There are a huge number of myths surrounding sleep, all manner of advice and tips concerning how you should be looking to get a certain number of sleep every night, and how anything less will adversely affect you. If you want to improve your sleep and debunk the myths, then you need to be able to provide clear and cogent answers to the following set of questions.
When Should You Sleep?
Your body will have an internal body clock that determines when it expects to sleep. The easiest thing to do is to follow this clock. Sleep when you’re tired. However, this needs to fit in with your daily routine and, as long as you work normal hours, then this will generally take place at night. The body is programmed to feel sleepier in the dark and return to a state of wakefulness in the light. So, sleeping at night is normally how it’s done. If you work nights, then being able to sleep for as long as you need in the day can be achieved, if you have the right room set up.
Where Should You Sleep?
You need to be comfortable because you will be spending a significant amount of time throughout your lifetime in this state and, as such, the place you sleep is of paramount importance. Then, as mentioned, the room needs to be darkened for the duration of your sleep, quiet, and at a temperature that is comfortable for you. There are, therefore, several things that you can do to improve the chances of good sleep. For some people, just knowing how to deal with a snoring partner can be the route to improved sleep.
How Long Should You Sleep For?
You should sleep until you’re not tired, or until you wake naturally, but we all know that this is generally impossible, and we live lives that are governed by alarms, reminders, and wake-up calls. Keep in mind that if you’re not getting what your body needs, it will let you know, and the result is fatigue and tiredness.
What Will a Lack of Sleep Result In?
Constant tiredness or lethargy and perhaps even the inability to sleep solidly thereafter can be caused by a lack of sleep. Body aches and pains, as well as a change or deterioration in mood, are all associated with a lack of sleep.
What Can You Do?
The best method to combat any lack of sleep before it becomes definable as sleep deprivation is to catch up. Sleep on the weekends for longer than usual and, as long as you manage to wake feeling refreshed and less grumpy than before, you’ve probably caught up on some of the missed sleep that your body mind and soul needs to function at their best.
Lastly, keep in mind that there are no set limits or a given number of hours that you should sleep. The guidelines are way too generic, we are all so different, and sleep is a very personal issue. You will need to determine how many hours you need to function at your peak and then try by all means to sleep these as often as possible.