For most of us, that means a minimum of six hours and ideally seven to nine hours of quality sleep per night. If you can wake up without an alarm and feel refreshed, that tells you that your body is caught up on sleep. We should all strive for whatever amount of sleep that leaves us refreshed on awakening. However, there is no “magic number” because our individual need for sleep depends on our genetics, our age and our overall health – everyone is going to be a little different. The average adult reports that they need seven to nine hours of sleep per night to feel fully refreshed. Late night technology use, watching television in bed and consuming alcohol or caffeine in the evening can contribute to poor sleep. These changes can induce chronic health problems because they disrupt our body’s natural circadian rhythm. Disruptions to our circadian rhythm can have a big impact on health.įor example, stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline are supposed to decrease during quality sleep, but instead surge during interrupted sleep and remain higher than normal all day during chronic sleep deprivation. In addition, many hormones in our body have a 24-hour circadian rhythm. Good sleep has even been shown to have potent anti-inflammatory properties. What happens while we sleep?īetter sleep is critical for wound healing, tissue repair, heart health, brain health and mental health. Important healing processes occur while we sleep, and neglecting this pillar of health can have long-term consequences. Many of us even consider short sleep duration a “badge of honor” of how hard we are working. We assume that waking up sleepy and unrefreshed is just a normal part of working or getting older. It’s amazing that we spend a third of our life sleeping, but as a culture, we continue to minimize its importance to health and well-being. ![]() Exercise, diet and sleep are the three pillars of health, yet an estimated 35% of adults aren’t getting enough quality sleep. ![]() ![]() As Daylight Saving Time ends, it’s a good time to reflect on how important better sleep is to our overall health.
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