Sleep is a natural part of life, and while many people enjoy the relief it brings, it’s often become an elusive thing for adults who struggle with sleep disorders. Hard-working individuals hope to go home and get some good night’s rest after a long day, but the night offers anything but sweet dreams for those with sleep apnea, insomnia, and other sleep problems.
While losing sleep seems more of an inconvenience, it can do a number to your health in more ways than one. After all, doctors say you need eight hours of sleep to function properly, but what does it really mean to achieve healthy sleep for adults?
What is a Healthy Sleep Pattern for Adults?
Sleep is made up of a series of stages with distinct roles in contributing to the overall quality of your rest. It starts with the first and second stages involving light sleep, going from a deep sleep in the third stage, and finally, the rapid eye movement (REM) sleep at the last stage.
Successfully completing the cycle results in a healthy sleep pattern, and the fewer interruptions in your sleep schedule, the better you can feel since it can effectively restore different functions of the body. With that in mind, do you really need a full eight hours of undisturbed sleep to be healthy?
The Ideal Sleep Duration for Adults
Medical experts say adults need to get between seven to nine hours of sleep every night, which is the amount of time it takes for every stage to complete the appropriate number of times. This means that even if you sleep for eight hours, you may not feel well-rested if there are plenty of interruptions in between.
Every time you toss and turn, you interfere with your natural sleep process, resulting in sleep deprivation even if you drifted off for eight hours. The duration changes depending on your age, though, so senior citizens only need to maintain seven to eight uninterrupted hours of sleep, while teens need eight to ten to support their rapid growth.
How to Tell If You Had Quality Sleep
Seeing as it can be tricky to tell whether you got quality sleep, you can assess your nightly experience by assessing your feelings the next morning. When you wake up feeling refreshed, energized, clear-headed, and in a good mental state, then it means you got through all the sleep cycles you need to feel healthy.
The Bottom Line: The Importance of Achieving Healthy Sleep
Sleep impacts every aspect of your health, so losing a good night’s rest constantly can compromise the way you think, feel, and work. When you have healthy sleep patterns, you can live life to the fullest because it improves your learning, memory retention, and creative capabilities, and it’s a natural mood-booster to boot!
Are You Looking for Sleep Centre in Vancouver?
When you’re struggling to sleep, it’s important to address this critical issue by consulting with sleep specialists.
We are a patient focused sleep clinic that provides a wide range of sleep apnea, snoring, insomnia and poor sleep solutions in Vancouver, so book a consultation with us today and see how we can help you achieve restful nights.
