How much, how little, and how you could possibly get enough sleep in between the impossible schedules
Case 1:
A 30 year old women. A demanding job as a Creative Director. A toddler to raise. A house to clean.
Case 2:
A single man. Too used to having so little sleep – night starts when the clock strikes 12. A party goer. A Youtube addict. An avid blogger. A mellow night creature.
Case 3:
A productive young lady. Trying to juggle working life, social schedule, and some me-time in between. Ideas and career excitements keep her awake at night.
The era we are in today is so bustling that there are just so many temptations and obligations that keep us away from our beds. Sounds like a first world problem? Perhaps. But take a look at those severe dark circles all of us have, and you shall realize how sleep-deprived we all are.
How much sleep do we actually need?
TIME reveals a current study that shows those who sleep 6.5-7.5hours a day are the healthiest and most productive. They are also the people who live longer as those who sleep too much or too little. Under-sleeping or over-sleeping could cause you health problems like obesity and depression.
What time should I sleep?
Some people attempt to fulfill the proper sleeping quota by waking up late after sleeping late. Sleep does not work like paying your debts. If you sleep at 3am, waking up at 10am does not help. Our bodies have a daily detoxification schedule that automatically runs from 11pm-3am if we are asleep. So, sleeping later than 11pm means you give your bodies less time to do its work.
Dark circles, dry skin, and pimples are just mild short-term effects that you get from abandoning the detoxification time. If you continue the bad sleeping pattern, toxins accumulate and you don’t want to know what happens next. However, if your schedule does not allow you to sleep throughout the detoxification time, try catching at least an hour or two from the 4 detoxification hours.
What must I do to have a better sleeping habit?
1. iPhones, Blackberries, Androids – away!
Turn off your phone 30 minutes before bedtime and do not put it on the bed, so you won’t be tempted to chat with your friends or check your Twitter timeline when you are not able to sleep.
2. Stop eating at 8pm
Besides keeping a flat tummy, not eating 2-3 hours before bedtime could help you sleep better.
3. Lullaby playlist
Compile 10 sleepy songs in your iPod on a ‘Lullaby playlist’ and let them help you relax and not have countless thoughts that could hinder you from sleep.
4. Create a conducive bedroom
Make sure your mattress and comforter are comfortable, the room is dark and quiet, and move your TV out of the bedroom. Put your laptop elsewhere to reduce sleeping temptations.
5. Coffee belongs to the morning, milk to the night
Avoid caffeine or alcohol nearing dinner time and substitute your bedtime drink with fresh milk. For coffee addicts, coffee-flavoured milk could help.
For more effortless sleeping therapies, go here.
Have a great weekend, Venusians! And we hope there won’t be any more morning regrets or crankiness from the lack of sleep.
