the number of hours of adequate sleep, and the amount of sleep outside of the hours listed in the “not recommended” category.
- Realize that each person is unique and has additional factors that cause him to fall into the "not recommended" category without being called abnormal. For example, some people may take a medication that has the side effect of making the person sleep more than the chart suggests.
Part 2 of 3: Controlling Sleep Habits
Step 1. Customize your environment
Make an area where you sleep as comfortably and quietly as possible.
- Start by controlling the temperature. Keep the room a comfortable and cool temperature.
- Only use the mattress for sleep and sex. Don't do other activities in bed, such as studying, reading, playing video games, using other devices that have screens, and watching midnight shows on TV.
- Make sure your room is quiet and dark when it's time to sleep. You may want to consider using shutters to block out the light, and earplugs or fans to block out the noise.
- Make sure the mattress and pillows feel comfortable and arouse your sleep appetite. If you're sleeping with someone, make sure your mattress is big enough for both parties to be comfortable.
- Try not to let children and pets sleep in the same bed.
- If you work in a second or third shift, follow the same guidelines. Try to keep your bedtime and wake-up schedule as consistent as possible.
Step 2. Pay attention to your eating habits
Eating a healthy diet will make your body work more efficiently in all areas including a healthy sleep cycle, but there are specific things you can do to improve your sleep.
- Avoid heavy meals at night and before bedtime, and don't go to bed with a rumbling stomach.
- Limit how many drinks you drink at night to prevent getting up at night to go to the bathroom.
- Limit caffeine intake throughout the day and try to stop drinking caffeinated beverages at 2 p.m. each day.
- Quit smoking or don't smoke before bed. Nicotine acts as a stimulant and can make it difficult to sleep.
- Don't drink alcohol before bed. The initial response to alcohol consumption is drowsiness, but within a few hours, alcohol changes and acts as a stimulant, which can make it difficult to fall asleep.
Step 3. Change your daily activities
What you have to change are all activities, from exercising during the day to getting natural sunlight.
- Exercise according to the recommended guidelines, including at least 150 minutes of aerobics each week. Keep your exercise routine in the afternoon or evening. Don't exercise before bedtime.
- There is ample documentation showing the relationship between exercise and adequate sleep. Research shows that adequate aerobic exercise, such as walking, can reduce the amount of time needed to sleep, especially for people with insomnia, compared to someone who does not exercise at all.
- Take advantage of sun exposure during the day. Sunlight provides the body with essential vitamins and helps to regulate a healthy sleep-wake cycle. Limit exposure to light before bed.
- If you need a nap, don't go to bed close to your bedtime and try to limit naps to 20 to 30 minutes.
Step 4. Create a relaxation routine before bed
This includes activities that take your mind off the stressors of the day.
- Some people like to read, while others like to make crafts like knitting or painting. Consider taking a warm bath, and listening to soothing songs or nature sounds. You can do whatever suits your interests. If possible, try to dim the lights in your relaxation time.
- Develop healthy ways during the day to get rid of stressors. Take breaks during the day to relax, talk fun things, and laugh with friends. By managing stress during the day, you can help relieve the pile of things you have to worry about at bedtime.
Step 5. Stick to your schedule
Go to bed at the same time every night and wake up at the same time every morning, including weekends and holidays.
- Even if you don't feel tired or sleepy, try to stick to your bedtime schedule. If you're having trouble falling asleep quickly for a few nights, you may need to adjust your bedtime every day.
- Some guidelines recommend not going to bed until you feel sleepy or tired, while others recommend sticking to your sleep schedule. By maintaining a bedtime routine and schedule, you will feel sleepy after lying in bed and relax your body.
- If you haven't slept in 15 minutes, get up. That way, you won't add the worry of not being able to sleep to the cause of your stress. Get up and move around or do something relaxing for a few minutes, then go back to sleep.
- Don't look at the clock. Relax, think about positive things that happened during the day or a relaxing activity you enjoy, and try not to think about how to fall back asleep.
Part 3 of 3: Getting Medical Help
Step 1. Talk to your doctor if you have persistent trouble sleeping
There are many medical or drug causes that affect your sleep difficulties.
- Medical conditions usually contribute to trouble sleeping. Examples of problems that a psychiatrist or psychologist may need to evaluate include depression, insomnia, ADHD, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic sleep disorder, and problems with nightmares or other emotionally disturbing sleep problems.
- Examples of other medical conditions related to sleep problems are sleep apnea, Alzheimer's disease, dementia, chronic pain, restless leg syndrome, COPD and other breathing problems, allergies, epilepsy, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, GERD, and multiple sclerosis.
- Some sleep problems are caused by sleep-related disorders. Examples of these disorders are circadian rhythm sleep disorders, DSPD (delayed sleep phase disorder), narcolepsy, cataplexy, sleepwalking, delirium, REM sleep problems, and shift work sleep disorder (SWSD).
Step 2. Watch for changes in your sleep pattern
Sleep disorders can occur due to several problems, namely medical problems, mental health problems, and sleep disorders.
- Symptoms of a sleep disorder include excessive daytime sleepiness, persistent tiredness, irregular breathing or increased movement during sleep, difficulty falling asleep when tired and at bedtime, and abnormal sleep habits such as delirium or sleepwalking.
- The duration of symptoms associated with every possible condition that can affect sleep difficulties cannot be explained in this article.
- Consult your doctor for symptoms as soon as possible. Delaying a sleep consultation is not good for health. The doctor will help answer all your questions and will also provide appropriate treatment according to the cause of the sleep problem.
Step 3. Review your medication
Many medications can cause excessive sleepiness and fatigue or difficulty getting enough sleep.
- Do not adjust your own medication consumption. If you think your medication is affecting your sleep problems, talk to your doctor. In most cases, the dose of the drug can be adjusted, or the doctor may also prescribe another medication in place of the drug causing the problem.
- Hundreds of medications list excessive drowsiness as a side effect. The list of drugs is also too long to be written here. Everything from antihistamines to blood pressure medications to painkillers can cause problems with drowsiness. Consult your doctor or pharmacist if you feel that any of the medications you are taking are interfering with your sleep schedule.
- Medications can also make you sleepless. Although the list of drugs is also long, it is still shorter than the list of drugs that cause drowsiness. Still, many medications can interfere with your restful sleep. Consult your doctor if you feel that the medication you are taking is making it difficult for you to sleep well.
Step 4. Take sleeping pills
If you continue to have trouble keeping up with sleep, there may be a reason behind it, such as depression, or maybe you just need to re-establish a healthy sleep pattern.
- Several sleeping pills that can help you fall asleep faster are available at most pharmacies. All sleeping pills available without a prescription are made for short-term use.
- If your sleep problems don't go away, talk to your doctor about prescription medications that might help.
