Sleep for the Sleepy
Updated: 14 hours ago
Why do we need sleep? How much sleep do we need? How does sleep help my recovery?
Sleep really depends on each person. Some days we need more sleep and other days we need less. Many factors come into play here. For example, how active you were the day before, hormone fluctuations, stress levels, consuming too much or too little food.
“The best bridge between despair and hope is a good night's sleep.” a little quote that I love lol
The Sleep Cycle
Lets get to it! When we are sleeping we go through multiple cycles. We have Awake, Light sleep, SWS (deep sleep) and REM sleep.
Awake time during your sleep cycle is just as it sounds. It's the period of time you woke up to go to the bathroom or get water
Light Sleep is not restorative sleep its closer to a quick nap or meditation this will usually be the most amount of your sleep
SWS or deep sleep is your restorative sleep where your cells regenerate and the body repairs itself from the pervious day of exercise or stress
REM sleep is usually the most restorative sleep. It is also know as your "dreaming" state and during this phase it also stimulates areas of the brain essential to learning
Now that we got some history on how incredible sleep is for your body lets get into how much sleep and why.
On average adults need around 7 hours each night to promote optimal health and well-being. This will allow for your body to go through 4-5 sleep cycles for optimal rest and restoration of the body.
Getting at least 7 hours of sleep allows us to wake up refreshed and ready to take on the day and our exercise for the day.
Sleep deficiency is said to be linked to many chronic health problems, including heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, obesity, and depression. Sleep deficiency is also linked to a higher chance of injury in adults.
Tips For Quality Sleep
Make sure your room is dark when going to bed
No screen time an hour before be
Listen to a sleep meditation
Limit water intake before bed to limit bathroom trips
Room temperature is suggested to be around 60 - 70 degrees for internal temperature regulation
GET THAT SLEEP!