How much sleep do I need?
Getting the right amount of sleep is essential for restoring energy to your body and brain. But what’s a normal amount? The short answer is that it’s different for everyone. Learn to look for signs that may indicate you’re sleeping badly or not enough. If you’re sleep deprived, there are things you can do to get back to a normal sleeping pattern.
This can help if:
- you aren’t sure if you’re getting enough sleep
- you want to know more about why we need sleep
- you feel tired all the time.
Why do I need sleep?
Sleep is important to our physical health and emotional wellbeing. In the long term, insufficient sleep increases our risk of developing high blood pressure or diabetes. It also affects our mood and stress levels.
What’s a normal amount of sleep?
Experts have developed some guidelines regarding how much sleep we need. In general:
- Adults should get seven to eight hours’ sleep per night.
- Because they’re growing so fast, children, teenagers and young adults require at least nine hours of sleep per night. The extra hours allow for a healthy development of the brain and body.
- When it comes to sleep, though, everyone is different. Some people need more than the recommended amount of sleep, while others can function just fine on less.
How do I know if I’m getting enough sleep?
Here are some signs that you’re sleeping well:
- You fall asleep within 20 minutes of lying down.
- You don’t usually wake up more than twice a night (which you may not even remember).
- You don’t feel tired during the day.
- You’re able to stay focused during the day.
- You have enough energy throughout the day.
Interestingly, most people nowadays are sleep deprived to some degree.
Here are some signs that you’re not getting enough sleep:
- You don’t feel refreshed when you wake up in the morning.
- You find it difficult to concentrate during the day.
- You feel fatigued or drowsy throughout the day.
- You forget things easily.
- You often feel grumpy or moody.
What can I do now?
- Learn how to get a good night’s sleep.
- Read about relaxation and why it’s important.
- Start a sleep diary to keep track of your rest.
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