This week has really gone by quickly. If you are anything like me, you probably tried to put as much as you could into each day.
The question for you today is this….how much time did you put into sleeping? I know you don’t get this question often if at all but perhaps we should start asking those we around us if they are getting enough sleep.
Today I want to continue with our conversation from the Wednesday post about getting those zzz’s. (go read the last post to catch up)
Just to recap: Scientific research makes clear that sleep is essential at any age. Sleep powers the mind, restores the body, and fortifies virtually every system in the body. But how much sleep do we really need in order to get these benefits? https://www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/how-much-sleep-do-we-really-need
Inquiring minds want to know how much sleep do we need?
How Much Sleep is Recommended for Each Age Group?
The National Sleep Foundation’s recommendations for nightly sleep are broken down into nine age groups.
| Age Range | Recommended Hours of Sleep | |
|---|---|---|
| Newborn | 0-3 months old | 14-17 hours |
| Infant | 4-11 months old | 12-15 hours |
| Toddler | 1-2 years old | 11-14 hours |
| Preschool | 3-5 years old | 10-13 hours |
| School-age | 6-13 years old | 9-11 hours |
| Teen | 14-17 years old | 8-10 hours |
| Young Adult | 18-25 years old | 7-9 hours |
| Adult | 26-64 years old | 7-9 hours |
| Older Adult | 65 or more years old | 7-8 hours |
In each group, the guidelines present a recommended range of nightly sleep duration for healthy individuals. In some cases, sleeping an hour more or less than the general range may be acceptable based on a person’s circumstances. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/how-much-sleep-do-we-really-need
Some 🔑 things to look into:
Deciding how much sleep you need means considering your overall health, daily activities, and typical sleep patterns. Some questions that may help assess your individual sleep needs include:
- Are you productive, healthy, and happy on seven hours of sleep? Or have you noticed that you require more hours of sleep to get into high gear?
- Do you have coexisting health issues? Are you at higher risk for any disease?
- Do you have a high level of daily energy expenditure? Do you frequently play sports or work in a labor-intensive job?
- Do your daily activities require alertness to do them safely? Do you drive every day and/or operate heavy machinery? Do you ever feel sleepy when doing these activities?
- Are you experiencing or do you have a history of sleeping problems?
- Do you depend on caffeine to get you through the day?
- When you have an open schedule, do you sleep more than you do on a typical workday? https://www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/how-much-sleep-do-we-really-need
Make sure you assess how much sleep you need nightly.
Here are a few things you can do to create a good sleep routine if you don’t have one.
Once you have a nightly goal based on the hours of sleep that you need, it’s time to start planning for how to make that a reality.
Start by making sleep a priority in your schedule. This means budgeting for the hours you need so that work or social activities don’t trade off with sleep. While cutting sleep short may be tempting in the moment, it doesn’t pay off because sleep is essential to being at your best both mentally and physically.
Improving your sleep hygiene, which includes your bedroom setting and sleep-related habits, is an established way to get better rest. Examples of sleep hygiene improvements include:
- Sticking to the same sleep schedule every day, even on weekends.
- Practicing a relaxing pre-bed routine to make it easier to fall asleep quickly.
- Choosing a mattress that is supportive and comfortable and outfitting it with quality pillows and bedding.
- Minimizing potential disruptions from light and sound while optimizing your bedroom temperatureand aroma.
- Disconnecting from electronic devices like mobile phones and laptops for a half-hour or more before bed.
- Carefully monitoring your intake of caffeine and alcohol and trying to avoid consuming them in the hours before bed. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/how-much-sleep-do-we-really-need
I have been implementing some of these things over the years, but still need to improve. I hope you will take your sleep more important and set up your own sleep routine to guarantee you are functioning at your optimum best daily.
Declare this with me…I LOVE SLEEP 😴
Just Appetizers 