 |
|
How Much Sleep Do We Need?
 If
you find it hard to wake up in the morning, you're not alone.
About 100 million Americans fail to get a good night's sleep each
year. And what a difference a few Zzzs make. Without the proper
amount of rest, your ability to think clearly, make decisions,
and perform physical tasks is greatly reduced. Many accidents
that happen on the job are caused by tired workers. Sleep, like
food and water, is essential for maintaining good health.
Although you think you're completely out of it while you're snoozing,
your body is actually working. There are two kinds of sleep: deep,
or slow-wave sleep and REM, or rapid eye movement sleep. During
deep sleep, your body repairs itself by burning calories, refreshing
internal organs, bones, and tissues, and replacing energy that
you need to fight off infections. REM sleep is when you dream.
Dreaming, scientists believe, helps people sort out their emotions.
The amount of sleep each person needs depends on many things,
including age. Babies usually sleep 16 hours a day, but rarely
more than a few hours at a time. Teen-agers need about nine hours
of sleep to be at their best. Most adults require between seven
and eight hours of sleep every night. Chances are that if you're
feeling drowsy during the day, even during boring activities,
you haven't had enough rest.
Tips for a peaceful sleep:
• Set a schedule. Try to go to bed each night and wake up each
morning at the same time.
• No watching TV in bed. This is a waking, not a sleep inducing,
activity.
• Avoid cigarettes, caffeine, and alcohol.
• Relax before bed. A warm bath, reading, or listening to quiet
music can make it easier to fall asleep.
• Exercise. Daily exercise for 20 to 30 minutes often helps people
sleep. However, it's best to exercise at least four hours before
going to bed.
• Don't lie in bed awake. If you can't fall asleep, do something
else until you feel tired. The anxiety of not being able to sleep
may actually keep you up.
• Don't count sheep! Trying to count and remember numbers will
keep you awake.
|
|
|
|
