The power of sleep

The power of sleep is todays topic

How important is the The power of sleep

We are going to be looking at The power of sleep and why it is so important to get the right amount of sleep each day. We as the human race try to sleep as little as possible.  A we think that there are things that are more  interesting or more important than getting a few more hours of sleep, but just as exercise and nutrition are essential for optimal health and happiness, so is sleep. The quality of your sleep directly affects the quality of your waking life, including your mental sharpness,  your productivity, emotional balance, creativity, physical vitality, and even your weight. No other activity delivers so many benefits with so little effort!

Understanding sleep

First you need to understand why we sleep While you body  rests, your brain stays busy, overseeing a wide variety of biological maintenance that keeps your body running in top condition, preparing you for the day ahead.  If you  skip this important part of the day, you won’t be able to work, learn, create, and communicate at a level even close to your true potential.  If you regularly skimp on sleep then  you’re headed for a major mental and physical breakdown.

But if you get the amount of sleep that your body requires, your energy and efficiency will go up. In fact, you’re likely to find that you actually get more done during the day than when you were skimping on sleep.

How many hours sleep do you need?

According to the National Institutes of Health, the average adult sleeps less than seven hours per night. Now six or seven hours of sleep may sound pretty good. In reality, though, it’s a recipe for chronic sleep deprivation. You may be asking your self how come this is because, there is a big difference between the amount of sleep you can get by on and the amount you need to function optimally. Just because you’re able to operate on seven hours of sleep doesn’t mean you wouldn’t feel a lot better and get more done if you spent an extra hour or two in bed.

While sleep requirements  do vary from person to person, most healthy adults need between seven and a half to nine hours of sleep per night to function at their best. Children and teens need even more  the common theory that that we need less sleep as we age,  is not trues as older people still need at least seven and a half to eight hours of sleep.

The best way to figure out if you’re getting enough  sleep is to evaluate how you feel as you go about your day. If you are getting enough sleep, you’ll feel energetic and alert all day long, from the moment you wake up until your regular bedtime.

Average Sleep needs by age are;

• New born to 2 months – 12-18 hrs
• 3 – months to 1 year – 14-15 hrs
• 3 – 5 years 11-13 hrs
• 5 – 12 years 10 – 11 hrs
• 12 – 18 years 8.5 -10 hrs
• Adults -7.5 – 9 hrs

There is so much information  on  The power of sleep we will be covering it again at a later date

Tags: average amount of sleep, sleep, sleep deprivation, The power of sleep