Fortune Well November 25, 2024
Lifestyle
Doctors and scientists have long been touting the benefits of sleep for the brain and body. It’s true—sleep is an essential part of maintaining overall well-being. When you are well rested, your mood improves, your stress levels decrease, and you tend to feel more productive.
Beyond quantity of sleep, research has shown that the quality of your sleep matters too. While current guidelines recommend adults get between seven and nine hours of sleep, over a third of Americans do not meet the minimum. It’s too easy to give in to the over-stimulating activities at your fingertips—hello, TikTok—instead of turning the lights off. Minutes scrolling on social media before bed turn into hours, and screens have made it harder to shut off the brain and prepare for a good night’s rest—ever heard of revenge bedtime procrastination?
Getting little sleep is associated with an increased risk of chronic health conditions like heart disease and stroke. Sleeping less also puts people at risk of mental health problems like anxiety and depression. One study found older adults who get five or fewer hours of sleep are at risk for developing multiple chronic conditions. What’s more, sleep deprivation increases the risk of motor vehicle accidents that can result in injury and death. So, improving sleep can, in turn, improve our lives. Even following certain sleep habits can increase your life expectancy, per one study.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), adults need at least seven hours of sleep. For those 65 and older, the CDC recommends between seven and eight hours of sleep each night.
As people age, it can be harder to maintain the quantity and quality of sleep. Age-related brain changes can lead to more nighttime wake-ups and a more challenging time falling asleep and staying asleep. Experts recommend shutting off screens well before lights out, relaxing before bed, and moving throughout the day.
Get more tips to fall asleep when you’re stressed.
If you’re a lover of the siesta, a standard daily practice in Italy and Spain to rest after lunch and before the evening hours roll in, don’t fret. Napping can be helpful in increasing restfulness during the day. However, there is a sweet spot duration that will help you without harming your night’s sleep.
The Romans were onto something, as the midday slump seems to roll in like clockwork at around 3 p.m. One expert says a successful siesta is between 15 to 25 minutes to ensure you still have a restful night’s sleep. “When we nap much longer, we may cycle into deeper stages of sleep, which may be harder to wake from,” Alaina Tiani, PhD, a clinical psychologist at the Cleveland Clinic Sleep Disorders Center, previously told Fortune.
Power naps may also be better for brain health and delay brain shrinkage.
Melatonin is our body’s natural hormone released when it’s time to go to bed. Taking a melatonin supplement can help shift your circadian rhythm and signal to your body that it’s time to get sleep earlier than you may have been able to. Therefore, it may help people sleep earlier and longer.
However, experts recommend between one and five milligrams of melatonin for adults, and many pharmacy-sold brands do not have clear dosage labels.
And more, short-term use has not been associated with complications, but the supplement has not been studied for long-term use in adults.
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