Article published on behalf of sonomahomehealth.com
Now that you are home from your hospital stay, it’s important that you make sure you get enough rest. Everyone reminds you of this fact, even though you have a lot of other things to do. You understand it’s necessary, especially because you have been feeling a bit tired. But just how much sleep is enough? And how important is it to the healing process?
How Much Sleep Do I Need for My Age?
Not surprisingly, our sleep needs change depending on our age. Very young people tend to need the most rest. As you get older, your sleep needs change. Here is a list of suggested sleep times by age.
- Birth to 3 years – From 12-14 hours at night plus daytime naps
- 3-5 years – 10-13 hours
- 6-17 years - 8-11 hours
- Adults – 7-9 hours
- Older Adults – 7-9 hours, but sleep patterns may start to shorten
How Sleep Affects Healing
It is extremely important to meet your sleep goals. Your health depends on it because your body actually heals itself while you snooze. In fact, sleep can help improve your immunity to illness. This is because the immune system strengthens during sleep.
Other types of healing happen while you sleep as well. In fact, tissue repair occurs during the deep sleep section of your sleep cycle. The most notable effects of a good night’s rest can be seen in your mental clarity. The brain requires at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep a night in order to function properly. Sure, you’ll be able to drive to work and chat with friends on four hours of sleep, but making important decisions or other critical thinking skills will be impaired.
Is Bed Rest or Extra Sleep Helpful for Treating Conditions?
There doesn’t seem to be any indication that more sleep over the typical eight hours does your body any benefit. While getting good sleep is essential for the healing process, a person doesn't typically need extra sleep. One exception to this is during recovery from a stroke. A person recovering from a stroke would benefit from a few extra hours of rest. However, it is important to maintain a good sleep schedule to make sure that you get your eight hours.
4 Tips for Getting Good Rest After an Injury or Illness
Having a healthy sleep schedule is referred to has having good sleep hygiene. This means you fall to sleep easily at the time you desire and remain asleep for the time that you require. Here are some suggestions for improving your sleep hygiene.
- Refrain from using electronic devices (computers, television, cell phone) for two hours prior to bedtime.
- Dim all lights in the home or turn off all non-essential lighting. Create a cozy darkened atmosphere that signals to your brain that it is going to be time to sleep soon.
- Create a bedtime ritual. This can be anything that makes you feel calm. You can take a warm bath, read a few chapters of a book, or have some nice conversation with your loved ones. Perhaps you include several steps in this ritual. Whatever you choose to do, make it easy enough to repeat nightly. Soon, you’ll start to feel tired as you complete all these steps.
- Make sure your sleep space is comfortable. Your bedroom should be free of clutter, distractions and electronics. Choose linens in natural fabrics that breathe and are cozy to sleep in. Keep your room a comfortable temperature that is not too cold nor too warm.
These suggestions will help you to get some much needed sleep after your hospitalization. Your recovery will be aided by having regular good night’s sleep. Even after you’ve recovered, you’ll have improved cognition by maintaining your sleep hygiene routine. Taking these steps can improve the sleep and health of everyone in your household.
Source: https://blog.sonomahomehealth.com/how-many-hours-of-sleep-are-enough-when-healing