A good night’s sleep is very important to your health and wellbeing. It is as important as a healthy diet and regular physical activity, and maybe, even more critical. However, many people don’t get sufficient sleep due to a number of reasons. According to a Yahoo report, there are a staggering 40 million people in the U.S. who have a chronic sleep-related disorder. Not getting enough sleep can take its toll on relationships, health, work, moods and more. Moreover, a sleep-deprived person driving poses just as much danger as a driver who is drunk. So getting enough sleep is crucial for children as well as for adults.
While infants need 15 to 17 hours of sleep, teenagers generally need to sleep for 9 to 10 hours and adults, about 7 to 8 hours. Medical problems like chronic pain and heartburn, poor lifestyle choices, intake of certain medicines, hormonal changes, sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome, bed wetting habits, stress or grief all can result in loss of sleep. If a medical problem is causing sleeplessness, you would need to get it treated. Others can try the following measures to sleep better at night:
- Exercising in the evening, a couple of hours before bedtime can help you sleep well.
- Taking a warm bath relaxes muscles and can induce sleep.
- Deep breathing and meditation relax the body and promote good sleep.
- Good digestion is important for good sleep and make sure the food you eat at dinner are easily digested. Avoid heavy, high fat foods.
- Be careful about what you drink before bedtime. Avoid caffeine as it can keep you awake.
- Make your bedroom sleep-friendly. Avoid placing electronic items such as a laptop and TV inside the room. A peaceful and relaxed atmosphere is conducive to sleep.
Many studies have found that insufficient sleep is linked to health problems such as heart disease, heart attacks, diabetes, and obesity. So take measures to get enough sleep and improve your mental and physical wellbeing.