subject: Myths and Facts About Sleeping Uncovered [print this page] 95% of adults reported having trouble sleeping at one time or another in their life. 64 million Americans regularly suffer from insomnia each year, and 41% more common in women than men. As we increasingly become more frequent drinkers of caffeine, other factors such as anxiety, excessive use of alcohol or sedatives (sleeping pills for example) changes in sleep pattern because of shift work or travel also leads to insomnia.
All of us needs to sleep. The record for the longest period without sleep is 18 days, 21 hours, 40 minutes during a rocking chair marathon. The record holder reported hallucinations, paranoia, blurred vision, slurred speech and memory and concentration lapses. It is important that we get get adequate daily sleep as sleeping:
repairs your body tissues
helps you recover from your illness
refreshes your mind
clears emotional conflicts
help you perform better at work and at play
Myths and Facts About Sleep:
You must sleep 8 hours a night to stay healthy and feel energetic.
FALSE
The amount of sleep needed varies from one person to another and from one day to the next. As you grow older, you tend to sleep less. That is why our seniors tend to be the earliest to wake up every morning. When you are sick, you need more sick. Some women sleep longer during their pre-menstrual periods.
You must make up for lost sleep.
FALSE
You don't have to repay your sleep debt hour for hour. You can make up for lost sleep because recovery sleep following sleep deprivation is deeper and of higher quality.
Take sleeping pills to help you sleep.
FALSE
Taking sleeping pills produces poorer quality sleep. Also when you take them regularly, you become addicted to it.
In our modern culture, everyday seems to be twice as much work and half as much time to complete it in. Getting a good night's sleep enables us to act and think at our best. Getting a good night's sleep means:
exercising regularly
stop smoking
avoiding caffeine, alcohol and other stimulants
avoid taking naps in the afternoon
going to bed only when you are drowsy
eating a healthy, balanced diet
following a bedtime routine (reading, taking a warm bath, drinking a glass of warm milk, giving yourself a warm and soothing massage)
