Amazing Method to sleep 8 hours a day
Surely you have heard more than once how important it is to sleep an average of 8 hours a day in order to be fully rested and with the necessary energy to focus on a new day, but it is also possible that you are one of those people who see that average almost impossible and who usually rest only 5 or 6 hours a day.
This may be due to stress, overwork or having habits at night that affect our rest, therefore, in this healthfness article, we are going to tell you how to sleep 8 hours a day, giving you some tricks that will help you fall asleep and Above all, that it is of quality. Sleeping well is the best medicine to feel good.
Hours of sleep according to age
First of all, you should check the most basic thing: your mattress. If this is more than 10 years old or it is uncomfortable for you, you should change it, a good routine to go to bed is useless if it is not pleasant for you.
You should know that as much as it has always been indicated that the healthiest thing is to sleep 8 hours a day , the truth is that each person is different and depending on their routine and their particular needs they will need some hours or others of rest.
In addition, it is not the same type of sleep that a baby will need as a 17-year-old, for example, for this reason the National Sleep Foundation carried out a study and determined average parameters for the hours we need to sleep according to age :
- From 0 to 3 months: Newborns should sleep between 14 and 17 hours a day.
- From 4 to 11 months: the ideal for babies is that they spend about 12 to 15 hours a day sleeping.
- From 1 to 2 years: children should sleep from 11 to 14 hours and never sleep less than 9.
- From 3 to 5 years old: those who are in the preschool stage are recommended to spend 10 to 13 hours a day sleeping; less than 7 is totally discouraged.
- From 6 to 13 years: at this age children should sleep 9 to 11 hours a day.
- From 14 to 17 years: adolescents should sleep 8 to 10 hours a day.
- From 18 to 64 years: adults should sleep between 7 and 9 hours a day and never sleep less than 6.
- Over 65 years: it is recommended that they rest 7 to 8 hours a day and sleep no more than 9.
Pay attention to your attitude and well-being
As you have already seen, the data that we have provided you with is generic and we have already warned you that each person has different needs. To know if you are sleeping the necessary hours that your body needs. You just need to look at your attitude and your way of being in your day-to-day; depending on it, you will be able to detect if you need to rest more or, on the contrary, you are already doing it correctly.
For example, see if when you get up the next day you feel rested or, on the contrary, you are always tired and very sleepy. You should also assess the amount of caffeine you need during the day to be able to start, as this information can be completely revealing.
Do physical exercise
But, in general terms, all health experts indicate that in order to face a new day with vitality and energy, it is necessary to be able to sleep 8 hours a day to allow the body to rest and our muscles to regenerate.
So, if you want to know how to sleep 8 hours a day, the first thing you should do is dedicate a few hours a week to physical exercise. Moving the body is the best remedy to reduce insomnia and, thus, be able to release tension, tire our body, and allow us to have a much deeper sleep at night.
In any case, you should avoid exercising 3 to 4 hours before bed as much as possible, since it is possible that the stimulation from sports practice ends up upsetting you and preventing you from resting deeply.
light dinner
Another important point is that you have a light and early dinner. Eating abundantly before going to sleep is totally counterproductive because your body will be actively trying to digest at a time of day when it is predisposed to rest and, therefore, your metabolism rate is much slower. It is for this reason that it is always recommended that you eat your dinner 3 or 4 hours before going to sleep and that it contains light foods that are easy for our body to process to avoid overloading it at this time.
But skipping dinner is NOT the solution because your body will be hungry and, therefore, it will not be able to rest properly or, even, you will wake up during the night feeling hungry. Therefore, it is recommended that you have a light meal for dinner several hours before going to sleep and that before going to bed take a skimmed yogurt or drink a relaxing infusion that will help you sleep as well as promote a feeling of satiety.
foods to sleep well
We have just indicated that, in order to sleep 8 hours a day, it is important that our stomach is satisfied but not saturated with food or calories, therefore, there are some food options that are better than others for this time of day.
Food to rest
- Low-fat meats: chicken, turkey or rabbit are low-fat options ideal for this last hour of the day because they provide very healthy proteins and nutrients
- Whitefish: they are the most suitable for this time of day because they are low in fat
- Eggs: full of protein, their fat content is also very low
- Vegetables: it is recommended to introduce these options but always opt for those that are easy to digest and avoid the most flatulent (cabbage, lettuce, cauliflower, etc.)
- Skimmed dairy: they are also full of protein and if they are 0% we completely reduce their fat component
Foods to avoid at night
- Spicy or spicy: dishes with too many spices or that are spicy increase body temperature and can cause gastric reflux, making digestion heavy and preventing us from resting normally
- Sweet foods: they should be completely avoided as they activate the nervous system making us unable to sleep well
- Caffeinated products: coffee, soft drinks or some teas should be avoided as they accelerate our nervous system, preventing proper rest
- Fatty foods: fried, battered or strong sauces are not recommended at the end of the day either because our body cannot metabolize them correctly and you will end up feeling a heavy digestion that will affect your rest
Limit nap time
If you have trouble sleeping 8 hours a day , it may be because of a habit that many people follow every day and that should be limited: taking a nap.
Although it is healthy to rest at noon to allow the body to recover slightly from the morning, the truth is that these naps should be a maximum of 40 minutes, and the ideal is 20 minutes, since we do not need more to recover.
relax before going to sleep
With the current technological age, many people are hooked on the computer before going to bed and this habit is totally inappropriate if you want to bet on a restful sleep. The mind remains stimulated by the information it has received and, therefore, it will be much more difficult for you to fall asleep
The 4-7-8 technique to fall asleep fast
Among the tricks to sleep better, we highlight the 4-7-8 technique, it is a relaxing method based on breathing and it is devised by Andrew Weil, a doctor from Harvard University. By inhaling and exhaling air, it is possible to pause the cardiovascular rhythm, oxygenate our brain and relax tension, thus achieving a feeling of maximum relaxation, perfect for rest.
To do this technique you have to follow these steps:
- Inhale air for 4 seconds
- Hold your breath for 7 seconds
- Breathe out for 8 seconds
You will have to repeat this process until you fall asleep. It is a very effective technique that achieves immediate results thanks to the relaxation that it manages to establish throughout the body.
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