Sleep is a guarantee of health and well-being given the vital role it plays in restoring the body's vitality and strength. What is the recommended length of sleep to avoid the negative consequences of sleep deprivation and thus benefit better?
Sleep is a natural process, a state of unconsciousness during which the human body recovers its psychic and psychic forces. It thus contributes to the growth process of children, stimulates immune defense and regenerates cellular tissues which allows us to feel well rested, to improve our ability to memorize or even concentrate.
As a guarantee of health, it is wise to know the number of hours of sleep allowing us to take advantage of its benefits. A short or long sleep can disrupt the metabolism. What is the optimal duration of sleep according to the National Sleep Foundation to promote good health and feel well rested?
Lack of sleep is harmful to health
Lack of sleep not only causes fatigue in the body, it also prevents us from thinking clearly, making decisions, having a good concentration or even reducing our appetite. In addition, experts have proven that a sleep problem can even lead to health complications. A sleep time of less than 5 hours can cause heart problems. It can also be the cause of diabetes and obesity if it is less than 7 hours.
Is your sleeping period sufficient to provide you with the necessary health and well-being? It is better to be sure.
Recommended Sleep Times
A research was carried out by Charles Czeisler, Professor at Harvard University, to define the number of hours needed for restorative sleep. A great deal of research was done from 2004 until 2014 to avoid the negative impact of sleep deprivation on our health and finally determine how many hours it takes to sleep to rest and be healthy.
Here is the recommended sleep duration for each stage of human development:
- Newborns (0-3 months): 14 to 17 hours
- Babies (4-11 months): 12 to 15 hours
- Small children (1-2 years): 11 to 14 hours
- Preschool (3-5 years): 10 to 13 hours
- Educational stage (6-13): 9-11 hours
- Adolescents (14 to 17): 8 to 10 hours
- Youth (18-25): 7 to 9 hours
- Adults (26-64): 7-9 hours
- People over 65: 7 to 8 hours
These times are not fixed. To each of us to know the optimum sleep duration for him. Nevertheless, once it is determined, it must be complied with to avoid various health problems.
Where do sleep problems come from?
Stress and technology are the two main causes of sleep problems:
Stress: This evil of the century results in the release of a hormone harmful to the human body: "cortisol" also called stress hormone. This hampers the feeling of well-being and the smooth progress of the sleep process.
Technology: To enjoy a good sleep, our body releases a substance called melatonin which is a hormone naturally secreted in the absence of light by the pineal gland located in the brain. Its role is the regulation of the circadian rhythm (awakening / sleep) in the human being by causing the need for sleep, intervening in the functioning of the immune system. It also has an impact on appetite and blood sugar control.
Thus darkness trigger the production of melatonin, the secretion of which is stopped in the presence of light. Consequently, the different lights emitted by the new technologies - with these different devices including television, laptops, mobile phones - prevent the body from releasing this hormone and thus negatively impacts sleep.