A Guide to Improved Sleep Hygiene
Getting a good night’s sleep has many benefits beyond being less cranky (for which your significant other will be especially grateful).
Quality sleep leads to better everyday health and can lower your risk for health problems such as diabetes and heart disease. You think more clearly when you are rested and make good decisions that help avoid injuries. Being well-rested can also reduce stress. It can even keep you at a healthier weight because being tired can keep you out of the gym and can prompt food cravings of usually the unhealthy kind.
How Much Sleep Do You Need?
Sleep guidelines typically look at age when recommending how much sleep is required to be well rested. Babies need the most, with infants up to 3 months requiring 14 to 17 hours a day and those age 4 to 11 months needing 12 to 15 hours a day. The sleep requirement for toddlers ages 1 and 2 years old is slightly less at 11-14 hours a day. Those ages 3 to 5 require 10 to 13 hours a day and school-age children need nine to 11 hours of sleep daily.
Don’t criticize your teen too much for sleeping in — those from age 14 to 17 still need eight to 10 hours of sleep daily. Most adults require seven to nine hours of sleep, although we all know people whose sleep “sweet spot” is six hours while others need a full 10 hours of sleep. As people age, they might require less sleep, needing seven to eight hours.
Sleep Quantity VS Sleep Quality
You can get the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep and still be sleep-deprived. Why? Because you’re not getting “good sleep.”
Scientists started studying sleep quality in the 1980s and it has since gained recognition as being important to overall health. Factors of high-quality sleep include:
- How quickly and easily you fall asleep
- The ability to stay asleep
- How much time you spend asleep versus trying to sleep
- If your sleep aligns with your body’s circadian rhythms
- Alertness during waking hours
- How well rested you feel during the day
How Do You Know If You’re Sleep-Deprived?
You probably know if you’re sleep-deprived. You wake up tired and stay tired throughout the day. A long lecture or meeting threatens to send you to la-la land. Feeling drowsy during the afternoon is another sign. Can’t focus or remember things? It could be a lack of sleep.
How to Improve Your Sleep
There are some simple steps you can take to improve your chances for a good night’s rest, the first starting with consistency — try to go to bed and get up at the same time each day. Other tips include:
- Have a dark bedroom and the thermostat set at a comfortable temperature
- Remove electronic devices — no TV or cell phone use immediately before you go to sleep
- Avoid large meals, caffeine and alcohol before bedtime
- Be physically active during the day
Jubilee includes specific wellness features in every new home to help with residents' sleep quality. Jubilee homes feature a circadian rhythm lighting solution in key rooms, enhancing your body's natural cycle with dimmable and color-changing options for better sleep and hormone health. We also pre-wire a room for blackout shades, allowing you to customize your ideal rest environment.
Learn more tips to improve your sleep hygiene here.
