How much sleep do we need? Generally 8 hrs on average is required for people however it can vary from as short as 6 and up to 10. It’s important to take note of how much you need to ensure you get enough to function at your best and prevent the onset of other co-morbidities.
Firstly, recognise if you haven’t gotten enough sleep. For some people this takes a severe incident such as crashing the car due to fatigue or even falling asleep at the wheel. Others it might be performing poorly at work, or simply feeling tired and sleepy during the day.
Once you figure out how much sleep you think you need, you have to prioritize it so you can give yourself enough. Some expert’s suggestions are below and share some common themes:
- Respect the range of 7-8 hours of sleep.
- Try and maintain similar bed times each night during the work week as generally rise times are the same. This will help give you enough time for 7-8 hours of sleep
- If you don’t get enough sleep or need to get up earlier than usual, try napping during the day for 20 mins.
- Try and sleep in on the weekends to catch up on lost sleep during the week.
- In the hour before bedtime, avoid alcohol, caffeine, exercise and leave electronics out of the bedroom.
Remember most people spend a third of their life asleep and it is a vital and important requirement to functioning properly during the day. Give your sleep the priority it deserves and your body and mind will surely repay you by feeling great each and every day.
Original article:
https://journal.thriveglobal.com/the-sleep-secret-experts-prioritize-136b87465cc
