In the busy world we live in, you might find it hard to prioritize sleep, especially when it feels as if there just aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done. But research shows that good, quality sleep will make you more likely to succeed at your tasks and enjoy greater well-being.
In this article:
Sleep affects the entire body
Key points
Sleep is essential: Sleep affects the entire body, including the brain, mood, immune system, and organ health. It also helps remove toxins from the brain and recharge cells.
Stress and poor sleep are connected: Stress makes it harder to sleep, and not getting enough rest can make stress worse. Poor sleep can also lead to serious health problems like heart disease, diabetes, and depression.
Better sleep habits improve rest: Setting a bedtime, limiting caffeine, reducing stress, and avoiding screens before bed can help improve sleep. If sleep problems continue, it may be important to see a doctor or sleep specialist.
Sleep affects the entire body
Sleep plays a role in our moods, ability to learn and make memories, the health of our organs, how well our immune system works, and other bodily functions like appetite, metabolism, and hormone release.
Sleep is important down to the cellular level. Sleep helps the body to re-energize its cells. Waste molecules are also picked up during sleep and transported away, essentially “cleaning” the brain.
Are you getting enough rest?
The amount of sleep you need each night depends on your age. The National Sleep Foundation recommends:
- Newborns (0-3 months): 14-17 hours
- Infants (4-11 months): 12-15 hours
- Toddlers (1-2 years): 11-14 hours
- Pre-schoolers (3-5 years): 10-13 hours
- School children (6-13 years): 9-11 hours
- Teens (14-17 years): 8-10 hours
- Adults (18-64 years): 7-9 hours
- Older adults (65+ years): 7-8 hours
Experts suggest that adults get seven to nine hours of sleep a night. This may vary if your body needs more sleep when your immune system is working overtime to fight off sickness. To assess whether you are getting enough sleep, ask yourself:
- Am I often tired?
- Am I using caffeine to get through the day?
- Do I get up multiple times throughout the night?
- Do I wake up feeling refreshed?
- Do I get drowsy while driving or watching TV?
Quality of sleep matters
Nearly 1 in 5 Americans say they lose sleep because of stress. When a person consistently struggles to get enough sleep or good-quality sleep, they have a higher risk for health problems like high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, depression, and obesity.
Poor quality of sleep can also increase the risk of developing mental health symptoms like: manic episodes, a first episode of psychosis, anxiety, and depression.
Additionally, sleep problems affect 50% to 80% of people under the care of a psychiatrist, compared with 10% to 18% of adults in the general U.S. population. Among visitors to mhascreening.org who scored moderately to severely depressed, 95% reported trouble falling asleep or sleeping too much at least several days in the past month.
- Being asleep for at least 85% of the time you are in bed.
- Falling asleep in 30 minutes or less.
- Waking up no more than once per night for no longer than 20 minutes.
Tips for improving your sleep
To sleep longer—and better—consider these suggestions:
- Set a regular bedtime. Your body likes to have a routine, plus you’re more likely to get enough sleep if you schedule rest like your other important tasks.
- Limit caffeine. Drinking caffeine to stay awake during the day can keep you up at night. Stop drinking coffee, tea, and other caffeinated drinks six to eight hours before bed.
- De-stress yourself. Relax by taking a hot bath, meditating, or envisioning a soothing scene while lying in bed. Finish any next-day preparations about an hour before bed so you won’t be worried about them as you fall asleep.
- Get out in the sun. Getting natural sunlight during the day helps to maintain your body’s sleep-wake cycle. Aim for 30 minutes of sun exposure and be sure to wear sunscreen. A light therapy box can help if going outside isn’t an option.
- Exercise. Working out can improve sleep in lots of ways, including relieving muscle tension. Don’t work out right before bed, though, since exercise may make you more alert. If you like, try gentle upper-body stretches to help transition into sleep.
- Don’t eat right before bed. It can cause indigestion and heartburn, which can mess up sleep.
- Nap smart. If you need a nap, take it before 3 p.m. and limit it to an hour.
- Say no to nicotine. The nicotine in tobacco products and vapes is a stimulant, which can keep you up at night.
- Go easy on the drinks. Drinking too much before bed can make you wake up to go to the bathroom, and drinking alcohol gets in the way of reaching the deep and restful stages of sleep.
- Limit distractions. Turn off anything in your bedroom that might distract you from sleep. The light from screens can confuse your body’s internal clock.
- Make your bed a sleep haven. No paying bills or writing reports in bed. Also, if you can’t fall asleep after 15 minutes, you can try some soothing music, but if you remain alert, experts recommend getting up until you feel more tired.
For additional sleep guidelines, see the National Sleep Foundation’s website. (But no screens right before bedtime!)
Sleep aids
If you’re considering sleep medication, you can buy one of several over-the-counter products, which generally can be used safely for a few days. It is important to talk to your doctor before trying a sleep medication to make sure it will not negatively interact with any other medication you are taking. As for prescription medications, the National Sleep Foundation suggests a limit of four weeks—and simultaneously working on one’s sleep habits. Never combine sleep medications with alcohol or other potentially sedating medicines, and be sure to allow at least 8 hours between taking a sleep medication and driving.
If you’re wondering about the hormone melatonin, there is evidence of its usefulness in improving sleep and helping to regulate an irregular sleep cycle. Still, some experts urge caution, arguing that more research is needed to determine proper dosing and timing for taking a melatonin supplement.
If you’re having serious sleep problems, see your doctor, especially if you have trouble for more than three nights a week for a month. Your doctor can check whether your sleep issues are caused by some underlying health problem, like depression or a thyroid disorder, and can help with a treatment plan or refer you to a sleep specialist. Also, contact your doctor if you suspect a sleep disorder, like sleep apnea, which involves snoring and gaps in breathing, or restless leg syndrome, which causes sudden urges to move your body, or if you are experiencing any unusual nighttime behaviors. It’s also reasonable to see a health care professional if you still feel tired despite getting enough sleep.
If you want help learning to cope better with sleep problems, try to locate a therapist who offers cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia. This treatment works by changing sleep-related beliefs and behaviors. You might, for example, rethink your notion that the whole night is ruined if you’re not asleep by 10. A sleep clinic may also be able to help you locate such a therapist.
Sleeping too much or difficulty sleeping can be early warning signs of a mental health condition. If you’re working on improving your sleep but still find yourself struggling, visit mhascreening.org to take an anonymous, free, and private mental health test. It only takes a few minutes, and after you are finished, you will be given information about the next steps you should take based on the results.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org. You can also reach Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741.
