Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Listening to your body
• Part 2 of 3: Regulating your sleeping habits
• Part 3 of 3: Getting medical help

We have been told countless times that we need to get enough sleep. It starts as a child, in preparation for a busy day at school, but it is also said to an athlete having an important game the next day, or an adult struggling with stress or medical issues. But what exactly does "sleep enough" mean? The answer depends on many variables, such as the characteristics of your lifestyle that apply only to you. It is impossible to get enough sleep without first knowing how much sleep your body needs.

To step

Part 1 of 3: Listening to your body

1. Do a simple sleep test. It may take more than one night to get the results of this test.
   • The next time you have the opportunity to sleep in for a few days at a time, you can perform this test. You probably need a few nights in a row to get the best results.
   • Step one is going to bed at a reasonable time. If you want to be able to sleep in for a few days, that means it is best to do it on the weekend, or if you have a few days off. For the test to pass, you must resist the temptation to stay up late because you can still sleep in the next day. For best results, go to bed at the time you always go to sleep during the week.
   • Don't set your alarm. Continue to sleep until you wake up automatically. Most people sleep very long that first night, maybe 16 hours or more. That's because you may be sleep deprived.
   • If you are severely sleep deprived, you may need to address it before you can do this test properly. If you are not getting a lot of sleep, you can just take the test.
   • After the first night in which you sleep more than average, you go to bed at the same time and do not set an alarm. After a few days, you will automatically wake up at the same time every day. Now you know how many hours of sleep your body needs each night.
   • When you've slept enough, you'll feel alert and can do boring activities without getting sleepy.
2. Make up for short-term sleep deprivation. Sleep deprivation results when your body doesn't get the amount of sleep it needs, and this builds up over time.
   • You are always short of minutes or hours if you sleep too little in one night. This can be short-term or lasting for months.
   • If you stay up late to work, party or study, or if you set the alarm because you have to, you usually build up sleep deprivation.
   • Make up for short-term sleep deprivation by sleeping an extra hour each night, or by sleeping in or taking naps until you have made up for the sleep deprivation.
   • That means you need to keep track of how much sleep you have been short of, so you need to know exactly how much sleep you need.
3. Take a vacation if you have been short of sleep for a long time. It takes weeks or even longer to make up for long-term sleep deprivation that has accumulated.
   • Take a vacation and don't plan anything, go to bed on time every day, and sleep in every morning until you wake up on its own.
   • Don't get mad at yourself if you sleep a lot during this vacation. Make up for your sleep deprivation and then go back to your normal schedule.
   • If you've caught up on your sleep deprivation and stick to your normal bedtime, you don't have to set an alarm at some point. This is only the case if you go to bed early enough for your body to get the right amount of sleep.
   • If you go to bed "early" in your opinion, but are still tired and have trouble waking up in the morning, try going to bed a little earlier. The number of hours of sleep considered "normal" is not enough for everyone. Maybe you naturally need a little more. If going to bed early doesn't help, see a doctor.
   • If you've caught up with your sleep deprivation and you still feel tired or exhausted during the day, you may have an underlying condition causing this problem. Make an appointment with your doctor to find out why you still feel so tired.
4. Prevent health problems by getting enough sleep. Knowing more about the symptoms of sleep deprivation can help you understand what happens to your body when it doesn't get enough sleep.
   • A study from the University of Chicago followed a group of six volunteers who were only allowed to sleep four hours a night.
   • After only six days of accumulated sleep deprivation, the subjects had high blood pressure, more of the stress hormone cortisol in their blood, made only half of the antibodies after receiving a flu vaccine and developed early signs of insulin resistance, which is the first step. is in developing type 2 diabetes.
   • Other symptoms that people with short-term sleep deprivation experience include difficulty concentrating, making more difficult decisions, reduced vision, difficulty driving, irritability, fatigue and memory problems.
   • Researchers have also looked at the symptoms that people develop when they do not get enough sleep for a long time. These symptoms include obesity, insulin resistance, strokes, memory loss and cardiovascular disease.
5. Know that some situations can change your sleep needs. Sometimes stress or physical change makes you sleep more.
   • Pregnancy is an example of a physical change where you need more sleep, especially during the first few months.
   • Other situations where your body needs more sleep are illness, injury, physical exhaustion, emotionally demanding periods and intensive mental tasks.
   • Allow yourself to take a nap or sleep a little more at night so that you can compensate for these stressors.
6. Know how much sleep you need at a certain age. Many experts divide general sleep needs into age groups.
   • As we get older, we need less sleep per night. Newborns need 11 to 19 hours of sleep per day, with 14 to 17 hours being the average, and adults over 65 usually don't need to sleep more than five to nine hours a night, with seven to eight hours being the average.
   • There are all kinds of reliable websites where you can find information about guidelines for sleep needs per age category. In these lists you will find the average number of hours of sleep people need per night and recommended bed times for children of different ages.
   • Realize that everyone is unique, and that there are additional factors that could cause you to fall outside of this recommended number of hours per night. For example, people who take certain medications or have underlying conditions will need more sleep than stated in these guidelines.

