Getting a good night of shut eye can often seem like a Herculean task. Smartphones provide an enticing distraction — whether you’re laughing at a funny YouTube video or texting with friends — and the noise and light pollution can interrupt our body clocks.
But, there’s no one secret to perfect sleep, and everyone is different. Some people can fall asleep in an instant (even if that seems unfair), while others stare at the ceiling for hours.
“As a nation we are not getting enough sleep,” Dr. Wayne Giles, the former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of Population Health, previously cautioned.
But, what is enough, why is it important, and are there rules we can follow to get it?
What is a good night’s sleep?
People need continuous hours of restful sleep. The American Heart Association says you want multiple cycles of all five stages of sleep, advancing into deep sleep. The two main stages of sleep are rapid eye movement (REM) and non-REM. REM sleep is thought to aid in the development of the central nervous system and protect against dementia.
The amount of sleep each person needs will vary and changes as we age, but adults should get between seven and nine hours of sleep per night. Otherwise, you will feel tired throughout the week. About a third of U.S. adults don’t get enough sleep and many older adults don’t sleep well. Sleep disorders are common, but sleep can also be disrupted by chronic health conditions.
“Older adults have different sleep patterns. They tend to sleep more lightly and may wake earlier in the morning,” Cleveland Clinic’s Dr. Michelle Drerup said. “But you still need the same amount of sleep over 24 hours, so if you’re sleeping less at night, you might need a nap during the day.”
Why do we need it?
A good night’s sleep can impact memory, adaptability, and brain function.
Without enough sleep, symptoms of depression, seizures, high blood pressure, and migraines can worsen. Peoples’ immunity is compromised. A lack of sleep can raise our propensity for obesity, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes, according to Harvard Medical School. People who don’t get enough are also at an increased risk of falls or accidents.
Even just one night without sleep can create a prediabetic state in an otherwise healthy person, according to Johns Hopkins University. Three nights without sleep can hurt your heart, a recent study found.
“Sleep influences many aspects of health, including mood, cardiovascular health, metabolic health, and increasingly we recognize it is important for brain health,” Dr. Mark Wu, a professor of neurology, medicine, and neuroscience at Johns Hopkins University, told The Independent. “At Hopkins, for example, we have been investigating the connection between sleep and Alzheimer’s disease, and the data suggest that poor quality and insufficient sleep can be a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease.”
What can we do to get it?
Many experts recommend similar steps — and like all good advice, the hard part is following it consistently. Getting exercise in the morning can help maintain your body’s clock.
Sticking to a schedule and pre-sleep routine can reinforce your body’s sleep-wake cycle, according to Mayo Clinic. If you have trouble sleeping one night, try not to sleep later or nap the next day. You will sleep better that night.
Federal health officials also advise people keep their bedroom quiet and cool, and turn off their electronic devices at least 30 minutes before bedtime. Bright lights can disrupt your body’s natural sleep-wake functions, also known as your circadian rhythm.
Dr. Matthew Walker, a professor of neuroscience and psychology at U.C. Berkeley, said in an email shared with The Independent that the room should be at around 65 degrees Fahrenheit.
Reduce caffeine after lunch and don’t drink before bed. Nicotine is also a negative, Wu said.
“Most people can get good sleep, but there are many factors that can influence sleep, like pain, mood disorders like anxiety, depression, stress,” he explained.
