Sleep isn’t an indulgence. Your body needs sleep—and plenty of it.
In a hectic world where you’re already pressed for time, getting plenty of high-quality sleep can be a challenge. According to the National Institute of Health, at least 70 million Americans of all ages suffer from a sleep problem, with nearly 60% having a chronic disorder.
How sleep affects your health
Your body can’t keep going without time to rest and recharge. Sleep is necessary to regulate hormones and body processes, and even the way your cells function. Without getting enough sleep, your physical and emotional health can suffer. Being short on sleep can make you:
- More likely to catch an illness.
- Tired, irritable, stressed and depressed.
- Unable to focus and concentrate at work or school.
- More emotional and moody.
- More likely to fall down and have some sort of accident.
- Have problems with coordination while driving, using tools or working at the computer.
Get the right amount of sleep
On average, most adults need seven or eight hours of quality sleep each night. Studies indicate that the average hours of sleep that you need each night for optimal neuro-cognitive (the ability to learn or think well at school or on the job) and psycho-motor function (the ability to steer the car or step on a brake to avoid and accident or throw a baseball) is about eight hours.
If you lose two hours of sleep at night, the effect on your neuro-cognitive and psycho-motor function is the equivalent of drinking two to three beers or having a blood alcohol level of 0.045% (effecting you as though you are a little over halfway to being legally drunk). If you lose four hours of sleep at night, the effect is equivalent to drinking five to six beers or having a blood alcohol level equivalency of 0.090%. This can have a profound impact on your performance at work or at school.
If you are getting the right amount of sleep, you should wake up easily in the morning, feeling refreshed and ready to start the day. If you wake up in the morning feeling drowsy, you probably need a little more sleep. Once you figure out what works for you, be consistent about getting that amount every night.
Sleep improvement measures
If you don’t seem to have enough energy because you shortchange yourself on sleep each night, you obviously need more rest. There are a number of things you can do to make sure you have the best chance at getting regular, restful sleep:
- Sleep only as much as you need to feel refreshed during the following day.
- Get up at the same time each day.
- Maintain a regular bedtime.
- Make sure your bedroom is comfortable and free from light and noise, and at a comfortable temperature.
- Avoid excess liquids in the evening.
- Don’t take your problems to bed.
- Do not try to fall asleep.
- Put the clock under your bed.
- Decrease or eliminate naps, unless necessary.
- Try a fan or white noise.
Preparing for better sleep
There are things you do during the day that have a big impact on the quality and quantity of your sleep:
- Exercising during the day at least three hours or more before bedtime helps to increase your sleep drive and allows you to get to sleep sooner and also to have a deeper and more restorative sleep.
- Alternatively, exercising too close to bedtime can be stimulating and make falling asleep more difficult.
- Drinking caffeine or alcohol, watching TV, or smoking can make it hard to relax and get to sleep.
So, to get a better night’s sleep and to be more productive during the day, plan ahead and prepare your body and surroundings well before you go to bed for your optimal sleep experience.
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This article was originally published on the VA Walla Walla Health care System site and has been edited for style and clarity.