We all know how important self-care is (and, if you’ve got a family, the importance of caring for others). But in the frenetic rush to get everything done, it’s easy to forget that proper sleep is absolutely crucial to good health.
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But what, exactly, is “proper sleep”? Nearly everyone’s been asked at some point if they’re getting enough sleep. And the National Sleep Foundation recommends seven to nine hours for most adults. And sleep is important for kids, too, although the recommended number of hours will vary depending on the child’s age.
Aside from making you tired, irritable, and fatigued, slacking on sleep can lead to serious health consequences. T cells, the most important cells in your immune system, die off during the day when you’re awake, but they are replenished during sleep. Thus, if you don’t sleep enough, your T cells don’t get to be replenished, and you can be left with as much as half your supply gone as you move into the next day. If your mom ever told you you’d get sick from too little sleep, she was right.
How many hours of sleep do you need? What about quality?
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The quality of your sleep absolutely matters. A recent study at Johns Hopkins University found that experiencing sleep that is interrupted is worse for your mood than having your total sleep time reduced overall.
Of course, for the purposes of the study, many of the participants were subjected to forced awakening. This may not happen to you in your day-to-day life, but it’s absolutely possible for you to suffer interrupted sleep without having someone shake you awake.
For instance, you may toss and turn – and experience more sudden awakenings – if you haven’t chosen the right sleeping position or adequately prepared for sleep. In general, eating, drinking alcohol, and smoking right before sleep can interrupt sleep. Similarly, in some cases, exercising right before sleep can also cause interrupted sleep, though for some people, exercising right before sleeping can be a helpful way to get to sleep faster – and then to stay asleep.
According to the National Sleep Foundation, there’s such a thing as “sleep hygiene” – and having good sleep hygiene can be enormously helpful when you find yourself feeling tired even after sleeping the recommended seven to nine hours. Here are some of the recommended tips for experiencing better quality sleep:
- Avoid naps if you have trouble sleeping. This probably seems like a no-brainer. We all experience that midday sluggishness, and if a nap helps you power through the rest of the day, that’s good. But if the same nap is making it hard for you to fall asleep at night, then it might be time to stop it for abit.
- Take time to wind down. As tempting as it can be to collapse into bed the second you get home from a tough day at work, taking about 45 minutes to do something relaxing before bed can really help your sleep quality.
- Make sure you have a good mattress. You spend about a third of your life asleep, so investing in a good mattress is a smart idea.
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If after trying these things, you still have trouble, it might be time to see a sleep specialist. Sleep is vital to having a productive and happy life.
