Regular Sleep, Healthy Future

International Sleep Day 2021 focuses on regular sleep and the benefits it offers. Studies have demonstrated that stable bedtimes and rise times are associated with better sleep quality in young, middle-aged adults, and seniors. Regular sleepers have better mood, psychomotor performance, and academic achievement.

14th World Sleep Day® is celebrated on Friday, March 19, 2021 with the slogan "Regular Sleep, Healthy Future" and focuses on the importance of sleep in our daily lives and encourages everyone to learn about habits, practices, and routines that improve our sleep quality and overall health. 

Why is sleep important?

David F. Dinges, PhD, Professor and Chief of the Division of Sleep and Chronobiology in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine: “Modern industrial pressures to use time 24 hours a day have led to shiftwork and a world in which virtually everything operates 24/7. People have come to value time so much that sleep is often regarded as an annoying interference, a wasteful state that you enter into when you do not have enough willpower to work harder and longer. It has become increasingly clear, however, that no matter how hectic our lives may be, we can no longer afford to ignore what research is telling us about the importance of sleep for our safety and mental and physical well-being."

Decades of studies—many of which have used the method of disrupting sleep and examining the consequences—have confirmed that sleep is necessary for our healthy functioning and even survival. Sleep is involved with many physiologic systems such as memory consolidation, control of inflammation, hormone regulation, cardiovascular regulation and many other important functions, therefore insufficient sleep duration and poor sleep quality will be associated with several significant adverse health outcomes. Reduced sleep duration has been shown to cause impairments in cognitive and executive function, while poor sleep has been associated with poor mental health

How long should you sleep?

If you are unsure about how much you should be getting sleep, The Sleep Foundation has put together a helpful chart:

Please remember, that these guidelines serve as a rule-of-thumb for how much sleep children and adults need while acknowledging that the ideal amount of sleep can vary from person to person. For that reason, the guidelines list a range of hours for each age group. The recommendations also acknowledge that, for some people with unique circumstances, there’s some wiggle room on either side of the range for “acceptable,” though still not optimal, amount of sleep.

Learning from experience

Inadequate sleep due to sleep disorders, work schedules, and chaotic lifestyles continue to threaten both health and safety. Here are some people, who have understood the importance of sleep to be the best version of themselves.

Arianna Huffington, founder of the Huffington PostI can tell you with authority that when I’m exhausted, when I’m running on empty, I’m the worst version of myself. I’m more reactive. I’m less empathetic. I’m less creative. I’m not saying that you can’t succeed by burning out, but you can succeed much more effectively, and much more sustainably, and with much less damage to your health and your relationships - that’s why they tell you on airplanes, put your own oxygen mask on first.

Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon prioritizes getting at least eight hours of sleep: "Real rest makes a big difference for me, and I try hard to make that a priority. For me, that’s the needed amount to feel energized and excited.”

Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook COO: "It turns out, when children get enough sleep, everything's fine and when children don't, nothing is. I realized... I'm like that, too!"

Dalai Lama: "Sleep is the best meditation."

Bill Gates, Microsoft co-founder: “I used to work all night in the office, but it’s been quite a while since I lived on catnap. I like to get seven hours of sleep a night because that’s what I need to stay sharp and creative and upbeat.”

Best equipment for your sleep

While sleeping as such is starting to get the needed attention in the role it plays in the quality of our lives, the equipment used during this important time is often forgotten. SleepAngel pillow technology was created to improve hygiene standards in healthcare, and is now adapted to hospitality and private homes to support you with safe, sustainable and supporting bedding.

Find your SleepAngel pillow here: link

 

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