It is said that adults need about eight hours of sleep. But some are content with less than six hours and wake up in great shape. Others need a full nine hours to be operational. Such differences can leave you dreaming! So how do you assess your quality of sleep?
We know how important sleep is for body balance and quality of life. We also know that not getting enough sleep and not enjoying a good quality of sleep ends up being detrimental to full health.
Indeed, resting well is the basis of a good physical functioningpsychological and emotional.
Believe it or not: we sleep almost a third of our lives. And things happen during sleep: the body regenerates and growsthe muscular pains disappear, the learnings are consolidated and a “big cleaning” takes place on the emotional level.
What is sleep quality?
Yet, too often, we overlook essential rest periods and we shorten nights that should always be restorative. We should sleep well every night. But in fact, what is good sleep? And what does it mean to “have a good quality of sleep”?
That’s a good question !
Sleeping well is above all wake up refreshed. Eh yes ! It is by its impact on the following day that we can assess the quality of sleep during the night.
Repeated discomfort and fatigue are sure signs that you need to “do something” to improve your sleep.
Sleep needs vary greatly from one subject to another. Some lucky people can get by with 5 hours, while others need 9 or 10 hours to feel fit. It is so, and there is nothing we can do about it.
The only valid compass is the feeling you get when you wake up :
- If after a short night, you wake up in good shape, it means that this duration is sufficient and that sleep has been peaceful.
- If after a long night, you wake up tired, it’s because you need extra sleep, or because the nighttime scenario did not unfold under optimal conditions.
Does this definition of “sleep well” suit you?
Criteria for evaluating a good quality of sleep
If you are looking for more scientific arguments to measure your quality of sleepI refer you to a report of the American Sleep Foundation* (National Sleep Foundation) which isolated four highly relevant indicators.
1. Fall asleep in less than 30 minutes
Falling asleep longer than 30 minutes can be due to two things:
- You go to bed too early for your internal clock and are therefore not ready to sleep,
- You have done overly stimulating activities just before going to bed.
Taking time to fall asleep generates a vicious circle that ends up disrupting sleep. Adapt to your internal clock by going to bed when you feel tired and not before. Choose relaxing activities before bedtime and, of course, banish screens from your bedroom.
2. Not waking up (often) at night
It is considered “normal” to wake up once or twice a night, especially when you start to age (over 65).
If you wake up more than once or twice a night, find out why. This can result from sleep apnea, pain, or discomfort. talk to your doctor.
More frequently, this is due to a meal that is too rich or taken just before bedtime. It is therefore necessary to dine early enough and light enough to give the body time to digest.
3. Being able to fall back asleep easily
As soon as you exceed 20 minutes of being awake in the middle of the night, it is important not to start ruminate on sleep difficulties. It is a vicious circle from which it is difficult to escape.
Better get out of bed and leave the room for engage in a relaxing activity, like reading a book or listening to music. Above all, avoid screens!
4. Sleep 90% of the time you spend in bed
To have a good quality of sleep, you should not do nothing but sleep once in bed (apart from a few cuddling sessions or even more…). Even reading, which can stimulate the intellect, is not always a safe ally for sleeping well.
Screens and anything directly or indirectly related to work are obviously prohibited for a good fast sleep and a restful sleep.
Read also:
5 facts you didn’t know about your sleep
Evaluate the quality of your sleep with these 4 criteria
5 precious plants to get back to sleep
How to find the right rhythm of sleep?
What foods improve sleep?
