Every individual and every creature that lives needs sleep. Without this recuperation time for our bodies and minds, we would be grouchy, stubborn, and incapable people. Lack of sleep can be due to many factors such as sleeping disorders. These disorders can be a trait of any individual of any age, race, or sex. There are also many tasks you can do to help you get to sleep, which I have included in this paper.
I also found research that proved there is another astonishing factor that could explain why different people sleep different amounts of time. The amount of time you sleep though is just as important as the quality of sleep you get. I researched how people of different age, race, and sex slept differently. I also gathered information on how these different categories of people define good sleep. This research was done with surveys of 3 to 5 questions.
INTRODUCTION
Sleep and its importance: The state of consciousness which we call sleep is a necessity to every individual in their everyday lives and in their everyday activities. Although different people require different amounts of sleep we know that without it we could not function very well. Sleep not only gives the body time to rest and helps to ease the stress of everyday life, but it also lets the body repair itself from injuries or illness.
The body replenishes and helps the individual to overcome daily obstacles with ease. The amount individual sleep depends on their needs. Work, age, and daily activities contribute greatly in the amount of time we sleep. The vast majority of us need between seven and nine hours of sleep each night. Some people need more than nine hours, and that is perfectly normal for them. Some others can sleep less and wake up completely refreshed
(2003, “http://www.shuteye.com/healthysleep.asp”). The amount of sleep is not the only thing that is important though, the type of sleep you get also plays a great part in how refreshed you feel when you awaken. The quality of sleep is just as important as the quantity. The type of sleep you get depends on how many disturbances you get while you sleep. We all get different types of sleep every night, which is healthy, as long as it does not interfere with your everyday activities. You should not feel any drowsiness or sleepiness during your day even if you are not participating in an activity. Sleep effects all your daily activities and your mental processes. Lack of sleep while driving can cause drowsiness, which has the same effect as driving under the influence. It also causes impairment of memory. Lack of sleep is usually due to 3-factor work; social functions, and sleep disorders (http://sleepdisorders.about.com/library/weekly/aa053099.htm, Cardinal).
Sleep disorders:
We sleep in cycles of 90 minutes of sleep. These cycles are known as REM cycles and NREM cycles. If either of these 2 cycles are interrupted a numerous amount of times every night, we suffer by not being able to accomplish an easy task or having difficulty in everyday events. These interruptions are due to noises caused by things or other people, room temperature and light, or by sleeping disorders the individual has.
Common disorders include snoring, sleep walking, sleep talking, sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, narcolepsy, teeth grinding, night sweats, and nightmares. Such disorders keep the individual and or their partners awake throughout the night and cause drowsiness and other problems during their day. Sleeping disorders are closely linked to depression because insomnia could be an early sign of depression (2003,”http://www.shuteye.com/healthysleep.asp”). Anxiety, stress, worries, and illness commonly cause sleeping disorders. Any person of any race, sex, or age can have a sleeping disorders. From infants to the oldest living person can have these disorders or other sleeping problems.
Sleeping remedies
There are plenty of things individuals can do to help them sleep better. Some can practice relaxation techniques and teach themselves to relax to reduce the stress before they try to go to sleep. Baths, reading a book, eating a small snack before bed, listening to soothing music, and or writing can be a big influence in helping some people get to sleep. Another technique in getting to sleep with ease is to establish continuous sleeping patterns meaning to wake up and go to sleep at the same times everyday. Your body is somewhat like a biological clock that can get use to such patterns. Limiting the activities going on in the room you sleep in and having the environment peaceful can make a big difference too. Being active during the day can also help you sleep better because the body wants to relax after much activity.
Limiting the time you spend in your bed and reducing the number of interruptions if all at possible would make going to sleep look like a privilege and more appealing. Trying to sleep and thinking about your worries in bed will not help the natural falling asleep process either. You can watch TV or read and fall asleep naturally. Thinking of all the stress and problems before going to sleep can also help you to fall asleep more easily. Also avoid any medications, caffeine, alcohol, or any other drugs or drinks that may keep you awake or energized (http://search.epnet.com/direct.asp?an=9392811&db=hxh, Swanson, pg. 101).