10 Tips for Great Sleep
According to SleepHealthFoundation.org, adults between 18 and 64 need seven to nine hours of sleep per night. Adults over 65 need 7-8 hours. Almost half of all Americans say they feel sleepy during the day between three and seven days per week. More than 1/3 of adults in the U.S.report sleeping on average for less than seven hours per night.
Statistics About How We Sleep
- In a normal sleep period, a person experiences four to six sleep cycles.
- REM sleep makes up between 20-25% of total sleep in healthy adults
- Body temperature during sleep drops by one to two degrees fahrenheit
- Metabolism drops by around 15% during NREM sleep
Sleep plays an integral role in health. A good night’s sleep empowers the body to recover and lets you wake up refreshed and ready to take on the day.
Unfortunately, many people have sleep problems and don’t get the rest that they need. Insufficient sleep and poor quality sleep can be due to diverse factors including sleep disorders, medical conditions, and mental health. Sleep issues affect people of all ages, and its impacts can be far-reaching.
Statistics About Insufficient Sleep
- At 43%, Hawaii has the highest percentage of adults who get seven or fewer hours of sleep per night. South Dakota, at 26%, has the lowest percentage.
- Of major cities in the United States, Boulder, Colorado has the lowest percentage of adults who sleep less than seven hours per night, coming in at 24.2%. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Additionally, people are chronically sleep deprived as a result of demanding lifestyles and a lack of education about the impact of sleep loss. Sleepiness affects vigilance, reaction times, learning abilities, alertness, mood, hand-eye coordination, and the accuracy of short-term memory.
There are many things that can be done to have a better night’s sleep. Here are 10 tips for great sleep:
* Don't change the times you go to bed or get up in the morning
* The hour before going to bed should be used to wind down and do relaxing things
* Meals should be timed to avoid going to bed on a full stomach, but not hungry either
* If you are not asleep after 20 minutes in bed, go to another room until you feel tired again
* Many poor sleepers spend too long in bed
* Don’t have things in the bedroom that distract you from sleep
* Getting sunlight during the day will help you to sleep better at night
* Most adults need 7-9 hours of sleep a day. This stays the same even in older age
* Naps in the evening can make it hard to sleep at night
* Chamomille tea and lavender are natural alternatives to OTC sleep aids
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Health Tips for Sleep
