It is a well-known fact that prioritising quality sleep plays an important role in our general wellness. The quality of sleep that you get affects your mental and physical health in many ways. Occasional poor quality of sleep may result in low energy levels during the day, irritability, lack of motivation to perform tasks, and affects your cognitive process. It has a different impact when the occasional lack of sleep becomes ongoing.
It is estimated that about one out of three adults does not get enough sleep. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), while sleep duration varies for each person, an adult should get at least seven hours of sleep. The consideration of quality and quantity of sleep is very crucial as it dictates whether it has good or bad effects on the body.
Recommended sleep duration for each age group are as follows:
- 4-12 months: 12- 16 hours including naps;
- 1-2 years old: 12-14 hours including naps;
- 3-5 years old: 10-13 hours including naps;
- 6-12 years old: 9-12 hours;
- 13-18 years old: 8-10 hours;
- 18-60 years old: 7 hours or more.
Effects of Sleep Deprivation
Sleep deprivation may look harmless on occasional occurrence. However, more serious problems may occur over time. This includes:
- Stroke;
- Asthma;
- Heart Disease;
- Diabetes;
- Obesity;
- Depression and mental illness;
- Decreased sex drive;
- Skin ageing;
- Increased risk of death from any causes;
- Increased risk of accidents.
Home Remedies for a Better Sleep
To take charge of your own sleeping patterns and get good sleep, there are simple things that you can do with the help of the following natural remedies:
Warm drink before going to bed. Having a warm glass of milk or drinking a cup of tea free from caffeine and sugar can help someone drift to sleep. A good example of tea to use is chamomile, which is known to have a sleep-inducing or tranquillising effect. Lavender tea is also a great option to help you unwind, which in turn might aid in promoting better sleep.
Exercise. You’ve read it right. Exercise is known for boosting your energy, but it can also help promote better sleep. A moderate to vigorous exercise is said to reduce the time of people waiting to fall asleep or what is called sleep onset. Also, exercising helps remove daytime sleepiness.
Massage. The goal of a massage session is to relax the body and promote calm. Some people use CBD oil-infused massage oils along with other aromatic essential oils for optimal benefits, such as reduced pain and inflammation. What’s more, cannabidiol comes in many forms, including CBD gummies, capsules, topicals, edibles and traditional oral tinctures.
Aside from relieving pain and chronic aches, taking CBD for sleep can help to decrease anxiety and stress levels and promote restful sleep.
Supplements. There are also supplements that are known to help improve the quality of sleep. Getting extra help through taking these is helpful to achieve a goodnight’s sleep.
- Melatonin (also called sleep hormone) is a hormone that your body produces naturally in response to darkness. When the concentration of melatonin decreases, it’s good to have this supplement to get your body’s sleeping pattern on track.
- Magnesium is an essential mineral that is not only involved in many processes in the body but also helps quiet both the mind and body, making it easier to drift into sleep.
- Valerian Root is a herb commonly used for the management of anxiety and sleep disorders.
- Glycine is an amino acid that is directly involved in the central nervous system (CNS). This is known to lower down the body temperature sending a signal to the CNS that it is bedtime.
- Ginkgo Biloba is said to promote relaxation and reduce stress, which can have a beneficial effect on your sleep efficiency and quality.
While becoming busy and stressed are inevitable due to many things that are going on in our daily lives, getting enough sleep is one of the essential parts of keeping healthy. Although sometimes it is difficult to quiet the mind and drift into slumber, always keep in mind that there are many things that we can do to help our body.
