What is the ideal amount of sleep?
Getting enough sleep is essential to stay healthy and fit throughout the day. Sleep allows you to recover both physically and psychologically.
However, the ideal sleep duration varies from person to person. Some people need 12 hours of sleep to feel healthy, while others are happy with just 6 hours of sleep.
Indeed, sleep depends on age, but also on genes. With age, the time it takes to fall asleep becomes longer and there are more nighttime awakenings, so sleep is less deep. The expression “sleep like a baby” then takes on its full meaning.
Sleep duration varies depending on age
Sleep duration varies, largely, depending on the age of the person:
For a baby
A baby, from birth to 2 years old, must sleep, on average, between 11 to 17 hours of sleep. When he is born, his two sleep phases are:
- Restless sleep: the body is soft and the arms, legs, face and eyelids move.
- Calm sleep: the body hardly moves.
These two phases alternate and constitute a sleep cycle of approximately 50 minutes.
When he reaches three months, these two phases transform into paradoxical sleep and slow-wave sleep , which constitute the adult sleep cycle .
For a child and a teenager
A child needs 9 to 13 hours of sleep, compared to 8 to 10 hours for an adolescent. Sleep is essential to ensure their physical, psychological and cognitive development.
For an adult
For an adult, the recommended amount of sleep is 7 to 9 hours, but can vary between 3 and 12 hours. The amount of sleep he needs is that which allows him, during the day, to engage in a long activity, remaining focused and without feeling drowsy.
For an elderly person
Finally, an elderly person needs little sleep. Often, some older adults take a nap during the day to rest and cope with nights of light sleep.
How do you know if you've had enough sleep?
It is therefore important to know yourself well to estimate your ideal sleep duration. To know if you have had enough sleep, you need to ask yourself the following questions:
- In the morning, am I fit or tired?
- During the day, do I have periods of sleepiness?
- During the day, do I have difficulty concentrating or paying attention to something?
If the majority of responses are positive, this indicates a need for sleep. On the contrary, if none of the answers is positive, the amount of sleep is sufficient.
However, getting a good amount of sleep does not necessarily mean getting quality sleep. Sleeping 5 hours of deep, restorative sleep is better than sleeping 10 hours of light sleep and frequent awakenings.
Stress, or anxiety, is often the cause of unrefreshing sleep . It acts on physiological functions which increase arousal and promote the release of energy resources. This leads to difficulty falling asleep and even insomnia.
Moreover, to promote restful sleep, here are some tips to apply on a daily basis.
Tips for getting restful sleep
Here are some tips for getting a good night's sleep and waking up refreshed the next morning:
Avoid eating too much at dinner
At dinner, it is recommended not to eat too much or too fatty foods so as not to increase body temperature and slow down digestion.
Furthermore, you should also avoid the consumption of coffee, tea, spices, tobacco or other exciting substances likely to harm sleep.
Do not do any sporting activity 3 hours before bedtime
It is not recommended to do any sporting activity in the evening before going to bed, because having a fast heart rate makes it harder to fall asleep. On the other hand, doing a relaxation activity (meditation or yoga for example) before going to bed helps relax the body and soothe the mind.
It is recommended to do a sporting activity during the day to expend your energy and thus benefit from deep sleep when you go to bed.
Sleep in a healthy environment
It is not recommended to sleep in a room that is too heated, too noisy or too lit as this is detrimental to sleep.
Opening the window to increase oxygen intake is very effective in promoting restful sleep.
Choosing good bedding
Having a quality mattress , a good pillow and a comfortable duvet is essential for a good night's sleep. It is therefore necessary to prepare a certain budget and take the time to choose good bedding adapted to your needs and habits.
Take food supplements
There are effective food supplements enriched with plants known to ensure good sleep and relax the body in the event of stress disorders. Their virtues help you regain quality sleep and limit nighttime awakenings.
Délicure offers “Sleep” gummies , natural and vegan, enriched with plants (linden, passionflower, poppy), vitamins (B5 and B6) and melatonin (sleep hormone). This formula helps you calm down before bed, fall asleep more easily and have more restful sleep. To feel these effects, it is advisable to take two gummies before bedtime.
These products should be taken as part of a healthy lifestyle and a varied and balanced diet.
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