How Much Sleep Promotes Optimal Health?

Sleep is one of those things that we always feel we don’t get enough of.  For many of us, that is actually true.  Between families, social activities, and work, few people get the amount of sleep that their bodies require every night.  Unfortunately, this leads many people to spend their vacations or days off in bed. 

But you can’t simply add up how many hours of sleep you missed over the week and add them in on the weekend.  Let’s look at how much sleep the average adult really needs.

Studies show that the average health adult needs between seven and eight hours of sleep a night.  Getting this amount of sleep may not always be easy, but it is very important.  Symptoms of getting too little sleep at night include memory problems, depression, immune deficiencies, and even a heightened perception of pain.  Fatigue is the most common symptom, and it is also the most dangerous.  Fatigue from getting too little sleep is responsible for around 1,500 deaths every year while driving, as well as nearly 100,000 total motor vehicle accidents.

If you aren’t getting enough sleep on a regular basis, it is time to look for some changes that you can make.  Whether it is an earlier bedtime for both the kids and yourself, a soothing bath before bed each night, or the removal of caffeine from your diet, if you aren’t sleeping properly you need to do something about it.  The eight hour recommendation isn’t just so you can be energetic in the morning, it is essential to your health and well being. 

If you have chronic insomnia which has lasted more than a month, always mention it to your doctor, who may be able to do some tests and check that it is not an underlying sign of something more serious.