Scientific studies suggest that sleeping less than six hours results in reducing the individual’s longevity. That is why we must identify the importance of healthy sleep habits.
How do I know if I sleep well?
Three elements must be considered to determine if sleep is of good quality:
- Duration: The time spent asleep should be long enough for the sleeper to be rested and alert the next day.
- Continuity: sleep periods must be fluid and without fragmentation, waking up from time to time or being alert to noise is not healthy for rest.
- Depth: sleep must be deep enough to be restful.
Sleep and sleep problems constitute a global epidemic that threatens the health and quality of life of about 45% of the world’s population. It is not uncommon to see that you find people sleeping in transport, offices and even in the toilets they fall asleep, all this is due to sleep problems and the type of life that people face.
Most sleep disorders can be prevented or treated, yet less than a third of patients seek professional help.
How to make children sleep well?
As parents, bedtime is the most complicated when there are little ones in the house. Girls and boys need to have rules for sleeping, since their growth, attention in school and development are different from those of an adult. These are the recommendations made by specialists from the Spanish Sleep Association for children up to 12 years of age:
- Have an hour to go to bed each night, preferably before 9:00 pm.
- Having nap times during the day according to their age.
- Maintain a consistent routine before bed.
- Make the room a suitable place for sleep; cool, dark and quiet.
- Give priority to minors sleeping independently.
- Avoid exposure to bright light at bedtime and overnight and increase light exposure in the morning.
- Minimize heavy meals and vigorous activity prior to bedtime.
- Keep electronic devices (including TV, PC, cell phone…) out of reach, even outside the bedroom, and limit their use close to bedtime.
- Avoid drinking caffeine, including colas, coffee and tea.
- Have regular hours during the day, including meal times.
It sounds like a complicated task, but specialists say that a childhood with constancy is a happy childhood.
Recommendations to have a good rest
In the case of adults, it is not easier than with children, because we usually look for opportunities to avoid fully complying with them, in addition to the fact that work activities, commitments and even physical activities will alter this cycle.
However, these are priority recommendations to sleep well:
- He has a regular bedtime and wake-up schedule. Although science has its position regarding the ideal time to do it we cannot always achieve it.
- If you are in the habit of taking naps, they should not last more than 45 minutes.
- Avoid consuming alcohol and smoking 4 hours before bedtime.
- Avoid drinking caffeine (coffee, tea, cola, and chocolate) up to 6 hours before bedtime.
- Do not eat spicy, heavy or sugary foods 4 hours before bedtime. A small snack before going to bed is recommended.
- Regular exercise is a good thing, but never right before bed.
- Sleep in a comfortable bed, the choosing your bed and pillow well determines everything .
- Use a suitable temperature for sleeping and keep the room well ventilated.
- Eliminates noise and light from the room as much as possible.
- Your room consider it only for sleep and sex. Do not use the room as a work space or a recreation room.