Have you or someone you know recently been complaining about feeling tired all the time, and not getting enough sleep? Maybe you have had sleep issues for years now, and you aren’t quite sure what normal sleep is even supposed to feel like? Perhaps you only recently started to experience issues with your sleep, and you think now is the time to do something proactive about it?
If any of this sounds like you, then keep reading to discover some new information about sleep. This article will discuss a few basic facts about just how much sleep is enough in today’s modern era. Feeling tired all the time is no fun and not something that anyone enjoys. Make sure that you are always energized and well-rested by using this simple guide on sleeping.
Frequency
It is extremely common for people nowadays to conceptualize sleeping in a single session, which is usually around eight hours long. Depending on your aspirations and schedule, getting this kind of sleep every day might not be realistic. There are many famous scientists and thinkers throughout history who have preferred to sleep in smaller segments, rather than devoting a full 8 hours to sleep every day. You can actually get just as much benefit from having a few smaller naps throughout the days as you would be able to form a single longer session. If this concept intrigues you, then make sure to do some additional research to explore the topic.
Duration
Depending on the job or commitments and responsibilities that you have in your life, it might not be feasible to always get the exact amount of sleep you need in a day. Scientists recommend that each person get about 8 hours of sleep each night, but the quality of sleep can also determine the actual amount you need. If you are getting between six to eight hours of sleep per night, then you fall into the normal range and will probably not suffer too much from sleep deprivation side effects. If you are finding that you are sleeping much less or more than six to eight hours each night, then you might want to see your doctor in order to get referred to a sleep specialist.
Volume
When people think about how much sleep they get, or the quality of sleep that they have, they are often referencing the total amount of sleep they got in a single night’s sleep. When you are trying to ensure that you are getting enough sleep in the modern era, then you should probably be more concerned with the actual volume of sleep that you get. This means that you need to think about the overall sleeping time you get including things like naps and alarm snoozes. When you first wake up it can be tricky to track sleep, so many sleep wizards highly recommend using this sleeping tool to calculate the total amount of sleep you get each night. After getting a realistic picture of your actual sleep patterns, then you will be in a much better position to make informed decisions about implementing changes to help out.
Lighting
A factor that actually plays into how well-rested you feel after sleeping more than people realize is the lighting that they have while they are asleep, and during the day. If you are working outside in direct sunlight all day long, then you probably find that you do not have much trouble sleeping at all. Conversely, people who are stuck inside under fluorescent lighting and in front of LED computer screens all day have been experiencing inferior sleep patterns at a much higher rate than average people. In order to optimize the sleep you get, you want to ensure that there are no bring sources of light in the room while you sleep.
Sleep Cycles
Another thing that many people fail to consider when determining the amount of actual sleep and rest they get in a night is the different sleep cycles, and how they affect our overall energy levels. The deepest phase of sleep is called REM (rapid eye movement) sleep and is the time when our body actually rests and recovers. If you have ever woken up feeling tired and disoriented, then you probably woke up during a REM phase of sleep. The average REM phase of your sleep lasts about 90 minutes after you have been sleeping for a while, but can be much shorter in the early stages of your night’s sleep.
Shift Work
In a time when there has been a huge increase in the number of workers who rely on a shift work system in order to make a living, traversing the difficulties of getting enough sleep while working these jobs is becoming a more common task in recent years. Many shift workers find that trying to get about 6-8 hours of sleep is usually a good amount for them, and afterward, they can either wake up and enjoy the day or try and enjoy some quiet time in the evening.
Adjusting
The reality about living in the modern era is that people have had to adapt in many ways in order to continue living at a comfortable level, despite huge changes in our society in the last few years. Just as people have had to adjust to incorporate protocols for the coronavirus pandemic, so will people have to adapt to get enough sleep in the modern era.
After reading through a few of the basic facts included in this article, the hope is that you have realized just how much sleep is enough in today’s modern era. If you want to be firing on all cylinders and able to compete in the ultra-competitive environment of today’s world, then you absolutely can’t afford to be getting lackluster sleep on a regular basis. Make sure that you are doing everything in your power to make each and every night a time of rest and relaxation, rather than constantly feeling tired out and uninspired. This article only includes a few facts about sleep, so make sure to do some additional research in order to help clear up any lingering questions that you might have.
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