Dreaming of a Good Night's Sleep

How much sleep should a person get at night? There’s no “one size fits all” answer to that question. The amount of sleep you should get depends on your age and activity level. A good indicator of not getting enough sleep for everyone,
however, is feeling sluggish or fatigued throughout the day. Coordination, concentration, and even judgments may be cloudy.

*FACT: Among working adults, 30 percent get six hours of sleep
or less a night! Night-shift workers (also known as Grave-yard shift) statistics are even worse – 44 percent sleep six hours or less, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Children

Studies show that children without enough rest are likely to:

• struggle in school
• have increased meltdowns
• suffer depression
• aggression
• According to a long-term study published in the 2004 April issue of Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, young teenagers whose preschool sleep habits were poor were more than twice as likely to use drugs, tobacco or alcohol.

The best known cure to a restless rug rat is to keep a consistent bedtime schedule. According to the National Sleep Foundation:

Preschoolers (3-5 years) need at least 11-13 hours of sleep each night.

School-age kids (5-10 years) need at least 10-11 hours of sleep.

Teens

Staying up late + getting up early for school = BIG problem.
Adolescents need plenty of sleep, but it seems like the teen body is hardwired to
stay up late and want to wake up later in the morning! Experts advise parents
to keep their rooms clear of computers, TV’s, and smartphones so getting some
shut eye isn’t so difficult. The National Sleep Foundation says that:

Teens(10-17 years) need at least 8.5-9.25 hours of sleep a night.

Adults

Busy lives that are filled with kids, work, and stress make it seem impossible at times to get a reasonable amount of sleep. Although adults do not need as much sleep as kids, they deserve some rest too! 7-9 hours is typically enough sleep for the average person (although this veries from person to person).

Courtesy of the American Psychological Assosiation, here are a few tips to make sure you get to bed on time:

• Keep a regular sleep/wake schedule 
• Don’t drink or eat caffeine four to six hours before bed and minimize daytime use 
• Don’t smoke, especially near bedtime or if you awake in the night
• Avoid alcohol and heavy meals before sleep 
• Get regular exercise
• Minimize noise, light and excessive hot and cold temperatures where you sleep
• Develop a regular bed time and go to bed at the same time each night
• Try and wake up without an alarm clock
• Attempt to go to bed earlier every night for certain period; this will ensure that you’re getting enough sleep

Always remember to make sleep a PRIORITY. It is just as important as the other things on your “to do” list. Getting a good night’s sleep is vital to a healthy, happy life!

Dr. Rona L. Wadle, D.O.

Medical Director

Meadowbrook Urgent Care

33722 Woodward Avenue

Birmingham, MI 48009

248-919-4900

www.meadowbrookbirmingham.com