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We all like to Sleep. Some more than the others.
Good sleep is necessary for optimal health and its deprivation can cause immense harm and erratic behavior in you.
Sleeping boosts immunity, which means it provides essential support to the immune system. A strong Immune system gives you the strength not just to fight off persistent ailments like Allergies, Cold, Sore Throat etc., but also gives protection against dangerous health issues.
It is said that ‘Humans spend 1/3 of their life sleeping’
Sleeping plays a very important role in our growth and development.
Your body takes a lot of physical abuse the entire day. Walking, running, Swimming, Playing etc. are few simpler aspects that lead to your bodies Physical Exertion.
An Adult requires a minimum 8 hours of a good snooze while teenagers and young children should get at least 10 or more hours of valuable naptime.
So,
Explain What Sleep is
It is a temporary state of rest where the body becomes physically inactive and unaware of its surrounding environment.
When you are sleeping your body reduces its sensory and muscle activities which helps in conserving energy. Your body needs its necessary rest to recuperate and become fresh, to tackle various tasks offered to it.
Importance of a Good Sleep
Napping is an awesome activity. It makes you feel fresh and energetic and gives you the desire to work harder and longer.
It also plays a very important role in your physical health and is also involved in the healing and repair of your heart and blood vessels.
A nice 8 hour naptime will reduce the risk of heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and stroke.
Insufficient Rest directly or indirectly can also very easily cause harms like obesity, depression, impairment in immunity, affect appearance and lower sex drive.
Just to name a few.
Sleep Deprivation Affects You
A night of you tossing and turning and not getting the required 8 hours of rest will make you feel cranky, tired, groggy, grumpy and feeling lost.
We all have been there, Haven’t we
But the long-term effects of its deprivation to our health are real.
It can simply be explained as someone having a consistent lack or reduced quality of sleep.
Getting less than 8 hours of naptime on a regular basis can eventually lead to health consequences that affect your entire body and may lead to a sleep disorder.
Your body needs its zzzz, just as it needs air and food to function at its best and without it your brain and body systems won’t function normally.
Signs of Sleep Deprivation
- Excessive Drowsiness
- Frequent yawning
- Irritability
- Daytime fatigue
- Constant Red Eyes
Some feel that use of caffeine works as a stimulant and excess of it reduces the requirement of a snooze.
While it may work in the short term but cannot be considered as a substitute to a good nap.
Moreover it will create long term harms to their health and well-being that cannot be reversed.
How to Improve your Sleep
Many famous “Somnologist” (Sleep Doctors) speak extensively on how to improve your nap numbers.
Various methods and exercises before you doze can give you the change you want.
Some steps to improve your naptime
- Make a sleep schedule – Napping is a natural voluntary activity. But to give yourself a good 8 hours, you need to make and stick to a regular schedule. Any change will affect adversely.
- Be Attentive to what you eat and drink – What you eat or drink determines your rest patterns. Sometimes we eat to much or vice versa, accordingly our nap also gets affected.
- Create a restful environment – Your Bed, furniture, curtains are also catalysts for giving you the rest you want. So make your bedroom an inviting and a restful place.
- Keep a check on Daytime sleeping – While resting or napping during the day is fine but making a unnecessary habit of it will affect you in the night.
- Include physical activity in your daily routine – Physical Activity in you daily routine can work wonders. As simple as taking a walk after dinner will give you good results.
- Reduce Tensions & Worries – Tension and Worries cause adverse affects to your sleeping patterns. Try and manage it the best you can.
Along with these you can also try these relaxing/soothing methods
- Listening to relaxing music – Good Music often relieves tension, changes your mood and relaxes you.
- Reading a book – Books are a good knowledge source. Reading a good book will often also relax you.
- Taking a hot bath – Many people prefer to take hot bath before a siesta. It relaxes your muscles to give you a great zzzz.
- Meditating & Deep Breathing – Your mind keeps thinking of many things. Training & controlling your mind through Meditation and Deep Breathing will give deep relaxation to Body, Mind & Soul.
Best Naptime Position for you
Your Naptime is possibly the most peaceful time of the day. Your body performs various strenuous activities throughout the day and it demands rest.
Giving your body its necessary rest will energize it and make you feel stronger.
Your body is like a machine. The more you take care of it, the better it will perform for you.
To say a nap is important for good health but if your positions are not right then you will not get adequate rest.
A proper balanced position is very important and should be focused upon.
Here are the Good & Bad sleeping positions
- Sleeping on the side or back – This position is considered to be the best for a good siesta. It keeps your spine supported and balanced and enables your muscles to recover and relax. Using a single pillow will keep your neck straight and also reduces strain on your shoulders.
- Sleeping in the Fetal Position – This is a position which is considered as bad for a siesta. Here the extreme curvature of the spine can cause strain and discomfort in the neck and back. The tight curl allows limited space for body movement and also restricts breathing.
Conclusion
Your body needs its relaxation & regeneration & the duration and quality of your snooze determines that.
As an adult its very important to rest for at least 8 hours a day to give yourself a peak physical, emotional and a great quality of life.
So Sleep well and start your day with a life & vigour.