While recent findings from the Bureau of Labor Statistics paint a picture of most Americans receiving more than their fair share of sleep each night (their 2014 Time Use Survey found that Americans ages 15 and up sleep an average eight hours and 45 minutes every night), many question exactly how accurate those statistics actually are.
For example, to arrive at their numbers the BLS asked respondents what time they went to bed at night and what time they got out of bed in the morning. The problem, of course, is that many people don’t fall right to sleep when they get into bed at night, opting instead to catch up on emails, read or watch TV.
On the other hand, new reports on the prevalence of unhealthy sleep behaviors and self-reported sleep-related difficulties among U.S. adults have caused the CDC to call insufficient sleep a “public health epidemic.”
Whether you think you’re getting enough sleep every night or not, it’s essential to understand the importance of sleep, and especially for those of you who know you aren’t catching enough shut eye, it’s even more important to start working toward a healthy sleep routine.
Sleep and Side Effects
Besides the fact that no one likes to have to sit at a desk at work when they’re exhausted, lack of sleep can actually cause some serious side effects. According to the CDC, sleep insufficiencies have been linked to car crashes, industrial disasters and other medical and occupational errors. People who don’t receive enough sleep may also be more likely to suffer from chronic diseases like hypertension, diabetes, depression and obesity, and lack of sleep may even lead to cancer and reduced quality of life and productivity.
How Much Sleep Do We Need
While it’s true that the amount of sleep each person needs to function will differ, the National Sleep Foundation offers guidelines as a starting point for determining how much sleep you (and your family) should shoot for. Their recommendations are as follows:
- For newborns 0-3 months: 14-17 hours
- For infants 4-11 months: 12-15 hours
- For toddlers 1-2 years: 11-14 hours
- For pre-schoolers 3-5 years: 10-13 hours
- For school-aged kids 6-13 years: 9-11 hours
- For teens 14-17 years: 8-10 hours
- For young adults 18-25 years: 7-9 hours
- For adults 26-64 years: 7-9 hours
- For older adults 65 and older: 7-8 hours
To determine the amount of hours where you function at your best, the NSF recommends paying attention to your own individual needs and assessing certain aspects of your sleep, like how productive, healthy and happy you are on a certain number of hours of sleep. Are you dealing with any particular health issues you can’t seem to kick, or are you at risk for any disease? Do you depend on caffeine throughout the day? Are you sleepy when driving? Answering these questions honestly will help you arrive at your optimal number of sleep hours.
Developing a Healthy Sleep Routine
What you do in the hours before your bedtime can play a huge role in how much sleep (and the quality of sleep) you’re able to get. Developing healthy sleep habits early on (or “sleep hygiene” as the NSF calls it) will help you down the road. Here are some suggestions from the NSF to develop a healthy sleep hygiene routine:
- Stick to the same sleep schedule, whether it’s a weekend or weekday, and even if you’re on vacation.
- Practice relaxation before bed, like taking a warm bath, avoiding television or loud music, etc.
- Keep your bedroom between 60 and 67 degrees, and keep it free of any lights. (This includes your cell phone – keep it in another room!) Turn alarm clocks around so they don’t face you, and avoiding hanging any fluorescent or neon lights where you can see them while you’re trying to fall asleep.
- Avoid alcohol, cigarettes and heavy meals two to three hours before bedtime, as these can disrupt sleep or cause indigestion, which can make it hard to sleep.
When to Get Help
While most of us will suffer from a sleepless night from time to time, doctors consider insomnia – or difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep – to be chronic when it occurs at least three nights a week for three months or longer.
If you have difficult falling asleep or staying asleep; if you wake up too early in the morning; feel unrefreshed from your sleep; suffer from fatigue or low energy; have mood disturbances and/or behavioral problems; difficulty at work or in personal relationships – and these symptoms lasts for longer than three months, seek professional help.
One thought on “Easy Sleeping Tips: How Much Sleep You Need, and How to Get It”
That is very useful information.I have trouble sleeping right.