Nothing beats a good night’s sleep- and that is a fact!
Proper sleeping regiment is necessary in order to establish a healthy lifestyle routine and to stay sound, both emotionally and physically. When the sleeping process is disrupted or imbalanced, many health issues can occur, especially brain-related.
Today’s article explains everything you need to know about the importance of sleep and how to get enough of it every night.
Sleep Duration
The average adult usually requires 8 hours of sleep; however, this does not concern all age groups. For individuals younger than 18, more sleep is preferred, while older people should reduce the hours of sleep.
To put it simply, your age determines how much sleep you really need every night- and here is how you will find out!
According to a chart, created by The National Sleep Foundation, we can base hour sleeping hours on our age. Many studies and research approve of this chart, and physiologists, sleep experts, anatomists, neurologists, pediatrics, gynecologists and gerontologists follow this scheme as well.
Oversleeping can happen to anyone, as a result of exhaustion, night shifts and, well, life.
However, everyone should avoid oversleeping on a regular basis, since this condition may develop certain health problems. To get acquainted even better, here are the top 7 problems that may occur if you tend to sleep excessively:
- Back pain
Back pain can be caused by numerous factors, and sleeping a lot is one of them. The intensity and discomfort it brings is usually unbearable to live with, and lowers the quality of life in a person.
If you tend to oversleep, your muscles weaken and, thus, the back suffers immensely. To repair this problem, cut down on the sleeping hours and try back exercises instead.
- Obesity
When the body is rested but you force it to sleep longer, it can build up unnecessary energy inside. One study explains this process well.
Two groups of volunteers were given the same diet and workouts but their sleeping habits were different- one group slept for 10 and the other one slept for 8 hours. Amazingly, the volunteers in the first group showed more obesity and weight gain symptoms, than those in the second group.
- Depression
Lethargy and depression can easily become the end result of both excessive sleeping and insomnia. The numbers show that 15% of people, who deal with depression, have unhealthy sleeping routine and this largely affects their emotional and mental health.
- Headaches
Occasional but persistent headaches or even migraines may happen as result of irregular sleeping. If you sleep far too much, you run the risk of damaging neurotransmitters and cause terrible pain.
- Diabetes
Insufficient sleep as well as excessive sleep can lead to diabetes. If you sleep too much or not enough, the body cannot produce glucose, so you are more exposed to suffering type 2 diabetes. Plus, you are at risk of dealing with insulin resistance. One study, involving 276 people for six years, discovered that their everyday habits those who slept less, showed more subjection to diabetes unlike those who had a regular sleeping regiment.
- Heart disease
The heart’s work is closely related to the sleeping process. Incorporating healthy sleeping habits will guarantee you a healthy heart and vice versa- imbalanced sleep may lead to some heart conditions.
The Nurses Health Study which involved over 72 000 subjects, proved that people who sleep longer have greater chances for cardiovascular diseases, whereas people who slept 8 hours a night or less, showed less of these symptoms.
Prevent oversleeping
Create a proper sleeping schedule and never stray from it. Fit the hours according to your everyday obligations and make sure to go to bed device-free at least one hour prior to sleeping.
Incorporate yoga and meditation into your lifestyle and learn some new breathing techniques that will help you fall asleep faster.
To make sure that you are fully awake after incorporating this schedule, shower yourself with cold water. Try to find time to exercise and train. Upon waking up, do some easier workout and during the day you can increase the intensity.
Hydrate with water and other natural energizing beverages. Lemon water and lukewarm water always do the trick and keep you active throughout the day.
Think positive and engage yourself into doing the things you love. Having something to look forward to will enable you to wake up happier and more eager to greet the day.
