Published on 11 November 2021

Do You Sleep Enough?

Sleep do-you-sleep-enough
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Have you ever thought of it that you have completed your sleep or else you want more rest? You need to have a peaceful sleep pattern daily and not stress more about it. 

The snoozing alarm is an everyday thing for most of us. You always say "5 more minutes" whenever someone wakes you up in the morning despite any hours you have slept at night. Haven't there been times when you've slept for more than ten hours and still felt like you need more sleep? Yes right. So how much sleep does one need in a day?

Knowing how long you should sleep and following the necessary timings for your peaceful mental state is essential. 

Importance Of Sleep

The quality of sleep you take at night directly affects your mental and physical health and how you feel during the daytime. Sleep impacts productivity, brain and heart health, immune function, creativity, and weight.

There is not a single activity that gives so many benefits with minimal effort. When you're crawling to encounter the request from a busy schedule, though, or just finding it not easy to sleep at night. Even the slightest sleep loss can considerably affect your energy, mood, mental sharpness, and ability to handle stress. Chronic sleep can destroy your mental and physical health.  

Sleep isn't just when your body shuts off. When you rest, your brain continues to work—keeping an eye on biological conservations that hold onto your body to run in top condition and prepare you for the next day. Without enough sleep, you won't be able to learn, work, create, and communicate effectively.

The good thing is that you don't need to choose between productivity and health. By recognizing any sleep problems and building time to get enough sleep you need each night, your efficiency, energy, and overall health will increase. You will get much more done during the day than if you skip sleep and try to work longer.

Frequently asked questions

Most adults require to sleep 7 to 9 hours each day. For general age-wise information, please read the information given.
Go to bed and wake up simultaneously, even on the weekends. Being consistent reinforces your body's sleep and wake cycle.
Getting enough sleep improves your brain performance, mood, and health. Not getting enough sleep increases the risk of many diseases. It ranges from heart disease to obesity and dementia.

How Many Hours Of Sleep Is Essential?

It's universally accepted that an individual, on average, requires at least eight hours of sleep in a day to function correctly. Still, in reality, the amount of sleep depends on your age. 

According to national sleep foundation guidelines, healthy adults require between 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night, whereas babies and young people need more than 9 hours for healthy growth and development. The recommended hours of sleep for a person is divided into nine age segments, namely:

  • New-born babies, 0-3 months old, require around 14-17 hours of sleep daily.
  • Infants 4-11 months old should get 11-15 hours of sleep.
  • The recommended sleep amount for toddlers from 1-2 years old is 11-14 hours.
  • Pre-school kids 3-5 years old should get 10-13 hours of sleep.
  • School kids from 6-13 years old require 9-11 hours of sleep per night.
  • 14- 17-year-old teens require around 8-10 hours of sleep.
  • Young adults 18-25 years old are recommended to get 7-9 hours of sleep.
  • Adults aged 26 to 64 are also recommended 7-9 hours of sleep.
  • Individuals older than 64 should get 7-8 hours of sleep per night.

In short, the amount of sleep required decreases by age until you reach adulthood because children need more rest than adults as they are still in their growing stage. However, these are just universal numbers and won't apply to all because various other factors influence the amount of sleep you need, such as your work, exercise, etc.

Signs That You Are Not Getting Enough Sleep

If you sleep less than eight hours each night, you are likely to be sleep deprived. What's in addition, you don't have any idea just how much lack of sleep can affect you. How it's possible to be sleep deprived without even knowing it? Almost all signs of sleep deprivation are much more precise than falling face-first into your dinner plate. Following are the characters if you are sleep deprived:

  • Required an alarm clock to wake up on time. 
  • Depending on the snooze button. 
  • Having difficulty getting out of bed in the morning.
  • Feels inactive in the afternoon. 
  • Gets sleepy in lectures, meetings, and warm rooms. 
  • Feels drowsiness after meals and while driving. 
  • Need a rest to get through the day.
  • Feels sleepy on the weekends.
  • Falls asleep within five minutes of going to bed. 

