On average,a human being need about eight hours of rest per night. But studies also show that individual needs are very different.An honest self-analysis can determine if you are already healthy or deprived of sleep.Take a dive in the following signs that account for healthy sleep:
-Sleep comes easily without taking drugs or fighting agitation or anxiety.
-You rarely realize that you wake up in the middle of the night, but when you wake up you can quickly fall asleep again.
-Natural awakening occurs at the same time each morning and usually without the aid of an alarm clock,yeah right!
-After getting up, you will feel very awake and fairly alert all day.
What about people with occasional insomnia? while some practical steps needs to be taken in order to get that valuable sleep
Practical points
1. Avoid alcohol and stimulants like coffee or tea before bed. Many people mistakenly believe that alcoholic beverages can help you sleep.However, clinical studies show that alcohol can rebound and prevent you from sleeping.
2. Stop smoking.Smokers have a harder time falling asleep because cigarettes raise blood pressure, increase heart rate and stimulate brain wave activity. Smokers are also more likely to wake up in the middle of the night, possibly because their body is showing withdrawal symptoms.
3. Avoid extreme physical or mental stimuli right before bed. Exercise encourages adequate rest, but is not done immediately before trying to sleep. Dealing with major problems or psychological difficulties before bed can affect the relaxed mood you often need to fall asleep.
4. Make sure your room is quiet, dark and, if possible, relatively cool.If you live where their is too much noise at night like near the airport,make use of earplugs or other noise reduction methods to help you get a good night's sleep. Some find that a monotonous, constant low-frequency hum,such as that of an electric fan, is especially useful when street noise needs to be masked.
5. Be careful when using drugs to induce sleep. There is growing evidence that many drugs prescribed to induce sleep create habits, become less effective with long-term use, and have harmful side effects. At best, these drugs can be useful for short-term therapy.
Since insomnia can be caused by stress, it is believed that one of the secrets to good sleep is to make time before bed peaceful and comfortable. It can help put the worries of the day aside and do something good, like reading.
Some common misconceptions
1. Drinking caffeinated beverages is the best way to stay alert on a long trip.
Studies suggest that drivers often mistakenly believe that they are alert than they actually are. If you cannot avoid a long night trip, it is best to stop regularly in a safe place and take a short nap (15 to 30 minutes) followed by walking or running while stretching the arm muscles and legs.
2. When I have trouble sleeping, a nap is the solution.
Maybe, but many experts believe that the ideal pattern is a long period of sleep every 24 hours. Taking a short nap in the middle of the day (usually 15 to 30 minutes) can help restore alertness in the fall afternoon without affecting the pace of your longer sleep cycles. However, taking a nap four hours before bed can interfere with a good night's sleep.
3. The dreams we remember have taken us proper rest.
Studies show that the dreams we remember are just the dreams we woke up to when they happened or within minutes of ending. On the other hand, a nightmare can create anxiety and make it difficult
