Why is Sleep So Important for Adults?
By: Kim Johnson
Are you affected by poor sleep? There are more than 100 million Americans of all ages who are not getting an adequate amount of sleep. Sleep is extremely important for adults, as it can affect every aspect of your life. This includes your safety, relationships, school and work performance, mental health, weight and the development of diabetes and heart disease. Not getting enough quality sleep can hurt your quality of life.
There’s a close relationship between sleep and mental health. Living with a mental health problem can affect how well you sleep, and poor sleep can have a negative impact on your mental health.
Studies have found that poor sleep leads to worrying. In turn, worrying leads to poor sleep. Worrying about sleep is like your mind trying to fight itself. That’s a horrible place to be.
Experts generally recommend that adults sleep at least seven to nine hours per night, although some people require more and others require less.
Common Symptoms of Sleep Disorders
- Falling asleep while driving
- Struggling to stay awake when inactive, such as when watching television or reading
- Having difficulty paying attention or concentrating at work, school, or home
- Having performance problems at work or school and told by others that you look sleepy
- Experiencing problems with your memory and slowed responses
- Finding it hard to manage your emotions
- Feeling the need to take naps almost every day
Bottom line, there are many things that affect our sleep, and it differs for everyone. These things include school, stress about money, work, health conditions, depression, family estrangement, addiction and past trauma, just to name a few.
You might not be able to control the factors that interfere with your sleep, however, you can adopt habits that encourage better sleep.
Start with these simple tips:
- Be consistent. Go to bed at the same time each night and get up at the same time each morning, including on the weekends
- Make sure your bedroom is quiet, dark, relaxing, and at a comfortable temperature
- Remove electronic devices, such as TVs, computers, and smartphones, from the bedroom at least 30 minutes before bed
- Avoid large meals, caffeine, excessive fluids and alcohol before bedtime
- Get some exercise. Being physically active during the day can help you fall asleep more easily at night
- Doing calming activities before bedtime, such as taking a bath or using relaxation techniques, might promote better sleep
- Limit exposure to bright light in the evenings
- If you don’t fall asleep after 20 minutes, get out of bed. Go do a quiet activity without a lot of light exposure
- Long daytime naps can interfere with nighttime sleep. Limit naps to no more than one hour and avoid napping late in the day
- Try to resolve your worries or concerns before bedtime. Jot down what’s on your mind and then set it aside for tomorrow
- Know when it’s time to seek help