Have you been sleeping poorly for some time now and is it starting to show? There are different causes as to why you might sleep poorly. But all causes have the same effect: they make it so that you do not get the sleep which you need. But what is sleeping well? How much sleep does a person need, and what is considered to be normal? Read more here about the mechanisms behind sleep and what you need to have a good night's rest.
Good night's rest? The characteristics
First off, the amount of hours of sleep which you need differs from person to person. Generally, it is said that adults need 8 hours of sleep per night. Some need more, some need less, instead. However, it is not such a good idea to look at the quality of your sleep in terms of the amount of hours spent. The quality of your sleep namely depends on the depth of your sleep. People differ a lot in how much quality they need, and not necessarily the amount of hours which they need. But what do you need in order to have good quality? As mentioned earlier, the quality depends on the depth of your sleep. Here, there are two important stages: the deep sleep and the REM sleep. These are the two deepest phases of the sleep, which make it so that we can physically as well as mentally start a new day feeling fresh. The deep sleep makes it so that we feel good again physically, and that we have a reduced chance of falling ill. The REM sleep, on top of that, makes it so that we make new links in our brain, which means we can sometimes find new solutions to problems. In short: these two phases make it so that we feel good and have reduced chances of mental and physical illnesses.
Good night's rest? I want a good night's rest again!
15 Minutes 4 Me developed an online program which can help you to deal with the possible causes of a poor night's sleep. It helps you to gain insight in the causes of your poor sleeping pattern and gives you tips about how you can personally improve your sleeping pattern.
Good night's rest? Take the stress test!
Would you like to know if stress, depression, or anxiety could have an influence on your sleeping habits or your sleep quality? Then take the free online stress test here!
