The Importance of Sleep Quantity and Sleep Quality
When it comes to getting a good night’s sleep, both sleep quantity and sleep quality are key factors. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the recommended amount of sleep for a person varies by their age group, including newborns, infants, toddlers, preschoolers, school-age children, teenagers, adults aged 18-64, and adults aged 65+. Unfortunately, many people in the United States don't get the amount of sleep they need. It is estimated that approximately 50 to 70 million Americans suffer from some form of sleep loss, and 35.2% of American adults report regularly getting less than seven hours of sleep per night.
The Difference Between Sleep Quantity and Sleep Quality
Sleep quantity is the amount of time you spend asleep, while sleep quality is the quality of your sleep. When it comes to sleep quality, standards for high-quality sleep include sleep onset latency (how quickly you can fall asleep), sleep continuity (the ability to stay asleep once you do fall asleep), awakenings (being able to sleep through the night without waking up), and sleep efficiency (the proportion of time that you are asleep as compared with the amount of time that you spend in bed). Maintaining a healthy sleep schedule is the best way to ensure both sleep quantity and sleep quality.
Maintaining a Healthy Sleep Schedule
The gold standard for both sleep quantity and sleep quality is to stick to a regular sleep routine and avoid sleeping in or pushing back your bedtime. Going to bed and waking up about the same time each day helps your body become accustomed to a regular schedule, which leads to a higher quality of sleep. It also helps your body regulate its internal clock, which is called your circadian rhythm. Practicing good sleep hygiene can also have a positive effect on sleep quality. Good sleep hygiene means keeping your bedroom dark, cool, and free of distractions, not drinking alcohol or caffeine late in the day, and exercising regularly.
Sleep Simplified
Getting the right amount of sleep is essential for overall health and wellbeing. Yet most people do not get the amount of sleep they need, and even fewer are able to get the illness-preventing, restorative sleep they need to feel their best. That’s where sleep products such as mattresses, pillows, and sheets, as well as sleep aids like melatonin and anti-snoring mouthpieces come in. Utilizing these materials can often make it easier to get the amount of sleep you need, and can offer you the freedom of waking restored and ready for the day.
No Comments