Part 2 of 3: Regulating your sleeping habits

1. Adjust your environment. Make your bedroom as comfortable and relaxing as possible.
   • Start controlling the temperature. Keep the bedroom at a pleasant, cool temperature.
   • Only use your bed for sleeping and making love. Do not use your bed for other activities, such as studying, playing computer games, watching on your phone or tablet, reading or watching TV.
   • Make sure your bedroom is quiet when you go to bed and as dark as possible. You may need to hang blackout curtains and put in earplugs or turn on a fan to block out outside noise.
   • Make sure your mattress and pillow are comfortable and inviting. If you're sharing the bed, make sure it's big enough for both of you to sleep well.
   • Do not sleep with children or pets in a bed.
   • If you worked a late shift or night shift, follow the same guidelines. Try to keep your sleep-wake rhythm as consistent as possible.
2. Watch your eating habits. Eating a healthy diet makes your body function better, so you sleep better, but there are some specific things that can improve sleep quality.
   • Don't eat a heavy meal late at night, but don't go to bed hungry either.
   • Don't drink too much in the evening, so you don't have to get out to go to the bathroom all the time.
   • Don't drink too much caffeine during the day, and stop drinking it after 2pm.
   • Quit smoking, or at least don't smoke right before going to bed. Nicotine has a stimulating effect and can prevent you from falling asleep.
   • Don't drink alcohol right before going to sleep. Alcohol makes you drowsy at first, but after a few hours it starts acting as a stimulant, making it difficult for you to sleep.
3. Adjust your activities during the day. It has to do with all kinds of different things, from the movement you get to the amount of sunlight you are exposed to.
   • Do aerobic exercise for at least 150 minutes a week. Preferably move during the day or early in the evening. Don't exercise right before going to bed.
   • The link between getting enough exercise and sleeping well is known. Research has shown that people who suffer from insomnia and get enough exercise by, for example, walking, fall asleep much faster than people with insomnia who do not move at all.
   • Take advantage of the natural light during the day. Sunlight provides the body with important vitamins and helps regulate a healthy sleep-wake cycle. Reduce your exposure to sunlight just before bedtime.
   • If you want to take a nap, don't do it just before going to bed, and limit it to a short nap of 20 to 30 minutes in the afternoon.
4. Develop a routine to relax before going to bed. That means you no longer think about the stressors that bothered you that day.
   • Some people like to read, others prefer to do something with their hands, such as knitting or painting. You can also take a nice warm bath or shower, or listen to some calming music or sounds of nature. It doesn't matter what it is, as long as it works for you. If possible, dim the lights during your relaxation time.
   • Develop healthy habits to help relieve stress during the day. Allow yourself breaks during the day to relax, talk about something fun, or have a laugh with friends. By reducing stress during the day, you spend less time worrying in bed at night because it has accumulated.
5. Stick to your schedule. Go to bed at the same time every day, and always get up at the same time in the morning, including on weekends and holidays.
   • Even if you don't feel tired or sleepy, you should try to stick to the same bedtime. If you have trouble falling asleep quickly for several nights in a row, you may need to adjust your bedtime.
   • There are guidelines that recommend not going to bed before you feel really tired or sleepy, but others suggest sticking to your regular bedtime. By sticking to a regular routine, you will naturally become sleepy when you lie in bed and relax for a while.
   • If you don't fall asleep within 15 minutes of going to bed, get up again. Otherwise, you will also worry about not being able to sleep. Get up, walk around or relax for a few minutes, then go back to bed.
   • Don't look at the clock. Relax, think about fun things that happened this day, or relaxing activities that you enjoy, and try not to think about falling asleep.

Part 3 of 3: Getting medical help

1. If you continue to have problems, talk to your doctor. There may be an underlying medical cause or a medication you are taking that is making it difficult for you to sleep.
   • Medical conditions can sometimes contribute to insomnia. Examples of problems that should be investigated by a psychiatrist or psychologist include depression, insomnia, ADHD, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic sleep disorder, and problems with nightmares or other emotional problems that disturb sleep.
   • Examples of other medical conditions that can cause sleep problems are sleep apnea, Alzheimer's, dementia, chronic pain, restless legs, respiratory disease, allergy, epilepsy, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, acid reflux, and multiple sclerosis.
   • Certain problems are caused by disorders directly related to sleep. Examples include circadian rhythm disturbance, delayed sleep phase syndrome, narcolepsy, cataplexy, sleep walking, sleep talking, REM sleep disturbances and shift work sleep disturbances.
2. Watch for changes in your sleep patterns. Sleep disturbances can arise from a variety of medical conditions, mental disorders and sleep disturbances.
   • Symptoms of a sleep disorder include excessive daytime fatigue, persistent over-tiredness, irregular breathing or movement during sleep, difficulty falling asleep while tired and it is bedtime, and abnormal sleeping behaviors such as walking or talking in your sleep.
   • The list of symptoms of any possible condition that can contribute to sleep problems is too long to discuss in this article.
   • Consult your doctor as soon as possible. It's not good for your overall health to delay tackling your sleep problems. Your doctor can answer your questions and determine the appropriate treatment for the cause of your sleep problems.
3. Look at the medications you are taking. Many medications cause fatigue or trouble falling asleep.
   • Never adjust your medication yourself. If you think your medication is contributing to your sleep problems, talk to your doctor. In many cases, the dosage can be adjusted or there is another drug that does not cause these problems.
   • There are hundreds of medications that cause drowsiness as a side effect. This list is too long to list here. It can be anything from antihistamines to blood pressure medications and pain relievers that can cause problems with concentration and drowsiness. If you think your medications are making you sleepy, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
   • Medication can also prevent you from falling asleep properly. While this list is also long, it is probably shorter than the list of medications that make you drowsy. But there are still a lot of resources that can hinder a good night's sleep. Talk to your doctor if you think you are unable to sleep well because of the medication you are taking.
4. Take a sleeping aid. If you continue to have trouble falling or staying asleep, there may be an underlying reason, such as depression, or you should be trying to get a new healthy sleep pattern.
   • There are self-care products that make it easier for you to fall asleep. All sleep aids that you can get without a prescription are meant to be used for a short time.
   • If you continue to have trouble sleeping, talk to your doctor so he / she may be able to prescribe a stronger sleep aid.