We all have heard that the goal is to get 8 hours of sleep a night, but do we do that consistently? Most likely not. I will admit that I, too, am one of those people who in the past felt proud that I could operate on minimal sleep, while in reality I really needed no less than 7 hours to actually FEEL good. The National Sleep Foundation updated their recommended hours of sleep in 2015. The recommendations are as follows:
- Newborns (0-3 months): Sleep range narrowed to 14-17 hours each day (previously it was 12-18)
- Infants (4-11 months): Sleep range widened two hours to 12-15 hours (previously it was 14-15)
- Toddlers (1-2 years): Sleep range widened by one hour to 11-14 hours (previously it was 12-14)
- Preschoolers (3-5): Sleep range widened by one hour to 10-13 hours (previously it was 11-13)
- School age children (6-13): Sleep range widened by one hour to 9-11 hours (previously it was 10-11)
- Teenagers (14-17): Sleep range widened by one hour to 8-10 hours (previously it was 8.5-9.5)
- Younger adults (18-25): Sleep range is 7-9 hours (new age category)
- Adults (26-64): Sleep range did not change and remains 7-9 hours
- Older adults (65+): Sleep range is 7-8 hours (new age category)
Looking at those recommendations and still not hitting the mark? The purpose of sharing this information with you is because sleep is not just about rest. Sleep effects every part of our being. It effects both our physical and mental/emotional health. It assists our bodies systems to work better and most importantly, helps what is perhaps the most important organ, our brain, to function best.
Harvard Health reports “Americans are notoriously sleep deprived, but those with psychiatric conditions are even more likely to be yawning or groggy during the day. Chronic sleep problems affect 50% to 80% of patients in a typical psychiatric practice, compared with 10% to 18% of adults in the general U.S. population. Sleep problems are particularly common in patients with anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).” While there are 70 different types of sleep disorders the research supports how sleep can overlap with mental health disorders or at minimum make symptoms worse.
Yeah, Heather, getting sleep is exactly what I try to do but I when I do lay down I lay there wide awake for an hour. Preach my friend! I, too, have been known to struggle with this exact issue and at various points in my life mild insomnia; stress being a HUGE trigger. However, the major thing to then focus on outside of the triggers to what is bothering us at night is consistent sleep hygiene. The Sleep Association defines sleep hygiene as “behaviors that one can do to help promote good sleep using behavioral interventions.” While the National Sleep Foundation defines sleep hygiene as “a variety of different practices and habits that are necessary to have good nighttime sleep quality and full daytime alertness.”
While a blog post isn’t going to be the quick fix to changing sleep patterns, I want to give some tips to help develop sleep hygiene habits that may assist in getting those ZzZz’s in each night.
- Limit technology- Put down your cell phone, tablet, computer or even the TV. There are recommendations to do this an hour before bed but I also realize that for many people that isn’t always possible. So aim for 30 mins MINIMUM each night. The backlight of technology interrupts our body’s ability to produce melatonin and respond to our natural sleep and waking needs/cycles.
- Establish a regular bedtime routine: Warm shower or bath, reading a book, listening to relaxing music (Key: relaxing. Throw a little Ray Lamontagne on)
- Make sure the room is dark
- Make sure the bed (or bedroom) is used only for sex and sleep. Yep, sex and sleep. Not for TV watching or reading- snuggling into that cozy couch for that.
- Avoiding stimulating activities like exercise before bed (exercise does promote healthy sleep and overall healthy lifestyles…. Just don’t run 10 miles or pump out reps before laying down. Too much stimulation for your body to rest. Aim to exercise before 2PM).
- Have a comfortable sleep environment
- Avoid naps if possible. If a nap each day is necessary limit it to 30 minutes.
- Consistency: Setting a consistent bedtime-wake time and sticking to it. Okay, as best as you can on the weekends but otherwise STICK TO IT. Go to bed at the same time. Wake up at the same time. Ideally, your schedule will remain the same (give or take 20 minutes) every night of the week. Maintaining the consistent sleep schedule after a few weeks will improve overall sleep and is helpful in maintaining overall health.
What if you wake up and can’t fall asleep? The Sleep Association recommends to not lay in bed for more than 5-10 mins. Instead they suggest that if your mind is racing or worrying about not being able to fall asleep in the middle of the night to:
“Get out of bed, and sit in a chair in the dark. Do your mind racing in the chair until you are sleepy, then return to bed.
No TV or internet during these periods! That will just stimulate you more than desired.
*** Note: If this happens several times during the night, that is OK. Just maintain your regular wake time, and try to avoid naps.”
Give it a few weeks before judging whether these tips do or don’t work for you. If after a few weeks of consistent focus on sleep hygiene results in continued struggle, it may be important to consult your medical provider for further support and assessment.
Heather Lettow, MA, LPC, LMFT serves individuals (age 10+), couples and families. She focuses on identifying individual or family goals and strengthening self awareness to facilitate change and to meet the goals set; utilizing mindfulness, CBT and solution focused problem solving techniques.
