The right amount of high-quality sleep is important for health and overall well-being.
- The average adult needs to get 7-8 hours of sleep to feel rested (though there is a lot of individual variability).
- Quantity & quality of sleep are both important
- When our sleep is disrupted by our schedule, stress or illness, it can have a negative impact on our mood, energy and ability to get things done.
Tips to Help you Get High Quality Sleep
- Stay physically active and exercise regularly
- Be wise about your napping.
- Limit caffeine and alcohol & avoid nicotine
- Develop a regular sleep schedule (and bedtime routine) and stick with it. Consider these simple steps:
- Make your bedroom comfortable for sleep (comfortable bedding, temperature control, light-blocking shades, etc.)
- Hide the bedroom clocks (set your alarm so that you know when to get up and must get out of bed to turn it off) — so you don’t worry about what time it is if you happen to be up at night.
- Shut down all electronics 1 HOUR before bed and avoid bringing them into the bedroom at all.
Create a relaxing bedtime ritual (a shower or warm bath, listen to soothing music, practice relaxation techniques, yoga or prayer).
Everyone’s sleeping needs are different, so try out different techniques until you find what works best for you (additional tips & techniques are available here).
