12 tips for a healthy sleep
Regular and adequate sleep is very important for a healthy life.
Regular and adequate sleep is very important for a healthy life. Stating that a quality sleep supports maintaining mental health, physical health and quality of life, Specialist Psychologist Ezgi Dokuzlu from Anadolu Health Center said, “Health problems sometimes disrupt the order and quality of sleep, or disruptions in sleep patterns can lead to negative effects on health and daily life. “Insufficient or poor quality sleep can cause motivation and concentration difficulties, quick anger, loss of tolerance, feeling tired and exhausted, and mental and physical collapse.” So how do sleep disorders affect psychology? Expert Psychologist Ezgi Dokuzlu gave important information on the subject and made 12 suggestions for healthy sleep.
Daily sleep need varies from person to person. It can be said that one third of the average human life is spent sleeping, which is a considerable amount of time. While 7-9 hours of sleep is sufficient for adults, the need for sleep in the first years of life is approximately 12-18 hours. The need for sleep is 12-14 hours for children aged 12-35 months, 11-13 hours for preschool and 6-year-old children, 10-11 hours for primary school children, 7-8 hours for teenagers, and 6 hours for adults. -7 hours.
In the first years of life, most of the time is spent sleeping. As we get older, the need for sleep decreases. Since sleep duration tends to decrease with age after the age of 45, it may decrease to 6.5 hours. The time it takes to fall asleep also increases with aging.
A child who sleeps poorly may be irritable or irritable
Lack of adequate sleep and rest can lead to some physical and mental problems and disrupt a person’s quality of life. The person starts the day tired, deteriorates attention and concentration, and decreases productivity. Disruptions in sleep patterns and duration are also associated with obesity. According to research, ghrelin hormone, which is associated with high levels of hunger, is secreted in the bodies of people who do not get enough sleep, and the risk of obesity increases. Since children need more sleep than adults, insufficient sleep can negatively affect children’s behavior during the day. A child who does not get enough sleep may become irritable or irritable.
Psychological, environmental, physical factors and lifestyle can lead to sleep disorders.
Sleep disorders may have many psychological, environmental, physical and lifestyle-related causes. Psychological factors such as stress, anxiety, and some mental illnesses; lifestyles such as excessive caffeine intake, certain medications, working hours, shift work, eating late and poor nutrition; Environmental factors such as light, sound, ambient temperature and whether the environment is safe or not; Physical illnesses such as pain, frequent need to go to the toilet and breathing problems can cause sleep disorders. Also 7-9. Anxiety due to separation from the mother, which is seen in babies aged six months, can also disrupt their sleep patterns. This situation can also be seen in babies of working mothers. A baby who is separated from his mother throughout the day may perceive the sleep period as a second separation. Finally, the nicotine contained in cigarettes has a stimulating effect, and due to this effect, the person may have difficulty falling asleep.
85 percent of depressed patients complain of insomnia
Sleep disorders may also occur in conditions such as psychoses (schizophrenia, schizophreniform disorders, schizoaffective disorders), bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, and substance use. Some medications used to treat psychiatric disorders can also cause insomnia. In major depressive disorder or generalized anxiety disorder, difficulty falling asleep and waking up during the night can cause serious insomnia problems and daytime sleepiness. 80-85 percent of depressed patients complain of insomnia. In anxiety disorders, sleep problems often occur as difficulty initiating and maintaining sleep. It is known that many patients with panic disorder have difficulty falling asleep.
12 suggestions for a better sleep
- Choose light meals in the evening and leave at least 4 hours between sleep and meal time.
- Make sure that the temperature of the bedroom is not too hot or cold and ventilate the room you will sleep in before sleeping.
- Make sure the room you sleep in is dim, comfortable and quiet. Use earplugs and an eye mask if necessary.
- Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day to regulate the body’s biological clock.
- Learn by trying what is good for you when you go to sleep. While some people prefer a quiet environment to sleep, others sleep more easily with soft music or certain sounds.
- Do not keep a television in the bedroom. Do a “digital detox” by putting away your cell phones 90 minutes before bed.
- Try to do light exercises at least three days a week. Exercise raises body temperature. 2-4 hours after exercise, body temperature decreases. Therefore, falling asleep and staying asleep becomes easier. While being tired makes it easier to sleep, extreme tiredness after a stressful and negative day can make it difficult to fall asleep, contrary to popular belief.
- If you don’t feel sleepy and can’t fall asleep within 20-25 minutes, step out of your bedroom and start a quiet activity elsewhere. Go back to your bedroom only when you feel sleepy.
- Avoid taking naps during the day. If you can’t resist, reduce nap time to one per day and less than an hour. Do not take a nap after 15:00.
- Maintain a regular bedtime and wake-up time on your holidays and weekends.
- Do not consume caffeine in the afternoon, limit your caffeine consumption during the day.
- Take advantage of relaxation and relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, yoga, and meditation a little before bed.
