Who is stealing people's sleep? Get a good night's sleep and do these ten things

I believe many people have experienced insomnia. They tossed and turned in bed at night. They were obviously very tired, but they couldn't fall asleep when they lay down. Mortgage, car loan, work, all went through their minds. The more they thought about it, the more they couldn't fall asleep. After finally falling asleep, they had nightmares and woke up before dawn...

A third of a person's life is spent sleeping. Sufficient sleep, a balanced diet and proper exercise are three health standards recognized by the international community. March 21, 2023 is the 23rd World Sleep Day. This year's theme of World Sleep Day is "Good sleep, the source of health". Taking this opportunity, let's learn about the knowledge of sleep together...

How long is the normal sleep?

Generally speaking, newborns need to sleep 16-20 hours a day;

Preschoolers need 10 to 13 hours of sleep;

Children and adolescents aged 6 to 17 need 7 to 10 hours of sleep;

For adults over 18 years old, 6 to 9 hours of sleep is normal.

High-quality sleep can help the brain and body get enough rest and maintain a healthy state.

Insomnia refers to a subjective experience in which one is dissatisfied with sleep time and/or quality despite having a suitable sleep opportunity and sleeping environment, and this affects daytime social functions. The causes may be related to factors such as diet, environment, psychology, disease, and age. If you have important things to do the next day, such as interviews and exams, or occasionally work overtime or stay up late, and therefore have trouble sleeping, this is not considered insomnia.

Persistent insomnia symptoms are mostly manifestations of illness, which include difficulty falling asleep, staying awake all night, frequent nightmares, being half asleep, waking up early, and waking up from time to time.

According to the course of the disease, it can be divided into

Short-term insomnia (duration < 3 months)

Chronic insomnia (duration ≥ 3 months)

The "China Sleep Research Report (2022)" was released. The report shows that after the implementation of the "double reduction" policy, 61.53% of parents of primary and secondary school students said that their children's bedtime has been advanced. The data shows that the "double reduction" policy has positive significance for improving the sleep problems of primary and secondary school students.

The report also shows that the sleep duration of 60% of primary and secondary school students has increased to varying degrees, but the overall sleep duration is still insufficient, and the average sleep duration of minors is only 7 hours.

What are the dangers of poor sleep?

For children and adolescents who are in a stage of rapid growth and development, sleep deprivation and circadian rhythm disorders will not only cause inattention and poor academic performance, but may even damage children's brain function, leading to depression, anxiety, attention deficit, impulsive behavior and other problems among primary and secondary school students, increase the risk of metabolic diseases such as obesity, and damage physical and mental health and academic development.

For adults , if they do not get enough sleep or have poor sleep quality, they may increase the risk of developing a variety of diseases, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and cancer. Long-term chronic lack of sleep has more serious consequences than acute all-nighters.

When you have the following symptoms, it means your body is reminding you that you need to sleep well:

The complexion becomes dull, hair falls out easily, vision deteriorates, and acne and pigmentation appear.

Feeling groggy, always dozing off during the day, feeling tired, and easily irritable or excited.

Lack of concentration, decreased memory, and poor learning and work abilities.

I gained noticeable weight, caught colds frequently, and felt generally unwell.

What is good sleep for adults?

First, enough time to ensure adequate sleep, seven to eight hours per night, with undisturbed, restful sleep, without waking during the night or having trouble falling asleep less than twice a week. When you wake up, you feel well rested at least five days a week. And none of this can be achieved by using sleeping pills.

What can we do to get a good night’s sleep?

1. Pay attention to the influence of dietary factors:

Reduce caffeinated drinks and foods (coffee, tea, cola, chocolate), and avoid smoking and drinking before going to bed.

2. Appropriate exercise :

Regular exercise can help people sleep better, especially aerobic exercise, but avoid strenuous activity before bedtime.

2. Pay attention to sleeping posture:

There are four common sleeping positions: supine, prone, left side, and right side. Although right side sleeping is an ideal sleeping position for most people, it is not suitable for everyone. Generally speaking, people with certain diseases should choose different sleeping positions according to their conditions.

Many people like to lie on their backs. However, when lying on their backs, their hands will unconsciously be placed on their chests, which can easily lead to chest tightness, breathlessness, nightmares, etc. In addition, when lying on your back, the root of the tongue falls back, which can easily make people breathe poorly and make snoring. People who snore are best to sleep on their side.

Prone sleeping means sleeping on your stomach. Many people feel sore all over after sleeping on their stomach all night. This may be the reason.

When lying on the left side, the body is facing the left side, and the apex of the heart is easily compressed. However, pregnant women should choose to lie on the left side, which can reduce the right rotation of the uterus and relieve insufficient blood supply to the uterus.

4. Maintain a regular work and rest schedule, and try to maintain it on weekends:

Naps should be limited to 20 to 30 minutes. Do not doze off after 3 p.m. It is important to maintain consistent sleep. Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, good sleeping habits help to fix our biological clock.

5. Food helps you sleep:

Millet porridge, warm milk and other foods are good for our sleep. But don't eat or drink too much water before going to bed to reduce the number of times you get up at night.

6. Improve sleeping environment:

Draw the curtains to create a quiet, dark environment. Keep the temperature moderate and keep pillows, sheets, quilts, etc. comfortable.

Don’t play with the computer or mobile phone one hour before going to bed, and don’t play with the mobile phone in bed.

7. Learning relaxation training can help improve sleep quality :

For example, abdominal breathing relaxation method , lie flat, relax your shoulders, close your eyes, put your hands on your abdomen, take a slow and deep breath, pause for 1 to 2 seconds, exhale slowly, pause for 1 to 2 seconds, and repeat this cycle.

You can also try listening to soothing music and soaking your feet in hot water before going to bed.

8. Beware of psychological problems:

If the insomnia is severe and has affected your daily life, you should go to the hospital to seek help from a professional doctor and try some sleeping pills.

There are many folk remedies for insomnia on the Internet, but there is limited evidence on their effectiveness and safety. It is recommended to consult a doctor before using them.

If poor sleep is caused by psychological problems, it is recommended to see a professional medical institution and consider drug treatment if necessary.

9. Check for drug factors:

Some chronic disease medications can easily cause insomnia:

Such as bronchodilators for COPD and asthma, some antihypertensive drugs, glucocorticoids, some drugs containing diuretics, and some antidepressants with central nervous system stimulant effects. It is recommended to adjust the dosage under the guidance of a doctor to reduce damage to sleep.

10. Without a healthy body, how can there be a good life? !

Today is the Spring Equinox. During this time, we should also pay attention to nourishing and protecting our liver. The quality of your sleep determines your living conditions and even your life span.

There was a hot topic of discussion on the Internet: "Why do many people like to go to bed late now?"

The most praised answer is:

“I don’t want to give up this time that is completely mine.”

As the pace of life accelerates, people's work and rest schedules have also changed dramatically. Work dominates the daytime, and people are reluctant to sleep at night. They scroll through their phones, watch TV series, and stay up late to work overtime.

When life comes to an abrupt end, all wealth is gone. The first half of life is spent fighting for life, and the second half is spent healing.

In life, many people are 30 years old but have the body of a 60-year-old.

The damage caused by staying up late will remain dormant in the body, and when it breaks out, the result may be a fatal blow.

Put down your phone, go to bed before 11pm starting tonight, go to bed on time, have a good sleep, and be a person who sleeps well!