Everyone knows adults require 6 – 8 hours of sleep every night to stay healthy and happy. However, a good night sleep is not just about getting the right amount of sleep. It is more about the quality of sleep. Do you ever wake up feeling more tired than when you went to bed?
Well, if you feel tired, restless and sleepy, even after sleeping for an adequate amount of time, you are probably not getting good quality sleep.
Do you think you are getting good quality sleep? Scroll down to find out!
How quickly do you fall asleep?
How long it takes you to fall asleep can indicate the quality of your sleep. According to a report published in Sleep Health, quickly falling asleep is an indication of good quality sleep. Ideally, it should not take you more than 30 minutes to fall asleep after you get in bed.
As long as you fall asleep within 30 minutes or less, you are in good shape. However, if you toss and turn in bed for a long time before you are finally able to sleep, consider it a sign you are probably deprived of good quality sleep.
How often do you wake up during the night?
Another factor which determines the quality of sleep is the number of times you wake up during the night. Studies suggest, ideally, you should not wake up more than once during the night. Waking up multiple times every night can definitely lower the quality of sleep. Furthermore, in the morning, you will feel stressed and tired.
How long do you sleep?
While sleeping 6 – 8 hours every night is one thing, the real question is how long do you spend in bed not sleeping. Studies show that for a good quality sleep, you should avoid indulging in other activities, like eating, reading or scrolling through social media in bed.
Training your brain to associate bed with sleeping is the trick! When you, say, for example, keep using your phone in bed, you will not only take longer to sleep but this behavior can also deteriorate the quality of your sleep. Therefore, it is advisable to avoid using a phone or watching TV while resting in bed.
Answering these 3 simple questions can give you an idea about the quality of your sleep. If you think you are not getting good quality sleep, here’s a list of things you can do to ensure long hours of good quality sleep.
- Follow a regular sleep schedule. Go to bed and wake up around the same time every day, even on the weekends!
- Avoid napping in the later parts of the day because napping in the late afternoon or evening can keep you up at night.
- Develop a nightly bedtime routine that relaxes your body and gets it ready for sleep.
- Avoid eating large meals before going to bed.
- Maintain an ideal temperature in your room.
Sweet Dreams! And if you have any questions, we are here to help in any way we can!