Getting seven to eight hours of sleep each night promotes health and well-being. Sleep restores the body’s physical and mental energy reserves. In a study of nearly 7,000 people followed for 15 years, those who regularly slept seven to eight hours each day lived significantly longer than those who regularly slept fewer hours.
Not getting enough sleep can affect all the facets of your life, including your:
- Emotions – You can become more easily upset, frustrated, and irritable.
- Social Relationships – You may be more difficult to get along with.
- Cognitive Skills – You have a decreased ability to learn.
- Productivity – You have less initiative, and it takes longer to get tasks done.
- Safety – You become less alert and more accident-prone, and exhibit impaired judgment.
- Health – You have decreased resistance to disease, infections, colds, or flu, and are bothered more by stress, tension headaches, fatigue, or digestive problems.
Improving Short-Term Sleep Problems
Most Americans occasionally have difficulty sleeping: The room is too hot or too cold; a work or interpersonal conflict haunts them; they're processing a major life change, such as a marriage, a new baby, a divorce or break up, or a move to a different city.
Here are some things you can try to help you relax and improve short-term sleeping problems:
- Plan time each day to relax and have fun. Become engrossed in activities you really enjoy. Get your mind off your problems. Try progressive relaxation, or listen to relaxation tapes or soft music if you need help relaxing.
- Get regular moderate-intensity exercise (30+ minutes on most days). Physical activity helps you "burn up" pent-up emotions, relax, and feel tired enough to sleep. Don't exercise intensely two to three hours before bedtime, though, because the stimulation can keep you awake.
- Establish relaxing rituals before bedtime, such as a warm bath or reading.
- Don't drink alcohol within several hours of bedtime.
- If you drink coffee, tea, cocoa, or colas, the caffeine in these products could be keeping you awake – especially if you consume them within six hours of bedtime. Reduce your caffeine intake or switch to caffeine-free herb tea.
- Don't nap close to bed time.
- Avoid heavy, late meals. They make getting a good night's sleep difficult.
- Maintain a routine. Get up about the same time every day and go to bed about the same time every night.
- Perhaps your bed is too hard or soft. Invest in a bed, pillows, and linens that make your sleep ultra-comfortable. If you sleep the recommended seven to eight hours per day, you'll be sleeping one-third of your life. You might as well make yourself as cozy as possible.
If you consistently have difficulty sleeping, consult with your doctor. There are many underlying causes of sleep disturbances, including stress, depression, apnea (a condition in which you temporarily stop breathing during sleep), use of diet pills or other medications. Sometimes addressing the underlying cause will enable you to enjoy a peaceful, restful sleep.
For optimal health, adopt a regular sleep pattern in which you get seven to eight hours of sleep each night. Also, take regular breaks during the work day, and enjoy periodic vacations to help you feel rested and productive year-round. |
