Why is sleep important?
“Now, blessings light on him who first invented sleep!
Sleeping is the one thing that everyone practices almost daily all his life, and that, nevertheless, hardly anyone does as well as when he began. We have improved in our walking, talking, eating, seeing, and in other acts of skill and habit; but, in spite of our experience, few of us have improved in sleeping: the best sleepers only “sleep like a child.” It must be that we do not do it wisely, else we should by this time do it well.
How much sleep do we need?
Based on continuing research, the National Sleep Foundation offers recommendations on the amount of sleep typically needed by people in different age groups. These are general guidelines, based on averages; some people can’t function on less shut-eye and others can. The foundation provides these daily sleep guidelines:
*Infants (4-11 months): 12-15 hours
*School age children (6-13): 9-11 hours
*Teenagers (14-17): 8-10 hours
*Young adults (18-25): 7-9 hours
*Adults (26-64): 7-9 hours
*Older adults (65+): 7-8 hours
Teenagers need between 8 to 10 hours of sleep, while adults should get 7 to 9 hours.Sure, you’re eating your vegetables and fruits and squeezing in exercise at least 20 minutes a day, but are you getting enough sleep, too? The National Sleep Foundation's latest sleep recommendations, published March 2015 in the journal Sleep Health, may make you want to think twice about skimping on essential shut-eye.
Why do older adults sleep less?
Older adults need about that same amount of slumber as other adults, but they tend to sleep more lightly and for shorter time spans than younger adults. They have less “deep slow-wave sleep”—the most restorative stage of sleep—“and their sleep is more fragmented, meaning that they're going to wake up more frequently,”
Who’s at risk of sleep deprivation?
In short, almost everyone is at risk of catching fewer zzz’s than they really need. Whether you’re a shift worker who sleeps at odd or varying hours, a new parent attending to a waking baby, or someone who is ill or stressed, you’re bound to experience periods when you log fewer hours of sleep than you need.
Healthy sleep:
sleep is the balm that soothes and restores after a long day. Sleep is largely driven by the body’s internal clock, which takes cues from external elements such as sunlight and temperature. The body’s natural sleep-and-wake cycle is reasonably attuned to a 24-hour period.
Disruptions of sleep are disruptive to functioning of many body systems. Learning, memory, stamina, general health, and mood are all affected by sleep amount and quality. For many people, sleep is elusive or otherwise troubled. In fact, most people, at some point in their lives, experience difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. Potential consequences of consistently poor sleep include obesity, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. Sleep deprivation can also affect judgement and mental acuity.
Sleep needs differ from person to person and across different age groups. One person may need a full eight hours, while another can function with less sleep. The good news is that treatment of sleep disorders is rapidly progressing.
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