Advantages Of Getting An Adequate Amount Of Sleep

If you are getting the required amount of sleep according to your age, you might have observed a positive change in the quality of your health. Here's a list of benefits you receive if you get the proper hours of sleep

  • Getting the recommended amount of sleep boosts your immune system to fight various diseases. It helps you stay healthy and prevents you from falling sick often.
  • Sleep can also have an impact on your body weight. Not getting the right amount of sleep causes the body to release a hormone called Ghrelin that boosts appetite, which is responsible for your cravings.
  • Getting the recommended hours of sleep also affects the mood of an individual. If you're taking the right amount of sleep, you are bound to be well-rested, elevating your mood.
  • Sleeping well adds to the health of your heart as well. Not getting enough sleep can cause high blood pressure and even increase the risk of heart attacks. Getting good sleep means giving your heart the needed rest to function correctly.
  • Sleeping well also has an impact on your productivity. Not getting enough sleep can cause you to feel lazy throughout the day and, in turn, lead you to make mistakes in your work, thus dropping your productivity.

It is well established that getting the right amount of sleep is essential for a person's health and proper functioning. 

So, do you get the recommended amount of sleep according to your age but still feel lazy/feel like you need more rest? This is a prevalent thing among most people. Such a thing happens because you aren't getting good sleep quality. 

Effects Of Sleep Deprivation

  • There is the possibility that people get a little amount of sleep, which can cause:
  • Difficulty in memorizing
  • Feels depression
  • Deficient motivation
  • Short-tempered
  • Slow reaction time 
  • A weak immune system increases the chances of getting sick
  • Beneath sex drive
  • Dark circles under your eyes and wrinkled skin
  • Poor decision-making ability

Research makes it understandable that sleep deprivation can be very dangerous. People who skip sleep before driving a simulator or performing a hand-eye coordination job act as severely as those given alcohol. Sleep deprivation as well changes how alcohol affects your body. If you drink alcohol while driving, you will get more damaged than the person who gets enough sleep. 

What Is Quality Sleep?

Sleep quality means an individual gets as essential as breathing, drinking, and eating. Sleep is a crucial aspect of one's health. Because of sleep, one feels rested enough and has adequate energy for the next day. Getting good quality deep sleep is just as crucial as getting the right amount. If the quality of sleep isn't well, it won't matter how many hours you have slept; you still won't feel well-rested. Below is a list of components that impact your quality of sleep. 

Sleep Schedule, Does It Matter When I Sleep?

Yes, your body sets a biological clock per the daylight design where you live. This assists you in naturally getting sleep at night and staying watchful during the day. If you come across to work at night and sleep during the day, you might get trouble getting enough sleep. It can also be challenging to sleep when you're traveling to different time zones. 

How To Get Enough Sleep

It is essential to know how you can get enough sleep. This can help you have a peaceful sleep and complete your sleep timing.

  • Give yourself time to rest - Busy timetable can make it challenging to get a good night's sleep. 
  • Maintain a sleep schedule - Go to sleep and get up simultaneously every day, even on the weekends. 
  • Make a sleep hideout - keep the bedroom dark, at a comfortable temperature, and quiet. Use it only to sleep, for quiet activities like reading, and sex. Keep away all electronic items such as cell phones and Television.
  • Bring bedtime routine - Avoid large meals, bright lights, caffeine, and alcohol before bed. Try things that help you to relax, like a hot bath. 
  • Exercise - Do exercise for 30 minutes a day, atleast 5 hours before bed.
  • Speak to your doctor - The medical condition can cause sleep problems.

Bottom Line From Practical Anxiety Solutions

To sum it up, the amount of sleep depends on your age. If you are a toddler or a school kid, you should be getting on an average of 10 or more 10 hours of sleep for the growth and development of your body. Whereas if you are an adult or older, 8 hours of sleep is sufficient for your functioning.

Getting the recommended amount of sleep is a healthy habit; although it is not enough, sleep quality also matters. So, see that you get the correct quantity and quality of sleep to lead a healthier lifestyle.