How and how much sleep you need to be healthy

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A third of our lives are spent with our eyes closed. Nevertheless, there is no consensus among experts: some consider 8 hours of sleep sufficient, others insist on 4-5 hours of rest, and still others are absolutely sure that everything is individual in this matter. So how much sleep do you need per day?

There is a rule of “three eights”: 8 hours for work, 8 for rest and 8 for sleep. Indeed, the body of most people is tuned to this regime. However, there are exceptions. For example, Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte slept 5 hours a day, physicist Albert Einstein needed 12 hours of sleep, and artist Leonardo da Vinci preferred a 15-minute rest every 4 hours, that is, no more than an hour and a half a day! It is no secret that our life constantly surprises us, and the time we allocate for sleep is not always constant. What are the dangers of such experiments on ourselves in the form of chronic sleep deprivation or, conversely, too long daily sleep?

Which is better: lack of sleep or oversleeping?
It has been established that lack of sleep contributes to a noticeable decrease in the body's defenses. In this case, the work of the nervous system is disrupted, which in turn leads to irritability, absent-mindedness, deterioration of reaction, memory and attention, psychological discomfort, the appearance of insomnia and the emergence of a depressive state. However, an excess of sleep is just as unfavorable for a person. Recently, scientists have questioned the validity of the “three eights” rule, indicating that sleep that takes more than 7 hours a day noticeably shortens our life. It seems that one can argue with the latter statement, although we definitely steal an hour a day. Lack of sleep or oversleeping have one thing in common – both threaten the emergence of suicidal tendencies – it has been noticed that most of those who have settled their accounts with life had problems with sleep.

How much sleep does a person need per day?
However, many researchers agree that the duration of sleep is a strictly individual concept, completely subordinate to our biological clock. If a person feels cheerful, pretending to sleep only 5 hours a day or, conversely, lying in bed for 11-12 hours, then your body requires exactly this duration. In addition, sleep can be not only night, but also daytime – the latter will not only restore strength in the middle of the day, but also in a relatively short period of time will fill the time that you did not sleep at night.

Regular daytime sleep significantly increases working capacity. It turns out that the inhabitants of Spain, who arrange a daily siesta, are absolutely right! Midday sleep, by the way, is also characteristic of the inhabitants of Ancient Russia. The notorious division of sleepers into “owls” and “larks” also indicates that they need to go to bed to rest at different times of the day in order to get a good night's sleep and have a good vitality.

What is needed for rest to be complete?
Psychological studies show that in a dream we do not feel tired or tense. And these properties of sleep find their application in psychotherapy. What is needed for healthy sleep and subsequent positive mood during the day?

• Try to go to bed and wake up at a certain time (regardless of the day of the week).
• Go to bed when you feel sleepy, because at this time the body is ready for a full rest.
• Before going to bed, it is important to calm down and relax, completing active activities and analysis of the day, as well as planning the future day, an hour or two before the intended bedtime.
• Do not turn your bed into an office: do not work in bed with documents or a laptop, exclude reading special literature. Your bed should be exclusively a place for rest. In addition, it should be comfortable so as not to interfere with a comfortable sleep.
• Avoid drinking alcohol at night and do not overeat before going to bed.
• Try to ensure that your main work schedule is not flexible. After all, working in the “day, night, day off, weekend” mode is the enemy of healthy sleep.

If you have problems falling asleep, do auto-training or consult a specialist.