In 2016 we will…
Sleep better.
I’m sure I’m not the only one who has a house full of very excitable children tonight, who can’t wait to hang up their stockings, set out a plate of tasty treats for Santa and his reindeer and who are also shouting “we can’t go to bed, we’re just too excited!” If I’m absolutely honest I think I may even struggle to get to sleep tonight myself. I mean, there’s vegetables to prepare, meal timings to work out, reindeer carrots to make look as though they’ve been nibbled, last minute present wrapping, commando style crawling into bedrooms to fill stockings and after the stress of all that I’m not entirely convinced my mind is going to let me relax enough to settle down and get a good nights sleep.
Experts recommend we should have the following amount of sleep each night:
- Newborns (0-3 months) – between 14-17 hours.
- Infants (4-11 months) – between 12-15 hours
- Toddlers (1-2 years) – between 11-14 hours
- Preschoolers (3-5) – between 10-13 hours
- School children (6-13) – between 9-11 hours
- Teenagers (14-17) – between 8-10 hours
- Young adults (18-25) and Adults (26-64) – between 7-9 hours
- Older adults (65+) – between 7-8 hours
Whilst most of us have no difficulty getting to sleep whatsoever, there are some of us who struggle to switch off our minds, can’t get comfortable, suffer from sleep disorders or who simply don’t need as much sleep. Sleep is essential to our health; it is a time of growth, rest, repair and recharging. If you struggle to get to sleep or have broken, interrupted sleep patterns it’s worth trying to work out what could be causing it. There are some great sleep cycle apps around that monitor your breathing and record your sleep pattern through the night. This information will allow you to see what type of sleep you have, how long you have each sleep pattern and whether your sleep pattern is disturbed.
Without enough sleep we don’t function at our best, we can be moody, get angry more easily, make mistakes and it affects our long term health. There will always be some nights, like Christmas Eve, that we find it harder to get to sleep, but don’t be tempted to have an extra glass of wine in the hope that it will ‘knock you out’, as alcohol infused sleep really isn’t the best kind of sleep. Try and establish a bedtime routine, such as a warm drink, reading a book in bed, having a warm bath to unwind or lightly spraying your pillow with lavender oil, which is proven to help relax your body and make you feel sleepy.
So, all that’s left for me to say is sleep tight, sweet dreams and I hope the big man brings you lots of joy, happiness, health and wealth.
HAVE A HAPPY HEALTHY CHRISTMAS!
