Everyone has to go to sleep eventually to recharge from their day, but not everyone gets enough sleep. Lacking sleep leads not just to a stressful and tiring day, but also severe long-term health problems.
Exercising and eating well is not enough, you also need to get a healthy amount of sleep. Being well-rested optimizes your energy so you can have the strength to last the day.
There are also many studies on how sleep affects the brain and the lack of it can result in negative consequences. This is why it’s crucial to sleep the right amount.
Let’s start by knowing how much is the recommended sleep by age and several tips on how to sleep better.
1. 0 to 5 Years Old
After birth, toddlers spent more than half the day in slumber. Most babies sleep on and off throughout the day with varying numbers of snoozing hours. They can sleep for 12-15 hours.
When you combine all of them, it is longer than anyone in the age bracket.
A toddler’s internal clock may not be fully developed but many sleep charts, like this one, will tell you they need 11-14 hours at most. Pre-school kids, aged 3-5, require about 10-13 hours of sleep per day.
2. Kids Ages 6 to 13 Years Old
Kids don’t fall asleep easily, even after their parents tell them to. Because of this, it’s often hard to create a sleep schedule for them. Consider tiring your kids out through fun activities so they doze off and get a healthy amount of sleep.
Every kid might be different, but 9-11 hours of sleep every night is appropriate. They are growing after all.
3. Teenagers Ages 14 to 17 Years Old
Teenagers like to explore things that fascinate them so they stay up more than usual. Researchers say that most of them don’t get enough sleep. With schoolwork, friends, and the internet, teenagers have a lot of distractions which keeps them from getting enough sleep.
Sleep deprivation can affect a teenager’s decision-making skills in life. It is of utmost importance they get 8-10 hours per day.
4. Young Adults Ages 18 to 24 Years Old
Once you graduate from high school, your life will go from busy to hectic real fast. Young adults do not only need to pass all their assignments but are also obliged to do their social obligations.
They might sleep 6 hours or less because of all of their responsibilities. This may be the time to grind and work the hardest but sleeping 8 hours every night is crucial.
5. Adults Ages 25 to 65 Years Old
Adults need at least 7-9 hours to function but usually have trouble getting some sleep. The lack of sleep is dangerous because they are more likely to get injuries and accidents, either from work or on the road.
Skipping sleep has bad consequences that concern your mental health and other physical health conditions like heart disease. If they are not careful, they could carry that into their old age.
6. Seniors Ages 61 Years Old and Up
As we grow older, your physical health declines over time. We are becoming more prone to disorders and conditions. This includes insomnia which researchers found is common with older people.
They are also sensitive to background noise and temperature which also makes it harder to sleep at night. It’s better for people in this age group to maintain 7-8 hours of sleep per day.
Tips on How to Sleep Better at Night
Whether old or young, everyone will need help falling asleep. Here are some of the useful methods you can try to catch some shut-eye.
Routines Before Sleeping
Yes, routines can be quite troublesome but if you keep doing the motions, they will ready your body to go to bed. With enough practice, you could even fall asleep at the same time every night.
Is there something that makes you drowsy? It could be anything from listening to classical music to soothe your mind to taking a hot/cold shower to cleanse and relax your body. These triggers are the things you should expose yourself to when you want to sleep.
For babies, play with them or read a bedtime story so they will get tired later on. They are less likely to wake up in the middle of the night.
Power Naps
Do you keep yawning now and then? You are due for some nap time.
Do you want to take a nap? Sleep no more than 20 minutes. You are more likely to wake up even more groggy and tired than before if you exceed the 20-minute mark.
Consider Changing Your Mattress
You spend a third (or fourth) of your life in a bed, sleeping. That is why you need to make sure it is comfortable enough. But everyone has their own sleeping positions and patterns.
This is one of the factors to consider when deciding what kind of mattress is better for you. The bed you sleep on can affect the quality of your sleep. Who wants to wake up sore and with a stiff neck or back, after all?
Do you want help finding the right mattress? You can check out this guide on finding the best mattress for side sleepers.
Herbal Teas
Chamomile tea is one of the more popular teas that help induce sleepiness when you drink them. They have chemical properties that strike the part of your brain which releases calming sensations into your body. Chamomile teas are usually used to treat people with insomnia.
Magnolia Bark tea has natural components like honokiol that help improve your sleep. It can reduce your anxiety and other conditions that might be keeping you awake at night. This is also great for people with diabetes, heart diseases, etc.
Consult Your Doctor
Are you still having some problems with sleeping? If nothing seems to help, you should consider scheduling a meeting with your doctor. They might be able to rule out any health concerns and complications that might be causing it.
Depending on your medical record, the doctor might even refer you to a specialist. Ask about the different treatments available and any lifestyle changes you could adopt. They could help you get more detailed and personalized strategies to sleep better.
Get a Healthy Amount of Sleep Tonight
There are no strict rules on how much sleep you need in a day. But if you don’t have a healthy amount of sleep, your performance at work or school suffers. Follow our tip to ensure you can get a good night’s sleep and boost your productivity.
If you think this content is useful, we have a lot more guides you can read! Be sure to check them out today for more tips and tricks for better sleep and other health and fitness topics.