Trouble sleeping? Then read these 12 valuable tips and habits that you need to develop in order to gain an optimal good night’s sleep and have a better and healthier lifestyle. In this post you find out more about the importance of sleep.
“Think in the morning. Act in the noon. Eat in the evening. Sleep in the night.” William Blake
There’s nothing like a good night’s sleep for the soul, some say. And I completely agree. It’s in our nature to sleep in order to keep functioning properly. Therefore, we must develop good sleeping habits and to do that, some rituals may do the trick.
The importance of good sleep
Along with nutrition and exercise, sleep is one of the three pillars of a healthy lifestyle. Good sleep promotes physical health and mental well-being. It also boosts performance, but with having trouble sleeping, especially prolonged one can cause big problems.
The state that you perceive as “being tired” or sleepless could be in fact the cause of several problems in your body and in your mind. Think about it. You’re depriving your body of its essential nourishment. Inside it, many chemicals can’t work properly and the whole process becomes a mess. Feeling sleepy is a sign of improper bodily performance.
So let’s reach for a body working at 100%!
7 and Up! Adults should sleep 7 or more hours per night on a regular basis. Getting less than 7 hours of nightly sleep increases your risk of several health issues.
In the short term, having trouble sleeping may cause negative outcomes, such as decreased performance and alertness; memory and cognitive (ability to think and process information) impairment; increase of probabilities of an accident or injuries, etc.
Only in the United States, each year drowsy driving is responsible for at least 100,000 automobile crashes, states the NHTSA.
Trouble sleeping can lead to problems in relationship
Also, to disrupt the sleep of a bed-partner may lead to problems in a relationship, such as moodiness and conflict. In the same manner, you could find yourself unable to pay attention even in significant matters like reading for a long period of time or listening to a conversation.
In the long term, the clinical consequences of untreated sleep disorders are large indeed. The most important are high blood pressure; probability of a heart attack or a stroke; obesity; depression and mood disorders; mental impairment; fetal and childhood growth retardation, and many others.
Nap Time!
As for napping, the sleep experts recommend one of the following.
- A 10-to-20 minute power nap for a quick boost of alertness and getting back to work in a pinch.
- A 60-minute nap for cognitive memory processing. Including slow-wave sleep helps with remembering facts, places and faces.
- A 90-minute nap, which will involve a full cycle of sleep, aids creativity and emotional memory.
Want to read more advices from an experienced Fail Coach? Then browse through our categories Life Coaching, Real Life Stories and Business Failure and take a day off, because you’ll find plenty of interesting reading material.