Believe it or not sleep is the best way to get ahead in life. Without a proper nights rest you aren't able to function at your best. What some people don't know is that, even though they are sleeping a reasonable amount of time, they still aren't getting the right ratio of sleep to make it effective.
Each age group needs a set amount of sleep every night. When you move out of home you are in the age group looking to get around 9-10 hours if you are still in your teens, or 7-8 hours if you are classified as 'an adult'. This might seem like a lot to those of you who like to stay up late and get up early but in the long run you are benefiting.
If you miss getting the recommended amount of sleep every night your body needs to catch up. So if you are only sleeping four hours during the week when you are busy you will need to sleep for up to 12 hours on the weekend to catch up properly. But if you leave this too long then your body will lose what it needs to catch up on and you will not be able to catch up on those hours you lost.
Getting the right amount of sleep isn't going to help you, though, if you don't get it at the right time. If you are going to sleep at different times every night (within a large variable of time) then you are throwing off you 'sleep cycle'. To ensure that your body understands when to start going into sleep mode you must go to bed at around the same time every night. Of course, being a few hours off doesn't matter every now and then.
Sleeping in a proper environment works as well. Before going to sleep it is important not to hinder your sleep with anything. Eating food or drinking water right before going to bed will keep you up longer and will make it harder to stay asleep. Being too hot or too cold will also make sleeping that much harder making your resting time not as valuable.
I'm sure by now a lot of your are shaking your heads thinking, "sleeping sounds a lot harder than it should be". It actually isn't so hard if you have a planned list and are able to get into habit easily. Here is what I recommend:
1. With class or work try to plan a schedule around what time is best to go to sleep to get the most amount of rest.
2. If you can't afford to sleep the recommended time then plan small breaks in your day to lie down and close your eyes.
3. If you miss sleep set time aside to pick it up. Taking a nap in the middle of the day (keeping it about an hour and a half) can help you catch up if you do it properly.
4. Make sure you eat something about an hour before you plan to go to bed. Drinking water around this time may also help and it gives your body sufficient time to flush itself so you don't have to get up through the night.
5. Keep the environment you are sleeping in a constant, reasonable temperature for your sleep. If it is the middle of a hot summer point a silent fan at yourself to keep cool. In the winter have a warm blanket and a decent amount of heat.
With all of that being said I must now inform you that I am by no means a sleep expert. For that you must go online to do research, speak with your doctor, or talk to someone who truly knows what they are doing. You must know and understand that sleep is important to helping you function and reduce stress in your everyday life.
Stay healthy and sleep well my friends.
Each age group needs a set amount of sleep every night. When you move out of home you are in the age group looking to get around 9-10 hours if you are still in your teens, or 7-8 hours if you are classified as 'an adult'. This might seem like a lot to those of you who like to stay up late and get up early but in the long run you are benefiting.
If you miss getting the recommended amount of sleep every night your body needs to catch up. So if you are only sleeping four hours during the week when you are busy you will need to sleep for up to 12 hours on the weekend to catch up properly. But if you leave this too long then your body will lose what it needs to catch up on and you will not be able to catch up on those hours you lost.
Getting the right amount of sleep isn't going to help you, though, if you don't get it at the right time. If you are going to sleep at different times every night (within a large variable of time) then you are throwing off you 'sleep cycle'. To ensure that your body understands when to start going into sleep mode you must go to bed at around the same time every night. Of course, being a few hours off doesn't matter every now and then.
Sleeping in a proper environment works as well. Before going to sleep it is important not to hinder your sleep with anything. Eating food or drinking water right before going to bed will keep you up longer and will make it harder to stay asleep. Being too hot or too cold will also make sleeping that much harder making your resting time not as valuable.
I'm sure by now a lot of your are shaking your heads thinking, "sleeping sounds a lot harder than it should be". It actually isn't so hard if you have a planned list and are able to get into habit easily. Here is what I recommend:
1. With class or work try to plan a schedule around what time is best to go to sleep to get the most amount of rest.
2. If you can't afford to sleep the recommended time then plan small breaks in your day to lie down and close your eyes.
3. If you miss sleep set time aside to pick it up. Taking a nap in the middle of the day (keeping it about an hour and a half) can help you catch up if you do it properly.
4. Make sure you eat something about an hour before you plan to go to bed. Drinking water around this time may also help and it gives your body sufficient time to flush itself so you don't have to get up through the night.
5. Keep the environment you are sleeping in a constant, reasonable temperature for your sleep. If it is the middle of a hot summer point a silent fan at yourself to keep cool. In the winter have a warm blanket and a decent amount of heat.
With all of that being said I must now inform you that I am by no means a sleep expert. For that you must go online to do research, speak with your doctor, or talk to someone who truly knows what they are doing. You must know and understand that sleep is important to helping you function and reduce stress in your everyday life.
Stay healthy and sleep well my friends.
