The Importance of Sleep
Sleep is highly important for our general health and well-being. If an individual has had trouble sleeping, it may be obvious as they could possibly struggle to complete tasks. They may also experience sleepiness, exhaustion and weakness [1]. Multiple studies that have been conducted have revealed that lack of sleep or poor sleep can cause adverse health issues. Some of which include an unhealthy metabolism, cardiovascular issues, it can also negatively affect the functioning of the brain. Studies have also shown that sleep disorders such as insomnia and sleep apnea can lead to a higher death risk [2].
Woman sleeping, [7]
Sleeping disorders
Insomnia is one of the most common sleep disorders that is likely to affect most adults at some point in their life. This disorder makes it difficult for an individual to fall asleep, stay asleep or get lack thereof. Insomnia can have a major impact on an individual’s everyday life, affecting their mood, overall health and potential work capability. Factors such as stress, medical conditions, bad sleeping habits, and the intake of caffeinated drinks, nicotine and alcohol before bed, can lead to insomnia [3].
Sleep apnea can often be life threatening. This disorder mainly causes an individual's’ breathing to stop and start throughout the night. It is possible for anyone of any age to be affected by this disorder, but factors such as weight, gender, use of alcohol/drugs and medical conditions can affect your likelihood to suffer from sleep apnea [4].
Recommended amount of sleep
It is very important that each age group sleeps for their recommended number of hours in order to function ‘normally’ during the day. For infants, toddlers, children and adolescence, good sleep is vital for their physical and mental development.
Age Recommended amount of sleep:
0-3 months 14-17 hrs
4-11 months 12-15 hrs
1-2 years 11-14 hrs
3-5 years 10-13 hrs
6-13 years 9-11 hrs
14-17 years 8-10 hrs
18-64 years 7-9 hrs
65+ 7-8 hrs
[5]
Sleep stages, [8]
How can you sleep better?
There are several factors that can negatively impact our ability to fall asleep, as well as our quality and quantity of sleep.
Often if an individual has issues falling asleep or staying asleep, they can be given medication, however it is recommended that these are only used in the short-term. There are several other options which can encourage good sleep besides medication.
Creating a relaxing environment
By turning your bedroom into a place of peace and relaxation, you may find it easier to fall asleep and sleep well throughout the night. Although this may be an obvious strategy, it is often disregarded.
Some helpful strategies to do so include:
Use a high-quality mattress and pillows.
Use cozy bed linen and a comfortable throw.
Try to block out as much light as possible, this can prevent any sleep disruption.
If possible, eliminate any noise disruption. This could be done by using earplugs, listening to music or any sound that you may find relaxing.
If possible, maintain a comfortable bedroom temperature. This can vary from person to person.
Introduce a calming scent such as lavender to your room.
Improving your sleep pattern
Taking control of your sleep pattern is one very effective way of bettering your sleep. There are four useful approaches that you may find beneficial:
Set a permanent wake-up time, this should stay the same every day, even on weekends!
It it is important to recognize a suitable time to go to sleep in correlation with your waking time in order to sleep for the recommended number of hours.
Avoid long and late naps! Often lengthy or late naps can damage your sleeping pattern as it may lead to difficulty sleeping at night.
When changing a sleep pattern, it is important not to make a sudden change in the amount of time you sleep for as your body will need time to adjust to the new pattern.
Things to avoid before bed.
Attempt to turn off any devices including phones, laptops and TV at least 30 minutes before going to sleep as they can prevent your brain from unwinding.
Steer clear of drinking caffeinated drinks later in the evening as these could keep you up.
Avoid alcohol. Although alcohol can make you feel tired, it can cause you to have worsened quality of sleep.
Smoking before bed can lead to difficulty falling asleep, or disrupted sleep.
Try to eat earlier rather than later, as falling asleep whilst you are still digesting food can be difficult. [6]
Bibliography:
[1] Mirjat, Ali Asghar, et al. Factors Influencing Sleep Quality and Effects of Sleep on Hypertension. [Online] 22 June 2020. [Cited: 27 February 2021.] https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s41782-020-00094-5.
[2] Get a good night's sleep to improve health and extend life: poor quality sleep is related to medical complications and accidents caused by daytime drowsiness. [Online] 2009. [Cited: 28 February 2021.] https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?p=AONE&u=uniaber&id=GALE|A218659426&v=2.1&it=r.
[3] Mayo Clinic. Insomnia. [Online] 2016. [Cited: 1 March 2021.] https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/insomnia/symptoms-causes/syc-20355167.
[4] Sleep Apnea. [Online] 2020. [Cited: 1 March 2021.] https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/sleep-apnea/symptoms-causes/syc-20377631.
[5] Singh, Dr. Abhinav. How Much Sleep Do We Really Need? Sleep Foundation . [Online] 31 July 2020. [Cited: 27 February 2021.] https://www.sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/how-much-sleep-do-we-really-need.
[6] Healthy Sleep Tips . [Online] 2020. [Cited: 28 February 2021.] https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-hygiene/healthy-sleep-tips.
[7] Sanchez, A. (2020), Woman sleeping, available at https://www.sciencenews.org/article/coronavirus-covid-19-lockdowns-people-sleep-more-not-better (accessed 16th March 2021)
[8] MyFitnessPal (2021), Sleep Stages, available at https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/352899320797991103/ (accessed 16th March 2021)
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