Sleep – how much do you need?
(If you have serious sleep deprivation or problematic sleep problems see your medical professional.)
Sleep is fundamental and critical to our good health, cognition and emotional well-being. For some people it’s elusive and difficult, and that’s not good. Getting less than eight hours doesn’t mean you are doomed. What science tells us is that the quality is as important as the quantity. Sleep “regularity” (going to bed and getting up at about the same times each day) matters more than 8-10 hours. Sleeping “regularly” was associated with a lower risk of early death. Lower levels of quality sleep affects our cognitive functions, motivation, and moods as we all know. Sometimes problems can be solved if we just “sleep on it”. Let your unconscious mind work to solve problems. As we all know, children must have adequate sleep or you’ll be the one who is sorry.
A large number of adults don’t get the seven to nine hours recommended by medical organizations. About 20 percent wake up tired and not well rested. Irregular habits including inconsistent sleep and wake times, interrupted sleep and napping. Inadequate sleep reduces our ability to learn and remember. It also has a tremendous impact on mood, stress and hormones. Poor sleep quality can lead to complications of diabetes, depression, heart problems, high blood pressure, obesity and so on.
Duration is still important as those who have long, consistent sleep had the lowest mortality. Shorter but regular sleeping was more important than longer inconsistent sleep. Even if you can’t seem to log the hours, consistency is more important. Loss of sleep during the week can’t really be made up over the weekend.
Extremely short rest (three to four hours of sleep) even with consistent bed times might be worse off than those who get eight hours with inconsistent bedtimes. Healthy sleepers might have a longer lifespan by two and a half years to almost five years. It’s best to have good sleep habits for a longer time to enjoy the benefits. Do your best to go to bed within an hour of your planned bedtime. Also try to get up at the same time each day. Life dictates that we be somewhat flexible. If you can, follow your circadian rhythms by getting up when it’s light and bed time at dark. That may be difficult depending on where you live. At least expose yourself to bright light when you get up.
Struggles with falling asleep and staying asleep are also problems. Medicines can help those with chronic problems or emotional issues (family woes and strife at work), but they can’t be relied upon long term. Everything has a cost. To get the best rest, use a cue for approaching bedtime, turning off some house lights, and a cool, dark bedroom helps. Reading a book on a light topic or humor may help you drift off. If you use digital devices, some have a setting to lessen blue light from the screen to a more amber color which could help us wind down.
For those who worry, try meditation or soft music. Avoid eating too much or exercise within three to four hours before rest. Some more things to avoid: caffeine too late in the day, late afternoon naps, some meds (talk to your doctor about those), alcohol, smoking, large meals and processed sugar and beverages. Alcohol may help you fall asleep, but it’s not quality sleep and you are like to wake up in a couple of hours and have trouble going back to sleep. Meditation may help you relax and slow your breathing. Worrying about something may require you to just let it go. You can think about it again tomorrow.
For those with smart watches like the Apple Watch, you can track your sleep to chart your patterns of sleep like Core, Deep, REM and waking during the night. Each night you will go through several cycles of sleep, perhaps four to six. Patterns vary depending on age, alcohol consumption, disorders like apnea and restless legs syndrome, and recent sleep patterns.
Core sleep starts with light sleep at the beginning, and as you relax brain activity slows and you sink into deeper sleep with slower breathing and heart rate you become more resistant to waking. Perhaps half of your sleep is in this stage, and it’s harder to wake you up. When you are in deep sleep the body is restoring itself and bolstering the immune system and creativity and memory. Studies indicate that plaques that cause dementia may be removed during this period. It includes the combined benefits of REM and Deep sleep.
REM or rapid eye movement sleep (dream stage) indicates more brain activity nearly awake levels, but you experience a temporary muscle paralysis except for breathing and eye movement, hence REM. It keeps you from acting out your dreams and flailing or trying to run. This stage is essential to emotional regulation, cognitive function, learning and creativity. It may make up 25% of our sleep.
Deep sleep or slow-wave sleep (or non rapid eye movement, NREM) allows the body to make repairs and regeneration and memory consolidation. This sleep phase usually occurs in the early hours of sleep.
To maximize your best sleep requires several things. To get the best rest, use a cue for approaching bedtime, turn off some house lights, and a cool, dark bedroom helps. Reading a book on a light topic or humor may help you drift off. For those who worry, try meditation or soft music. Avoid eating too much or exercising within three to four hours before rest. Your mattress, sheets, pillow and light levels all have an effect on our sleep. Loud noises wake us sometimes and may cause difficulty going back to sleep. White noise helps some people.
Struggles with falling asleep and staying asleep are also problems. Medicines can help those with chronic problems or emotional issues (family woes and strife at work) but they can’t be relied upon long term. Everything has a cost.
Here are some sites with more information:
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/your-complete-guide-to-sleep/