Sleep Deprivation & Restorative Sleep
Sleep is one of the most important parts of your overall health. When you sleep, your brain resets, your body starts to regenerate and your memory settles. Without sufficient, restorative sleep, your body and your health will suffer. Here’s how you can sleep better!
Why restorative sleep is important
Why does it matter how much sleep you get? If you can function during the day on little sleep, does it really hurt anything to skip a few hours? The answer is yes!
Most Americans are at least slightly sleep deprived.
This can affect many aspects of their life, giving them impaired judgment, poor creativity, a lack of memory, and increased impulsiveness.
If sleep deprivation is not adjusted, people can gain weight, suffer from depression, become insulin resistant, and even suffer from heart disease. The overall health problems are extreme the longer a person goes with insufficient sleep.
The amount of sleep is not the only concern. People also need to be sure that they are getting quality sleep. Quality, restorative sleep is as important as the amount of sleep.
How Much Sleep Is Needed?
The amount of sleep an individual need varies based on his or her age and activity level. Most experts state that the adult body needs between seven and nine hours of sleep.
Unfortunately, if your lifestyle matches the average American, you are only getting about five hours of sleep a night. This is not enough to keep your body well.
How to Improve Your Sleep
How can you improve your sleep? Consider these tips:
- Get as much natural light during the day as possible.
- Get up at the same time every day to ensure a consistent sleep/wake cycle.
- Start relaxing about 30 minutes before bed. Reduce light exposure to help bring on natural sleep.
- Use a fan for background noise if it helps you sleep.
- Remove screens, including the TV, from your bedroom.
These are just some examples of steps you can take to improve your sleep. Read the infographic below to get additional information and tips.
Wrap-Up: Sleep Deprived
What can you do if you are sleep-deprived?
The good news is that you can restore your “sleep debt,” but it’s best to do so slowly.
Start by adding an hour of sleep at a time until your body resets itself and you adjust to a healthy sleep routine.
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