World news – Just Rest On This World Sleep Day: Here’s How To Get A Good Night

It’s World Sleep Day, did you get your eight hours last night? If you’re anything like me (and it seems like a shocking percentage of the Kiwis) you haven’t had a solid night out in years.

I’m in good company, according to research by the Massey University Sleep / Wake Research Center that studies the relationship between sleep and how we wake up. More than a quarter of all kiwis get less than the recommended number of hours of sleep per night, with around 22 percent of non-Māori and 30 percent of Māori reporting less than seven hours a night with their eyes closed.

While some high-flyers do so Getting along well a night – they are apparently referred to as the « sleepless elite » – most of us need their sleep or everything starts to pear-shaped.

« In the short term, we’re seeing changes in the way ours Body processes glucose due to lack of sleep, « says Dr. Karyn O’Keeffe, lecturer at the center.

READ MORE: * Being human: How can you sleep better? * Get by on six hours of sleep? Welcome to the ‘sleepless elite’.

« This can lead to long-term problems such as type 2 diabetes and obesity. However, most of the short-term effects are related to how we function so that we are able to make decisions and react quickly. « 

Driving suffers especially, as does our emotions, which can sit very close to the surface when we are sleep deprived.

Most people know that they get irritable and grumpy, when they haven’t slept well. However, when this happens night after night, that emotional fragility can become a bigger problem.

The long-term effects of poor sleep can include heart disease and poor immune function. People with chronic insomnia may even be at higher risk of stroke and dementia later in life.

But don’t panic, at least not yet – first, it will only make it harder to sleep, and second, there is even more to learn about the effects of short-term lack of sleep.

« After a few nights that could change the types of foods we reach for and the amount we eat. But many of the other health problems are long-term problems that appear over the years. So we don’t think they’re missing.  » A night of sleep will do these kinds of things for your health. « 

The good news is there are many things you can do inexpensively and easily to maximize your chances of getting a good night’s sleep.

Create an evening routine and stick with it. Make a commitment to a good night’s sleep and have a plan to make sure we get enough.

« We are all very conscious of the need to incorporate a healthy diet and exercise into our day. But sometimes sleep is something we get into in terms of time spent because we fit so much into our day.  » says O’Keeffe.

« Daylight helps our circadian body clock, which is very important in determining when we are sleeping, how long we are sleeping and how well we are sleeping. »

When we have the right amount of light over our Spreading out the entire 24-hour cycle, getting more light at the right time and avoiding it at the wrong time, we sleep better.

« If we add a little physical activity to our day, it can improve the quality of our sleep at night, and it could also make it easier for us to fall asleep. « 

You don’t have to go to the gym, take a brisk 30-minute walk, or take a yoga class every day.

 » We all probably know all about things like avoiding caffeine for about five to eight hours before bed and watching how much we drink in total throughout the day. But we should also make sure that our alcohol is absorbed and kept at a moderate level so that we can process it before we go to bed. « 

Smokers and vapers also need to pat it on the head before bed, as nicotine withdrawal during the night can wake us up or cause insomnia.

 » For people with difficulty, it can be important to take recreational activities outside of the bedroom no TVs, laptops, tablets, smartphones. « 

Think about everything you can do to encourage sleep instead of working against it in your bedroom. Your room should be cool, dark, and quiet. So think of blackout curtains, earplugs, and sheets made from natural fibers, especially bed linen and cotton, that breathe better.