SO HOW MUCH SLEEP DO WE ACTUALLY NEED ?
It is always a blur , from the moment the school day ends to being tucked in - enraptured in a deep lulling sleep . Sleep , without doubt is our favourite pastime activity . Even without fully grasping what sleep does for us , we know that insomnia and a bad night ’ s sleep will make us feel groggy and disorientated . Adequate sleeping doesn ’ t only allow the individual to lose themselves from reality , it is also an active period in which the brain consolidates memories . Throughout the day , numerous amount of facts and details are taken in by our brains . We tend to think that these information will be magically stored in our heads permanently ; however , this isn ’ t the case . The truth is , before these facts are registered into our cerebrums , it will go through a process and this happens when we sleep . Studies have shown that after people sleep , they are more inclined to retain more information and perform better in tasks which involve remembering . Sleep also acts as a pit stop for our body to recharge and rejuvenate , ameliorating our immune system and metabolism .
SO HOW MUCH SLEEP DO WE ACTUALLY NEED ?
Before answering this question , let ’ s talk about some science behind our sleep ! As we sleep , we go through cycles . Within each there is what we call non-REM ( Rapid Eye Movement ) sleep , and then REM sleep . Non-REM sleep has 4 stages with stage 1 and 2 as the ‘ light sleep ’ stage , and stage 3 and 4 as the ‘ deep sleep ’ stage ( our heart rate slows and brain outputs slow delta waves ). REM sleep is when our brain activity spikes up and dreams begin to occur . Each cycle takes roughly an hour and a half . On average , humans have a six 90-minute cycles every night . With this being said , we can now conclude that humans need at least 9 hours of sleep . According to the National Sleep Foundation , teenagers are recommended to fall asleep for 8 to 10 hours . Everyone has individual sleep needs however having an extreme polyphasic sleep routine ; or in simple words , sleeping at 2am every night is an undesirable idea . As students who retain information and learn skills to thrive in life daily , it is critical for all of us to get sufficient amount of sleep to enliven us all day . Unfortunately , sleep can ’ t be treated as a ‘ debt ’ thus individuals can ’ t just accumulate sleep deprivation and then register the amount of sleeping hours needed to make up for it .
While sleeping less might seem to be just a lifestyle choice , studies have shown that a chronic lack of sleep can lead not only to poor performance and decreased productivity , but also significant health consequences such as obesity , heart disease and diabetes . Therefore , we would like to share some sleeping tips and habits as non sleeping ‘ specialists ’ to all of you who may or may not have difficulties sleeping . Firstly , ensure the environment you ’ re sleeping in is cool , noise-free and free from any light . This tip may sound obvious however it is one of the main contributors to a bad night ’ s sleep . Consider using blackout curtains , eye masks , earplugs , humidifiers , fans and other devices if an ideal environment for sleeping isn ’ t achievable . Another habit we have is exercising regularly . It is proven that doing physical activity frequently helps you sleep better - as long as you don ’ t get it in too close to bedtime . Furthermore , we have night time rituals in order to signal our brains that the day is over and it is time to start thinking about rest . Just as a morning routine can help you build some productive momentum for the day , a night time routine is designed to disengage our brains from tasks that require a high amount of mental activity . Many people have their methods of winding down , but the following list are a few rituals you could follow :
• Get ready for bed ( brushing teeth and a 5 minute shower )
• Read the book you ’ ve been desperately wanting to since 2012
• Meditate
• Do some stretching or light yoga