If you’ve ever wondered if 5 hours of sleep is enough, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve got all the answers, and we’re not afraid to inject a little wit and humor along the way. So sit back, grab your favorite sleep aid (or just a cozy pillow), and let’s dive into the science and myths behind 5 hours of shut-eye (source).
Now, we know you might have some burning questions about other sleep-related topics. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Check out our pages on hybrid mattresses, all I want to do is sleep, and even how to get a toddler to sleep. We never sleep on providing you with the information you need!
But back to the pressing question at hand: Is 5 hours of sleep enough? We’ll debunk the common misconceptions and provide you with expert advice on sleep patterns, quality vs. quantity, and the optimal amount of rest your body needs. And because we’re all about bold emphasis, we’ll make sure to highlight the important bits (source).
How Much Sleep Should I Get?
Sleep duration is age-specific, so following the advisable number of sleep hours for your age will help you maintain a healthy lifestyle and prevent certain diseases.
The National Sleep Foundation published “new recommendations for appropriate sleep durations” for different age groups. These guidelines were created after a thorough discussion with different American organizations composed of sleep experts.
The guidelines are as follows:
- Newborns (0-3 months): 14-17 hours
- Infants (4-11 months): 12-15 hours
- Toddlers (1-2 years): 11-14 hours
- Preschoolers (3-5): 10-13 hours
- School-age children (6-13): 9-11 hours
- Teenagers (14-17): 8-10 hours
- Younger adults (18-25): 7-9 hours
- Adults (26-64): 7-9
- Older adults (65+): 7-8 hours
What if I Get 5 Hours of Sleep Every Night?
None of the recommended sleep durations above is less than seven hours of sleep, which means that sleeping for five hours every night is already seen as sleep deprivation. Although you can still perform well with that amount of rest during the daytime, many health problems could slowly creep up on you.
There are a lot of causes of sleep deprivation; you might be voluntarily getting insufficient sleep due to work or because you like to binge-watch your favorite TV series. Lack of sleep can also be brought about by medical conditions, an unhealthy diet, and other factors. Whatever reason there could be, you should consult a doctor if you notice alarming changes in your sleeping pattern or if you can’t seem to sleep longer than 5 hours.
What are the symptoms of sleep deprivation?
When you are sleep-deprived, you will usually fall asleep untimely and have a feeling of grogginess or drowsiness most of the time. If you’re working, it will be really hard to focus on what you’re doing or what your boss is saying during a meeting.
Other symptoms of sleep deprivation include:
- yawning
- irritability
- fatigue
- moodiness
- lack of concentration
- forgetfulness
- lack of motivation
- clumsiness
- reduced libido
- increased appetite and carbohydrate cravings
If you notice these things happening to you most of the time, then you have to pay your ‘sleep debts’ to avoid further mental and physical health problems.
What will happen to me if I always lack sleep?
Your body uses your sleep time to grow tissues and repair body cells. Sleep can also improve your memory, reduce stress, and lower your blood pressure. As much as adequate sleep can affect your health positively, the lack of it can negatively impact your body.
Here’s what can happen when you continue being sleep deprived:
- Weakened immune system
- Memory problems
- Feelings of anxiety and depression
- Skin aging
- Stronger response to pain
- Heart diseases
- Low sex drive
- Weight gain
- Faulty decisions
At some point in your life, you will be required to cut some sleep time to accomplish something and deliver the best. While sleep deprivation may be inevitable from time to time, you should keep an eye on how sleep deprivation is affecting you.
What Should I Do to Have a Healthy Amount of Sleep?
In this fast-paced world, having a good night’s sleep seems to be a luxury. While some people can still manage to do their best despite being sleep deprived, having a sufficient amount of rest should never be taken for granted.
If you want to have a healthy sleeping routine, worry not – because you can still do something to improve the sleep you do get by practicing the following tips:
- Have a consistent sleep schedule.
- Enter a calm and peaceful state of mind before going to bed.
- Avoid afternoon naps or sleeping during daytime.
- Exercise regularly.
- Make your bed comfortable.
- Turn your lights off at night.
- Avoid eating heavily before sleeping.
- Avoid drinking alcohol or caffeinated drinks before bedtime.
- Cut off your screen time at least an hour before going to sleep.
- Use ear plugs when noise distracts you from falling asleep.
- Read a book to help you fall asleep.
- Imagine soothing images in your head.
- If sleep problems still persist, consult a physician.
Discipline also plays a very important role in having quality sleep. As you grow older, your sleeping patterns change in relation to your responsibilities. For parents, sleep would be difficult especially when they are taking care of newborn babies, while teenagers and young adults are usually sleep deprived due to schoolwork. Either way, you should give yourself adequate amounts of rest because success would be of no use if your health declined due to bad habits.
Sleep is a fascinating topic, and we’re here to guide you through it all. From the challenges of waking up in the morning (we feel your pain!) to getting your baby to sleep in their crib (we’ve got tips!), we’re your go-to sleep resource.
So, grab a cup of chamomile tea, cozy up in your favorite pajamas, and let’s explore the wonders of sleep together. Because when it comes to a good night’s rest, we’ve got your back (source). Sleep tight!
