The importance of having adequate sleep cannot be overemphasized. Sleep is a vital indicator of overall health and wellbeing. Both the body and the mind need substantial amount of rest to function at peak efficiency. Adequate sleep fosters both mental and emotional resilience, while prolonged sleep deprivation puts one at risk of mental and emotional instability.
Sleep needs vary across ages, with a steady decrease in total sleep duration noted as we grow older. The recommended average total sleep duration for adults is 7 – 9 hours over a 24 hour period, with those sleeping less than 5 hours and more than 9 hours per day considered short and long sleepers respectively. For a night’s sleep to be considered good, it is expected that one should fall asleep quite easily, should not fully wake up during the night, should not wake up too early and also, one should feel refreshed in the morning. Anything short of this is generally considered inadequate for both our physical and mental health.
Sleep hygiene is a variety of different practices and habits that are necessary to have good night-time sleep quality and full daytime alertness. Some of these good sleep habits include:
Dos:
Maintain a sleep schedule; go to bed and wake up about the same time each day
Exercise for 30 minutes on most days of the week (preferably in the afternoons)
Increase exposure to bright light during the day
Develop a relaxing routine before going to bed, such as hot bath
Establish a good sleeping environment, such as a quiet, cool, dark room
Use the bedroom for sleep and sex
Limit daytime naps to no more than 45 minutes
Try a light snack before bed (e.g. warm milk or food high in Tryptophan like banana)
Don’ts:
Avoid stimulants 4-6 hours before bedtime (e.g. caffeine)
Avoid alcohol before bedtime
Avoid heavy, spicy or sugary meals and liquids 2-3 hours before bedtime
Avoid late-afternoon naps (after 3pm)
Avoid lying in bed awake
Avoid taking your worries to bed
Avoid watching television before bed time