YOUR GUIDE TO

HEALTHY SLEEP
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What is sleep?
First, can you recall the last time you stayed up all night? How
did you feel after? Exhausted?

And that feeling turns out to be a powerful tool; otherwise, how

could you explain sleep deprivation being used as an
interrogation tool by the CIA.

Sleep is an essential recurring state of unconsciousness of

mind while the body and brain keep on functioning. Humans
spend one-third of their lives just sleeping.

Sleep ‘recharges’ our bodies, so it’s safe to say it’s an important

survival mechanism. However, its true biological purpose is yet
to be discovered.

What are the stages of

sleep?

While your conscience is resting, dozens of processes are still

happening in your body, including switching between REM and
non-REM sleep stages.

Stage 1 non-REM sleep defines the transition period of being

awake to sleep. It may last from 5 to 10 minutes. During this
stage, it’s easy to be disturbed as your body is only starting to
relax by slowing down your breathing, heartbeat, eye
movements, and reducing brain activity. You may also
experience twitches as your muscles relax.

Stage 2 non-REM sleep is a period of light sleep before deep

sleep. During this stage, your body becomes even more
relaxed with an even heartbeat and breathing, your body
temperature drops, and eye movements stop, preparing your
body for deep sleep.

Stage 3 non-REM sleep is a period of deep sleep. During this

time, you are completely unaware of your surroundings, your
blood pressure drops, your muscles are completely relaxed,
and you have a slow heartbeat and breathing.

How much sleep do we

need?
All people are different, just like their sleep needs and patterns.
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
suggests:

Babies need 16-18 hours of sleep per day

School-age children and teens - 9.5 hours of sleep per day.

Adults - 7-9 hours of sleep per day.

While WebMD gets more detailed:

Infants (ages 0-3 months) need 14-17 hours a day.

Infants (ages 4-11 months) need 12-15 hours a day

Toddlers (ages 1-2 years) need about 11-14 hours a day.

Pre-school children (ages 3-5) need 10-13 hours a day.

School-age children (ages 6-13) need 9-11 hours a day.

Teenagers (ages 14-17) need about 8-10 hours each day.

Most adults need 7 to 9 hours, although some people may need

as few as 6 hours or as many as 10 hours of sleep each day.

Older adults (ages 65 and older) need 7-8 hours of sleep each day.

Sleep hygiene tips

Sleep hygiene is about finding that golden mean of sleep, to
keep the process healthy, both physically and mentally.

The NSF and CDC recommend:

Physical activity, which aids in better quality of sleep.

Exercising for as little as 10 minutes can contribute to your
sleep quality.

Daytime naps. The NSF suggests cutting down naps during

the day to 30 minutes. Although it won’t do the job of a good
night time sleep, napping for 20-30 minutes may still
improve your mood, concentration, and performance.

Avoiding fatty foods before bed. Consuming fatty, heavy

foods may result in indigestion in some people and interrupt
your body’s recovery during the night.

Paying attention to your surroundings. Adjust the room: is your

mattress comfortable enough? How about the room
temperature? Any bright light or loud devices?

Creating a bedtime routine with your own rituals like meditation

and going to bed and waking up at about the same time every day.
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The Centre for Clinical

Interventions also
suggests:

Going to bed when you really feel tired and sleepy.

Your bed is for sleeping. Meaning, use your bed for sleep, so

that your body will be able to learn this connection. Doing

other things like reading, watching TV, or playing games

prevent you from developing this connection.

What to do when you can’t sleep

If you have insomnia and falling asleep seems like a

struggle at times, try:

Reviewing your sleep hygiene.

Helping your body prepare for sleep. Dim the lights and try

reading, meditating, or taking a bath an hour before bed.

Avoiding electronic devices right before going to bed.

Reducing stress.

Getting up! The NHS recommends getting up and making

yourself busy with some light activity until you feel sleepy again.

Addressing the issue with your doctor.