How many hours of sleep do we really need? Below are two instances most people can relate to regarding bad sleeping habits.
Jenny is a young professional. She take three hours of commute from her house to her office in Alabang, and then another three hours back. She stays ten hours at the office (eight working hours, a one-hour break, plus one hour overtime) and arrives at home at 11 p.m. She would plop down on her bed to surf the internet and watch a few episodes of Game of Thrones, forget to turn off her lights, and hit the sack at 1 a.m. She would then wake up at 5 a.m., rinse and repeat from Mondays to Saturdays. Her total sleep time: 4 hours every day.
Alex works two jobs. At 8 a.m., he would wake up and go to work at a small accounting firm in Quezon City until 6 p.m., rest for one hour, and then hit the road again as an Uber driver. He would go back home at 2 a.m and climb to bed at 3 a.m. His total sleep time: 5 hours every day, Mondays to Saturdays.
Are you guilty of sleep deprivation like Jenny and Alex? In truth, adults should be getting seven to eight hours of sleep every day to be able to completely recharge the body. Even though most people can already function with five to six hours of sleep, studies show that at least seven hours of sleep can actually improve memory, aid in losing weight, boost the immune system, and contribute to better concentration and better mood throughout the day. Too much sleep, on the other hand, does not increase your body’s chances at recuperating well. Studies show that too much sleep can also lead to health problems such as diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular diseases.
According to the National Sleep Foundation, here are the recommended number of hours of sleep for every age group:
- Newborns (0-3 months): Sleep range narrowed to 14-17 hours each day
- Infants (4-11 months): Sleep range widened two hours to 12-15 hours
- Toddlers (1-2 years): Sleep range widened by one hour to 11-14 hours
- Preschoolers (3-5): Sleep range widened by one hour to 10-13 hours
- School age children (6-13): Sleep range widened by one hour to 9-11 hours
- Teenagers (14-17): Sleep range widened by one hour to 8-10 hours
- Younger adults (18-25): Sleep range is 7-9 hours
- Adults (26-64): Sleep range is 7-9 hours
- Older adults (65+): Sleep range is 7-8 hours
Although most people know that they need ample sleep to be able to help their body rest and recharge, many still settle for five to six hours, not knowing that even an hour of sleep deficiency significantly reduces the body’s ability to function at maximum. This is why The Philippine Society of Sleep Medicine (PSSM), in partnership with Multiflex RNC Philippines, Inc., makers of Uratex foam and mattresses, is helping promote World Sleep Day 2016 to encourage more people to value and understand the body’s need for sleep.
Sleep medicine, a medical specialty devoted to the diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders, is fairly new in the Philippines. But together, PSSM and Uratex are trying to grow the field’s foothold in the country. In fact, the 4th Asean Sleep Medicine Congress 2017 will be held in the country to enable medical practitioners to learn more about the field. With the 10 Commandments of Sleep Hygiene and a good Uratex mattress, every Filipino will be able to get a good night’s rest.
According to the World Association of Sleep Medicine, here are the 10 Commandments of Sleep Hygiene:
- Have a fixed bedtime and waking up time
- No daytime sleeping in excess of 45 minutes
- Avoid excessive alcohol intake or smoking 4 hours before bedtime
- Avoid intake of caffeine (e.g. coffee, tea, sodas, and chocolate) 6 hours before bedtime
- Avoid heavy, spicy, or sweet meals 4 hours before bedtime (a light snack is acceptable)
- Exercise regularly, but not before bedtime
- Use comfortable bedding
- Sleep in a well-ventilated room
- Block out distracting noise and lessen room light
- Limit the use of the bed to sleeping
But at the end of the day, it is not only about the quantity of sleep, but the quality of nightly rest, too. For more information about sleep medicine, visit the PSSM website, thepssmi.org. For sleep solutions, check out Uratex’ new AirLite Mattress, perfect for this season’s hot summer nights. Check out the new Uratex AirLite Mattress at uratex.com.ph.
