The most important thing you need to know in your quest to stop being sleep deprived is how much sleep you need every night. That figures varies widely from person to person.
How Much Sleep Do You Need?
According to Dr. Cote, Director of the Sleep Research Laboratory at Brock University in St. Catharines, Ontario, and psychology professor at Brock University, "People should be thinking about getting enough sleep. That number is different for everybody. A lot of people are used to hearing the magic number, eight hours. For some people that wouldn’t be enough sleep and for others it would be plenty. Each person has to determine for themselves what their sleep need is and you do that simply by paying attention to how well rested you feel throughout the day and you can determine what time you need to be setting the alarm and going to bed to be able to get that amount of sleep. So many people aren’t even allowing themselves enough time in bed to get the sleep they need. The big thing is to make enough time for sleep; figure out how much sleep you need and make enough time for it.”
Stop Being Sleep Deprived!
After you have figured how much sleep you need, plan your sleeping and wakening times accordingly. When you go to bed, make sure the room is conducive to sleep; dark, quiet, and the right temperature. Avoid eating too close to bed and limit your liquid intake. Empty your bladder right before sliding into bed.
Other ways to improve your sleep include:
- Get some exercise and fresh air every day, if possible. Do this earlier in the day, not too close to bedtime.
- Try not to watch adrenaline-pumping television before bed. Better yet, take the TV out of your bedroom.
- Avoid alcohol at least two hours before bedtime. Alcohol is a depressant, which makes people drowsy, but it can cause lighter and shorter sleeps.
- Reduce or stop smoking. Smokers generally take longer to fall asleep and get less sleep than nonsmokers due to the stimulating effects of nicotine.
- Use a fan or soft music to block out sounds if external noise is a problem. If that doesn’t work, try ear plugs.
- Invest in a good mattress and bedding if you haven’t already.
- Use your bedroom only for sleeping or intimacy.
- If you read in bed, use a soft light. Make sure the book or magazine is for pleasure, not work.
- The myth about counting sheep to help you fall asleep isn’t such a bad idea. Or count backward from 100 in your head. List all the NHL teams or alphabetically list celebrities whose movies you enjoy. You get the idea.
- If you can’t fall asleep in half an hour, do something relaxing in another room, returning to bed only when you feel sleepy.
- If you wake up in the middle of the night and can’t fall back asleep, try more counting games. Or turn on the light and read until you feel drowsy again.
- Keep regular sleep hours, if possible. Go to bed and get up at the same time every day.
- Get over the guilt, self-imposed or by others, of taking the extra time to sleep.
If it takes you 15-20 minutes to fall asleep after getting into bed and you no longer feel fatigued during the day, these are signs you are getting the sleep you need.
Worldwide Effects of Sleep Deprivation
The Exxon Valdez oil spill has been blamed on the actions of a sleep deprived tanker operator. The Challenger space shuttle disaster has been linked to faulty O-rings maintained by sleep deprived NASA managers. Chernobyl’s sleep deprived engineers have been blamed for the nuclear plant’s explosion. These are just a few examples of the disastrous effects of sleep loss as reported by CNN Health.
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Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be used for diagnosis or to guide treatment without the opinion of a health professional. Any reader who is concerned about his or her health should contact a doctor for advice.
Toby Welch - Toby is a full-time freelance writer who specializes in magazine articles, online writing, e-books, and manuscript editing.
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