By
Ratna Rashid
What constitutes a good night's sleep in terms of duration?
Huge amounts of time have been spent discussing this over the centuries and the bottom line is, predictably, that nobody really knows!
It is now accepted that some people appear to be able to cope very adequately on say 6 hours sleep a night whereas others needed eight or nine.
Duration isn't the only issue either. Having 6 hours solid deep sleep may prove to be much more satisfying than eight which are restless and interrupted.
So, what is the reality and how does this relate to our heart and other health?
People vary
It should come as no great surprise that research indicates there are significant differences between individuals in terms of how much good quality sleep they need.
However, even allowing for significant variances, it's possible to say with some certainty that the majority of people seem to need seven or eight hours' good sleep at night if they are to wake refreshed and feeling ready to face the day ahead. That inevitably means that if they are getting less than that, aspects of the way they function during the day are likely to be negatively impacted.
Then there is the problem of those people who believe, sincerely, that they are coping adequately on say six hours per night but in fact are not. Those effects can usually only be detected through a range of psychological tests and what they tend to show is that many people who believe that they are doing well on five or six hours sleep may, to the contrary, be suffering ill effects.
Looking across the current research spectrum suggests that most of us will be wise to assume that the old-fashioned definition of a good night's sleep being eight hours is a pretty smart one.
The health effects
It's probably fair to say that medical science here still has a lot to learn.
It is though clear that this is a period our body needs to simply relax and allow it to deal with both the physical and mental stresses of the day that has just passed.
There are direct links between people who sleep well and for sensible amounts of time overnight and a reduced tendency towards a range of illnesses including cardio-vascular problems.
Psychologically, insufficient sleep is closely associated with things such as increased stress, hypertension, depression and a whole range of related physical and mental conditions.
What you can do to improve your sleep?
Here are a few top tips that you may find beneficial if you are determined to try and improve your sleep regime as part of your overall health programme.
Huge amounts of time have been spent discussing this over the centuries and the bottom line is, predictably, that nobody really knows!
It is now accepted that some people appear to be able to cope very adequately on say 6 hours sleep a night whereas others needed eight or nine.
Duration isn't the only issue either. Having 6 hours solid deep sleep may prove to be much more satisfying than eight which are restless and interrupted.
So, what is the reality and how does this relate to our heart and other health?
People vary
It should come as no great surprise that research indicates there are significant differences between individuals in terms of how much good quality sleep they need.
However, even allowing for significant variances, it's possible to say with some certainty that the majority of people seem to need seven or eight hours' good sleep at night if they are to wake refreshed and feeling ready to face the day ahead. That inevitably means that if they are getting less than that, aspects of the way they function during the day are likely to be negatively impacted.
Then there is the problem of those people who believe, sincerely, that they are coping adequately on say six hours per night but in fact are not. Those effects can usually only be detected through a range of psychological tests and what they tend to show is that many people who believe that they are doing well on five or six hours sleep may, to the contrary, be suffering ill effects.
Looking across the current research spectrum suggests that most of us will be wise to assume that the old-fashioned definition of a good night's sleep being eight hours is a pretty smart one.
The health effects
It's probably fair to say that medical science here still has a lot to learn.
It is though clear that this is a period our body needs to simply relax and allow it to deal with both the physical and mental stresses of the day that has just passed.
There are direct links between people who sleep well and for sensible amounts of time overnight and a reduced tendency towards a range of illnesses including cardio-vascular problems.
Psychologically, insufficient sleep is closely associated with things such as increased stress, hypertension, depression and a whole range of related physical and mental conditions.
What you can do to improve your sleep?
Here are a few top tips that you may find beneficial if you are determined to try and improve your sleep regime as part of your overall health programme.
- Listen to your body and don't try and be 'macho' in terms of what you think are your sleep requirements. Work on the assumption you need eight hours - not five or six just because that's all you can fit into your diary.
- Don't consume stimulants (e.g. caffeine) shortly before going to bed.
- Get some exercise most evenings before turning in.
- Don't go to bed feeling either hungry or over-full. If you are following professional weight loss programs, make sure you time your meals to avoid either of the above two things.
- Go to bed at a regular hour whether you are tired or not. Even if you are reading a book, you'll be relaxing. In passing, don't take work to bed with you or your laptop / smart phone. Your brain needs to relax not become occupied with high-intensity activities.
- Avoid the over-consumption of alcohol shortly before turning in. It may help you go to sleep immediately but you will probably wake up shortly afterwards and be restless for the rest of the night.
- Set your alarm for a sensible hour not one that is over-ambitious. Getting up before dawn in order to do housework or engage in a demanding exercise routine before going to do a full day's work is simply robbing you of time that might be better spent sleeping.
Ratna Rashid is an author and business manager in Adventures in
Weightloss team. Adventures in Weightloss is a medically designed,
personalised Weight loss Program resulting in rapid and permanent weight loss. Register for Free Webinar on Weight Loss & Discover 3 reasons why you can't lose weight and keep it off.
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