More and more attention has been paid to sleep behaviour in recent years. This is mainly because health has been put higher and higher on society's agenda and it is now common knowledge that sleep is at least as important as eating well and getting enough exercise. Several scientific studies show that enough sleep, works like a natural medicine. With a good night's sleep, you function better. Mentally and physically. However, that is also where the challenge lies for many people. Because did you know that as many as one in five Dutch people (12 years or older) struggle with a serious sleep disorder?
Causes of sleep disorders
The main cause of sleep disorders is that we are generally too busy. Experiencing too much stress and lying awake at night because of this. In addition, people now deal with too many stimuli. How evenings used to be mainly for resting, people now often even look at their smartphones just before bedtime. After all, the blue light in the screens of TVs and smartphones makes it harder to fall asleep.
Exercising in the evening is also very popular, but not conducive to your sleep. Exercise is good against stress, for your health and sleep, although the question is whether you need to exert yourself vigorously in the evening. It seems that exercise sends signals to your brain 'to kick it up another notch', instead of going into rest mode.
The night is a reflection of the day, so those who do not complete the day in the evening will suffer at night. If you are still busy or stressed in the evening, your 'waking system' will remain active at night, so this often makes you sleep restlessly.
Facts and figures on sleep disorders
- There is no set standard for the number of hours of sleep a person needs. There are short sleepers who have enough with 6.5 hours, and sleepers who still feel unrested after 8 hours of sleep. The best indication of good or bad sleep is how you feel the next day.
- Your sleep requirements are also affected by your age. For instance, babies sleep for about 16-18 hours. In adulthood, you need about 7-8 hours of sleep; at older ages, the number of hours often decreases but the tendency for afternoon naps increases.
- In most people, sleep deprivation has a negative effect on concentration and responsiveness.
- Sleep deprivation contributes to mental fatigue, forgetfulness and poor mood.
- Chronic insomnia poses a health threat. You are more susceptible to all kinds of diseases, ranging from the flu and cardiovascular disease to dementia and depression.
10 sleep tips for adequate (night) rest
- Move your exercise time to the morning, then you will benefit from the released 'happy substances' during the day and can use the evening to rest.
- Use the bedroom only for sleeping and intimacy, not for watching television, looking at your mobile or working.
- Go outside as much as possible during the day. The more you are outside during the day, the better you will fall asleep at night.
- End your day well. Don't take the day's burdens into the evening. This is easier said than done, but very important. For example, use the last half-hour of your day to get everything in order so that you can start the next day fresh and fruity.
- Take a hot shower before bed.
- Plan plenty of restful moments during the day too. For example, if you had a bad night, try to schedule a power nap during the day.
- Catch up on your sleep the next night. The calculation model here is: multiply the number of hours missed times 1.5.An hour of sleep debt means going to bed an hour and a half earlier the next day.
- Make sure you get enough exercise during the day. Basically, stick to at least 30 minutes of vigorous exercise a day and preferably in the morning, not in the evening.
- Don't do nothing! Doing nothing does not rest you or make you tired. It actually reduces your need for sleep, which will only make getting and staying asleep worse.
- Put your alarm clock out of sight. It's often between your ears, but it does help many people. When you have trouble falling asleep and stay awake for too long, chances are you keep looking at your alarm clock to see what time it is and in how many hours you will have to get up. This is disastrous for people suffering from insomnia. The alarm clock or clock activates your brain every time you look at it and it adds to the stress, when you should be relaxing. Therefore, put your alarm clock or clock completely out of sight when you go to sleep.
