Good sleep is crucial to keeping your body balanced and fully functional, and yet, as summer begins to wind down and our bodies transition to autumn, we often begin to feel like something is “off.”
This is because we have shorter daylight hours and longer nighttime hours. Even though Mother Nature beckons us to bed with the setting sun, our bodies are used to being awake for longer periods of time. This mismatch can cause us to feel a little imbalance around this time of year.
In addition to this confusing change in daylight hours, as we age, our bodies generally require less sleep than when we were younger. Because of this, most adults don’t realize how important it is for them to get a really good night’s sleep every night. It can greatly affect their happiness, health and wellbeing.
Are you getting enough sleep? Quality vs. Quantity.
Sleep is one of those interesting things in life where the quality is actually more important than the quantity!
The higher quality sleep you get, the better you’re able to function. It doesn’t mean that you have to sleep for a full 8 hours – in fact, you may be a person who only needs 6 hours of quality sleep to feel completely rested.
The National Sleep Foundation found that even though people think they’re getting the right sleep, the majority of people actually aren’t. Their sleep bank accounts run short even if they’re getting enough hours of sleep but they’re not getting the right quality of sleep!
They studied 40 million Americans that suffered from 60-70 different sleep disorders (insomnia, tossing and turning, sleep apnea, etc.) and found that, although 60% of adults report having chronic sleep problems, most of them go undiagnosed.
They think they’re sleeping well because they lay in bed for 8 hours, but actually, their body never drops into the deep REM cycles it needs to completely restore itself.
Are You Getting Enough Good Sleep?
Researchers estimate that more than 40% of adults experience some sort of daytime sleepiness, and 20% of adults in America report problems with sleeping for greater than a few days per week.
When left untreated (meaning, when the adults don’t take action to get more sleep at night), it begins to affect their daytime activities.
When you look at this data, you can see that sleep issues are a HUGE problem! Not only that, but daytime sleepiness can cause employees to perform poorly at work, become more forgetful and – this is a big one – eventually develop more serious health problems.
Do any of these things sounds like you? Are you getting enough good sleep?
If we don’t get good, quality sleep, we simply cannot function properly. Our mental, physical and emotional systems will become taxed, overwhelmed and eventually begin to break down.
This is a great time of year to really examine your sleep habits. How much sleep do you normally get at night? Do you feel rested in the morning, or do you wake up groggy and cranky? Have you created a routine that you regularly follow when it’s time for bed, or do you fall asleep to the televisión?
Your sleep habits will greatly impact your quality of life. Begin to notice your patterns, and tune into this blog next week for specific tips for things you can do right away to improve your sleeping.
Are you looking for natural solutions for sleep disorders or problems? I would love to talk to you about how I can help. Click here to set up a complimentary call with me to talk about what you can do today to sleep better tonight.
Wishing you peace to your mind, wellness to your body and tranquility to your spirit.
Namaste,
Rochel Marie Lawson, RN, AHP, CMS
The Queen of Feeling Fabulous and The Wellness Architect
