How many hours do you have to sleep?

Sleep is essential for the proper functioning of the body. During sleep, the brain isolates itself and only processes the signals it receives in a very elementary way. And this daily isolation is necessary for this vital organ to function properly. However, how many hours do you have to sleep? why is it necessary to do it?

How many hours do you have to sleep?

Sleep has helped man to adapt to the environment. It sleeps in the hours of darkness, when centuries ago it was most vulnerable to attack by its predators. The hominids, sleeping in shelter and establishing watch among the oldest and most experienced members of the group, their chances of survival increased.

The considerable variations that are experienced in sleep throughout life are a consequence of this adaptation to survive.

It follows from the above that, when addressing sleep duration, consideration should be given to factors such as age and sensitive states of breeding, illness or handicap.

The amount of 7-8 hours a night is no more than an average arithmetic of the hours that the many groups that have been studied sleep, but individual needs are highly varied.

Unprotected hatchlings will have labile sleep and they will cry to warn the mother of the danger; the mother, during lactation, will have a special dream, and the elderly will be more sensitive to noise And they will need less sleep.

In addition, the need for sleep of each it can vary night after night, depending on the circumstances.

However, there are many people who suffer from a sleep disorder. The most common is insomnia, the inability to enjoy adequate and sufficient sleep, due to the impossibility of falling asleep, waking up early and being unable to continue sleeping, or having a disturbed dream that leaves a feeling of having slept little.

Some people have the feeling that they never sleepbut in reality they inadvertently enter small periods of rest, called “microsleep”, which allow them to get through the day.

If what you want to know is how many hours you should sleep according to age based on medical recommendations, You can be guided by the recommendations of the Mayo Clinic:

Age Recommended hours of sleep (including naps) Babies 4 to 12 months 12 to 16 hours a day 1 to 2 years 11 to 14 hours a day 3 to 5 years 10 to 13 hours a day 6 to 12 years 9 to 12 hours a day dayFrom 13 to 18 years oldFrom 8 to 10 hours a dayAdults7 hours a night or more

Why do we need sleep?

When sleeping, some of the sensory channels are cut off. They close their eyes, for example. This, evolutionarily, could be a setback, since during sleep we cannot act on the outside world and defend ourselves from dangers, but only change position from time to time.

However, if we do not have “eyelids on our ears” it is because we have to keep an alert channel open, and the auditory perception threshold rises. In addition, the brain does not stop working when faced with sensory stimuli that can warn of danger.

The physiological need for sleep is evident and different theories have emerged to explain it.

To give the body a breather. The dream is a strategy for conserve energy and reduce food consumption; a restoration period physiological, neurological and psychological; the body’s opportunity to recover and invest its energies in secrete special hormones such as growth and, at the same time, reduce the production of serotonin and norepinephrine, which help transmit nerve impulses in the brain.To “organize” our knowledge and skills. Sleep plays an important role in memory consolidation and perfecting certain skills practiced during the day.To repair the brain. It is primarily dedicated to essential repair and reorganization activities in the brain. Other organs and tissues can be repaired and reorganized while awake, during periods of rest or low activity.

How many hours sleep? A very personal matter

Sleep has helped man to adapt to the environment. It sleeps in the hours of darkness, when centuries ago it was most vulnerable to attack by its predators. The hominids, sleeping in shelter and establishing watch among the oldest and most experienced members of the group, their chances of survival increased.

The considerable variations that are experienced in sleep throughout life are a consequence of this adaptation to survive.

It follows from the above that, when addressing sleep duration, consideration should be given to factors such as age and sensitive states of breeding, illness or handicap.

The amount of 7-8 hours a night is no more than an average arithmetic of the hours that the many groups that have been studied sleep, but individual needs are highly varied.

Unprotected hatchlings will have labile sleep and they will cry to warn the mother of the danger; the mother, during lactation, will have a special dream, and the elderly will be more sensitive to noise And they will need less sleep.

In addition, the need for sleep of each it can vary night after night, depending on the circumstances.

However, there are many people who suffer from a sleep disorder. The most common is insomnia, the inability to enjoy adequate and sufficient sleep, due to the impossibility of falling asleep, waking up early and being unable to continue sleeping, or having a disturbed dream that leaves a feeling of having slept little.

Some people have the feeling that they never sleepbut in reality they inadvertently enter small periods of rest, called “microsleep”, which allow them to get through the day.

10 keys to prevent insomnia

From the temperature of the room to the hardness of the bed, going through the schedules and hygiene habits… there are many factors that influence sleep quality. Taking them into account is basic to sleep well.

Hygiene. Going to bed clean helps you sleep better. That is why it is convenient, before going to bed, to carry out general cleaning tasks, including the upper respiratory tract.hot bath. Taking a hot bath at night, for at least ten minutes, helps to fall asleep.Room. In the room the furniture must be only the necessary. It is convenient to avoid the accumulation of objects.Temperature. Cold and heat make sleep difficult. To fall asleep and sleep without waking up during the night, the optimal room temperature is between 16 and 20ºC.Linens. It is preferable that it be made of cotton and only enough, so that it does not get too hot.Pijama. It should be comfortable and made of soft fabrics. Light pajamas make it easier to move at night. Cotton is the best. It may be appropriate to wear socks if you have cold feet.the correct posture. At bedtime they serve all the postures. The important thing is to find the one that is most comfortable. If the bed is wide, the body will move throughout the night and it is good that it is so. The postural change makes the body rest without remaining too long leaning on a specific site.Bed. A semi-rigid mattress facilitates the support of the spine. The pillow should be low and soft, so as not to strain the neck.Regularity. It is necessary to maintain fixed rhythms to go to bed, and primarily to get up, even on weekends, to achieve a constant wake-sleep rhythm. Better to always get up at the same time, but go to bed only when you feel drowsy.Avoid transferring worries to bed. If this happens, it is preferable to get up and do some activity, and go back to bed only when you feel sleepy.

books to sleep better

learn to sleep well; Chris Idzikowski. Ed. OniroRecipes to sleep well; Eduard Estivill and Mirta Averbuch. Ed. Plaza & JanesThe healing power of sleep; Sheila Lavery. Ed. Oniro