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How Much Sleep Do You Need Each Night?

Do You Know How Much Sleep You Should Be Having?


How much sleep do you need each night?

We spend one third of our lives asleep so why do we know so little about it and how much sleep we need? Sleep is genetically determined and can be as unique to the individual as their height and shoe size. The average adult is recommended to have 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night.

Sleep is a way to give your body and brain a rest and without getting enough can leave you sleep deprived. If you cannot fit the recommended sleep time into your schedule then that’s fine. As long as when you wake up you feel refreshed and energized then you have probably had enough. 

Why Do We Need Sleep?

Sleep gives our body chance to reconstruct itself and get back into action. It allows us to store our memories, remove toxins, boost energy and repair cellular damage. Going without sleep is effectively neglecting your body and will leave you sleep deprived. Sleep deprivation is more than having dark circles under your eyes, it affects your reaction time and eating habits just to name a few. If you are partial to an afternoon nap, you are probably suffering from sleep deprivation.

Our body thrives on routine. Sleeping-in on weekends and setting your alarm early for work during the week is not a routine that your body enjoys. It can’t keep up, it is best to try and get up for a similar time every day so that your body knows when it is going to get some sleep. It is the same as with eating, when it is noon, you will initially think of it as lunchtime. If you give your bed the same routine as you give your belly then you will feel the benefits.

how much sleep

Types of Sleep

The average person spends a third of their lives sleeping, yet we know so little about it. Research into sleep can determine that there are two main types of sleep; REM and NREM. These types work hand in hand with each other, as you are drifting off to sleep you will experience the three stages of NREM and then further going into a REM cycle.

NREM or Non-Rapid Eye Movement sleep is when you are in a deep sleep. There are three stages to this type of sleeping; transition to sleep, light sleep, deep sleep. When you reach the ‘deep sleep’ stage, your body will start to rejuvenate and energize. Following on from NREM, you will find yourself drifting into REM sleep. REM also known as Rapid Eye Movement sleep. Your eyes will be moving backwards and forwards, hence the name Rapid Eye Movement sleep. This type of sleep is the ‘dream sleep’.

Are You a ‘Short-Sleeper’?

There is a gene called DEC2 which allows you to sleep for as little as four hours per night and you receive the same benefits as if you were to sleep a full night. With only 3% of the population showcasing this gene, it isn’t exactly common. As sleeping has genetic aspects to it, there are usually a couple of people in the family with this gene. It may seem like a short amount of time for your body to refresh however this gene allows you to have a higher quality of sleep, kind of like a crash course in sleeping. The other 97% of the population require around 7 to 8 hours per night but those with the DEC2 gene only require just over half the time to feel just as rested.

How much sleep do you need each night?

Everyone is Different

Even though we have mentioned that the average person needs around 7 to 8 hours sleep each night, please refer to this as a guideline. How much sleep you need is determined on you as an individual. Take into consideration your lifestyle, if you feel you only need a short amount of time to sleep and feel great afterwards then only sleep for that amount of time.

As an addition to your lifestyle, you need to take into account your age as sleep is dependent on your age range. Sleeping for 7 to 8 hours is advised if you are an adult between the ages of 18 to 64. If you do not fit into this category then do a little research on the side and see what is advised for you. If there was a way that we could figure out what type of sleepers we are and how much we need each night then life would be a lot easier. Until we can come up with this answer all you need to think about is what is best for you and don’t compare yourself to your friends or family as everyone is different.

 

Improve your quality of sleep with a mattress from the Memory Foam Warehouse today. As the UK’s top manufacturer of memory foam mattresses, their expert team can help with any questions you may have as well as offer advice on the best sleeping solution for your specific needs. Their website is also packed with all the information you need on our entire range of sleeping products.

 

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