You can have a nap on your desk even after a good night I am? Then it is likely to ask the same question that many ask: How many hours do I need to sleep?
The answer isn’t quite that simple, according to Raj Dasgupta, MD, associate professor of clinical medicine in the division of pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine at the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine. He says sleep needs are very individual, but the general recommendation — “ideal” — is to sleep seven to nine hours a night.
However, these recommendations change as people age. “Sleep needs vary throughout life,” said Kristina Chek, a postdoctoral fellow in psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University.
sleep tips
Adults should sleep at least seven hours each night, but adults should sleep one in three hours do not sleepAccording to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
NS unsatisfactory sleep It is associated with long-term health consequences such as increased risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, and mad. In the short term, even a sleepless day can harm your health, according to a recent study. People who sleep poorly may also be prone to conditions such as anxiety, depression and bipolar disorder, Dasgupta said.
Children and teenagers
If babies seem to sleep all day, they are. In the first year of life, Dasgupta said, babies can sleep 17 to 20 hours a day. Babies 4 to 12 months old need 12 to 16 hours of sleep, including naps, according to QTC.
as such Young Children ages 1 to 3 should sleep 11 to 14 hours, according to Bhanu Kula, MD, assistant professor of psychiatry and psychology at the Mayo Clinic. Children aged 3-5 should sleep 10 to 13 hours, and children 6 to 12 years old should sleep 9 to 12 hours. For children ages 5 and under, those recommendations include naps, Cech said.
teens he has to sleep Kula said that eight to ten hours. This recommendation has sparked controversy in recent years about school start times. “As children approach their teenage years, they naturally prefer to sleep later and wake up later,” Cheek said. “This is why term start times are an important focus of discussion: If you can’t sleep late, but class start times stay the same, you’ll sleep less.”
a sleep quality No less important than quantity, Dasgupta added. Proper sleep and REM sleep help with cognition, memory and productivity throughout the day. Rapid eye movement is a stage of sleep in which memories are combined and stored. It also allows us to dream vividly. Sometimes people get the right amount of sleep, but still feel tired, which may mean they haven’t reached that stage of sleep.
“We tend to underestimate the need, especially in teens, people who go to high school, for how important sleep is,” Dasgupta said.
University students and adults
The college student stereotype often includes messy hair, bags under the eyes, and coffee or energy drink on hand. It doesn’t matter if they stay up all night dancing or studying for a test – both lead to sleep deprivation.
It’s unfortunate, but it’s almost like a rite of passage for a college student getting up early, even though we know it’s not the right thing to do,” said Dasgupta. He and Kula agree that seven to nine hours of sleep is ideal for adults, although Kula added that older adults can handle some sleep deprivation better.
As an exception, the Youth They may need nine or more hours on a regular basis because their brains are still developing, and adults of any age may also need nine or more hours to recover from an injury, illness or lack of sleep, Cheek said.
There are also “normal variants,” Cola said, referring to some people who need more than 10 hours of sleep and others who sleep less than four hours and function normally.
If you’re wondering if it’s better to be”person of the day“Or a night owl, Chick said it depends on your lifestyle, whether it’s compatible” with your preferences. “If you’re a night owl but your job requires you to be in the office by 7 a.m., this imbalance is far from ideal for your physical and mental health,” she wrote in an email. One person in the morning works the night shift.”
How to improve your sleep
1. Follow a bedtime routine
Try going to bed and getting up at the same time every day. You can even keep a diary to record these bedtimes and how often you wake up in the night, to get an idea of what works for you, says Dasgupta. Also, make sure your bedroom is dark, cool, and comfortable when sleeping.
2. Turn off electronic devices
Do this as soon as possible before bed, Keck adds, because exposure to light can affect your body’s sleep-wake cycle. “If you plan to go to bed earlier, it is important to expose yourself to natural light as soon as possible during the day and limit exposure to light in the hours before bed.” According to her, the electronic devices They mimic the many wavelengths of sunlight that tell the body to stay awake.
3. Try Mindfulness Techniques
breathing exercisesCech adds that meditation and yoga can also help with sleep. Their latest study showed that mindfulness training helps children sleep an extra hour each night.
4. Establish a good nutrition and exercise routine
finally, feed According to Dasgupta, staying healthy and maintaining a daily fitness regimen can provide a better night’s sleep. “Always try to be consistent with exercises During the day. exercise relieves Stress And it helps increase your desire to sleep at night.”
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