How many hours of sleep are recommended? Natural patterns of sleep actually depend on your age. Following table illustrates the sleep hours for different age groups.
If you are a young adult or an adult, are you getting enough sleep? Most probably you are not. Medical professionals are recognizing more and more benefits of getting adequate sleep but the majority of us are not getting adequate sleep and whatever our job or business is, it is tiring.
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What you don’t know about sleep can hurt you. It’s true. Duration and quality affect your health. This is important for you to develop healthy sleep habits. There are many compelling pieces of evidence regularly published in health and medical journals that our brain repairs itself while sleeping. It removes some unwanted elements. Sleeping is the best way to reset your body and brain health. Your bad sleeping patterns can actually hurt you.
Sleep and weight problems
There is a relation between your sleeping patterns and your weight. Not getting sufficient sleep can worsen your weight problem. This association between sleeping habit and weight problem has been reported in many studies. Researchers are still trying to identify the mechanism responsible for this association.
Sleeping and diabetes
This is another medical and health implication of not sleeping for the recommended number of hours, especially in kids. Recently a study was conducted in the UK and its results were published online. The results of this study prove that children not getting adequate sleep are more likely to have higher BMIs. Apart from that, blood sugar level in these kids is also high. This also increases insulin resistance. The risk of diabetes 2 is high.
Shortened sleep and accelerated aging
Telomeres sitting at the end of chromosomes serve the purpose of a protective cap. Shortened sleep leads to the shortening of this protective cap. This leads to cellular aging. It becomes worst when along with not getting adequate sleep, you are eating a poor diet, physically inactive and living a stressful life. This speeds up the aging process.
Sleeping and emotions
Poor sleeping habits can also change the way your emotional responses work. Inadequate sleep increases moodiness and also affects your sense of control.
Sleeping and smartness
What food is for your body, sleep is for your brain. Can you think clearly when you are tired? No. You are less creative. You are less quick. Your sleeping habit affects your thinking power and learning ability.
Factors affecting the quality and quantity of sleep
- Lifestyle and habit
- Exercise and physical activities
- Dietary habits such as alcohol intake, caffeine, smoking etc.
- Environmental factors
- Psychological stress
- Illness and medical conditions
Apart from these factors, sleeping positions, your pillow and your mattress also affect the quality and quantity of sleep. However, you can fix this by changing sleeping position, buying the right pillow and the mattress in Vancouver. If your day starts with back pain then change your mattress in Vancouver now.
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