As simple as this question may seem, it is important to ask yourself if you are getting enough sleep on a daily basis. Just like how balanced diet and exercise are essential to lead a healthy life, ample amount of rest and sleep is vital too. Sadly, many people these days do not get sufficient sleep due to various reasons.
It is highly recommended that adults need at least 7 hours of sleep every night. Sleep is an important requirement for people of all ages to stay in good health. It is not just about the total hours of sleep but about the quality of sleep so that one feels well rested and charged the following day after waking up.
Modern-day living is hampering the sleep patterns for lot of people and they tend to ignore that their body requires proper sleep. It is necessary to lead a healthy life and avoid some of the disorders that can be caused solely due to lack of sleep. If you are not getting enough sleep regularly, you may be at an increased risk for obesity, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, poor mental health among other conditions. Even one night of short sleep can affect you the following day. Not only are you more likely to feel sleepy, you are more likely to be in a bad mood, be less productive at work, and be involved in a road accident.
Some people may not sleep well on a regular basis due to prolonged work hours or family demands but one of the main reasons these days is the use of gadgets such as television and mobile phones. How many of us end up watching a show on Netflix and can’t seem to just stop with one or two episodes? Binge watching and staying up all night becomes a daily habit even before you know it. Using social media sites like Twitter, Instagram, Facebook is another main reason why most adults especially teenagers miss their sleep hours. As per research, the use of these social media sites is on peak during night times. Watching reels on Instagram has become an addiction to a lot of people and they sometimes do it even at midnight or 3.00 am when all they should be doing is putting the phone aside and sleeping.
When people sleep, their body goes through four stages of sleep. Three of these stages are non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, with each stage a progressively deeper sleep. The final stage is rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, where dreaming mostly occurs. The body cycles through each stage around four to six times over the course of a night. There are certain repair processes that occur in the body mostly, or most effectively, during sleep. If you do not get enough sleep, those processes will be disturbed.
Insomnia or sleeplessness is on the rise these days. Some people have conditions that prevent them from getting enough quality sleep, no matter how hard they try. These problems are called sleep disorders. The most common sleep disorder is insomnia. It is when you have repeated difficulty getting to sleep and/or staying asleep. This happens despite having the time to sleep and a proper sleep environment. It can make you feel tired or unrested during the day. Insomnia can be short-term, where people struggle to sleep for a few weeks or months. Long-term insomnia lasts for three months or longer. Treatments are available for many common sleep disorders and it is important that you meet a doctor when you feel you are struggling to sleep on a regular basis.
You need to deliberately build and develop some habits that can help you get quality sleep regularly. Make sure to stick to a schedule – Go to bed and wake up about the same time each day. You need to keep your room cool, quiet and dark. Avoid large meals, caffeine, and alcohol before bedtime. Exercise regularly, especially workouts that get your heart pumping and it may promote deeper sleep.
A good night’s sleep repairs the body and mind which helps you function at your best. Do not ever take it for granted.