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When we think about “sleeping well,” we often only consider how many hours of shut eye we get in a night. But it’s not only the quantity of sleep we get that matters. Sleep quality is an important factor to look into if you find yourself feeling drowsy during the day.
Quantity
Most adults should aim for seven to nine hours of sleep per night. But as we age, some of us may only need six hours a night. Because each person is different, you need to be the judge of whether you feel alert and awake after six hours of sleep, or if you’d benefit from more. To figure this out, it’s recommended you keep a sleep journal. Note each morning how many hours of sleep you managed to get and how you feel upon awakening. After a week, you should have a clear picture of how many hours you need to feel rested.
Quality
While sleep quantity refers to the amount of hours you sleep, sleep quality refers to how well and how deeply you slept. For adults, good quality sleep means that you find yourself falling asleep in 30 minutes or less, you sleep soundly through the night with no more than one awakening, and, if you do wake up, you drift back to sleep within 20 minutes.
Bad sleep quality, on the other hand, is the kind of sleep that leaves you staring at the ceiling wondering if you’ll ever sleep again. It may be characterized by insomnia, the inability to stay asleep, restlessness and early awakenings.
Your sleep formula
To improve sleep quality and quantity, one tip is to avoid drinking alcohol too late into the evening. Alcohol really decreases the quality of your sleep, even if it helps you drift off initially.
If you find you aren’t sleeping for long enough, consider exercising more, especially early in the morning. Exercise can increase energy levels, which is exactly what you don’t want too late at night. It can, however, tire you out enough to help you sleep the night through. An early morning walk or run can improve sleep quantity.
If you’re having an issue with either sleep quantity or sleep quality, then consult your doctor. We all deserve to be well rested, especially at a time like this.
