Sleep For Good Health

In a small city, there lived a girl who was working hard day and night to pursue a better career. She was so busy with her schedule that she had to stay up all night to get her work done. In her pursuit of dreams, she compromised on sleep, toiling tirelessly and neglecting the importance of rest. This relentless work and stress disrupted her sleep patterns, and she suffered from insomnia.

Due to the lack of proper sleep and rest, it was extremely difficult for her to manage college, work, and family obligations. She felt drained, and her productivity suffered. Concerned for her wellbeing, she started focusing on self-care through healthy eating, meditation, and napping. Once she got enough quality sleep, her energy levels and creativity skyrocketed. This is a common story in today's busy world, where many sacrifice sleep due to work and stress.

Giving sleep a priority, World Sleep Day is celebrated on March 15 every year. The theme of the day for this year is “sleep equity for global health." It is noted that “sleep is essential to health, but measurable differences in sleep health persist across populations across the world, creating additional burdens and reinforcing health inequities.” The day aims to raise awareness about the importance of sleep, which is often deprived in the fast-paced life of modern-day society. It also calls for action on important issues about sleep, encompassing the areas of medicine, education, and society, among many others. It also warns the public about the dangers of not getting enough sleep, and it aims to reduce the global burden of sleep-related disorders and efforts for prevention and management of them.

Getting enough sleep can play an important role in maintaining weight, emotional well-being, blood pressure, diabetes, mental and physical performance, and more. Various studies have shown that adults should get seven to eight hours of sleep a night for good health. However, getting enough sleep isn’t just about the number of hours you’re asleep. It’s also about the quality of sleep. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, these are the recommended number of hours of sleep based on a child’s age:

Newborns: 14–17 hours a day

Babies: 12–16 hours a day

School-aged children: 9–12 hours each night

Teenagers: 8–10 hours each night

It’s not healthy to deprive yourself of sleep because it supports all aspects of normal brain and body function. Some tips to help you get a better night's sleep:

Avoid late-night snacking, sugar, caffeine, and alcohol.

Turn off electronics, TVs, and computers two hours before bed. The blue light from these devices causes your brain to stay active. Turning them off a couple of hours before bed gives your brain a chance to unwind and get ready for sleep.

Store all digital devices (e.g., smartphones, tablets, laptops, etc.) in an area of the house other than the bedrooms. Keep room temperatures on the cooler side.

Sleep deprivation affects the ability to remember, concentrate, and make good decisions. Not getting enough sleep makes us emotionally unstable. Lack of sleep can lead to extreme sadness or anger. Having a fixed bed and wake-up time is paramount for both physical and mental well-being. 

CiST College