Sleep is a vital component of everyone’s health and well-being. Even though it offers many benefits, it is one of the most neglected forms of self care. Providing your body with the adequate amount of sleep will leave you waking up feeling refreshed and ready to take on another day.
Here’s what sleep can do for you:
- Lower risk of weight gain
- Help with calorie regulation
- Increases athletic performance
- Lower risk of heart disease
- Links to social and emotional intelligence
- Prevents depression
- Reduces inflammation in the body
- Strengthens your immune system
According to the CDC; they breakdown the recommended amount of sleep for each age group
- Newborns (0–3 months): 14–17 hours
- Infants (4–12 months): 12–16 hours
- Toddler (1–2 years): 11–14 hours
- Preschool (3–5 years): 10–13 hours
- School age (6–12 years): 9–12 hours
- Teen (13–18 years): 8–10 hours
- Adult (18–60 years): 7-plus hours
- Adult (61–64 years): 7–9 hours
- Adult (65+ years): 7–8 hours
Tips to getting a better night sleep
Exercise
Exercising throughout the day has many different benefits, but it ultimately tires your mind and body out. This could be joining an exercise group, going for walks throughout the day or even just getting up and moving your body. Even though this is one of the best tips to help you sleep better, it is also very important for general senior care as well. Exercising provides your body with endorphins which improves your overall mood.
Remove Distractions
Taking the time to unwind from a long day is crucial in order to sleep well at night. Blue light from any electronic device can keep your mind stimulated before bed. Try to not look at your phone for a minimum of 30 minutes before going to bed.
Fluid Intake
Try to not drink any fluid at least one hour before going to bed. This eliminates waking you up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom!
Medications
Be sure to take a look at your medications to see if they could possibly have an ingredient that is keeping you up. If you’re taking a medication that’s been making you drowsy, contact your doctor to see if they can be administered at a different time of day.
Temperature
Most of the time, sleep patterns get interrupted because of the temperature of the room. Many find that they wake up when they get overheated or when their body is too cold. Be sure to set your air to a comfortable temperature. Have a background noise to block out any distracting noises that could possibly keep you up.
Best,
Danielle Morrow
Marketing Specialist