A full night’s rest of 7 to 9 hours of sleep will typically have four or five sleep cycles. All these stages make up a complete sleep cycle and last about 90 minutes total. Rather than one long slumber, we go through four stages of sleep - three stages of non-REM (rapid eye movement) and one stage of REM sleep. The final step is to account for your sleep cycles. You know what time you have to get up and have an idea of how many hours of sleep you need. But if you feel physically spent at the end of the day, try to get some more shuteye. A good rule of thumb is if you are fairly tired, 7 hours of sleep may be enough. These all add up to the total energy you expend in a day, and therefore, how much more or less sleep you need to compensate. You may have to be up at a certain time every day, but what do you do during the hours you’re awake? Are you on your feet the entire day, or sitting down most of the time? Do you engage in physical activities or lead a more sedentary life? But for the most part, being aware of your natural sleep-wake cycle can help you decide whether you’re inclined to sleep a little bit earlier or later. Even the slightest shift can mean the difference between someone being a morning lark or a night owl.Ĭircadian rhythms are also affected by external experiences, like light exposure, traveling through time zones, climate, etc. Studies show that genetics - specifically the PER1 and CRY1 genes and other parts of our hypothalamus - play a big part in your sleep habits, sleep needs, and preferred bedtime. The circadian biological clock is something you’re born with and is primarily determined by your genetic makeup. All humans have an internal clock, known as their circadian rhythm, in place to regulate their sleep-wake cycle. Much of the way you sleep is embedded in your genes. School age children (6-13): 9-11 hours a day.Toddlers (1-2 years): 11-14 hours a day.Newborns (0-3 months): 14-17 hours a day.Below, we break down the recommended sleep requirements by age: While infants require nearly 20 hours of sleep a day, seniors can do with much less. The amount of sleep you need changes with age. To hone it down further, there are other individual factors to consider - age, genetics, daily activities, and the like. Take the time you plan to wake up (say, 6 a.m.) and subtract the recommended 7 to 9 hours of sleep (which is around 9 to 11 p.m. If you drive to work, take a nap in the car on your lunch break.The best way to figure out what time you should sleep is to work backward. If you aren't fortunate to work in a place with quiet areas or don't have your own office, be creative. Taking a 20-to-25-minute nap is a great way to recharge your mind and body. If you're able to, take a catnap in the early afternoon - around 2 p.m. Not only will you prevent a severe accident, you may even have a couple of minutes to close your eyes. Instead of taking this risk, rely on public transportation or carpooling. Avoid driving.ĭriving when you're tired is extremely dangerous. In other words, simplify your day as much as possible.īonus tip: If you can, delegate some of these tasks, both professional and personal, to other people. So, why would you stress yourself out and try to complete ten different tasks? Chances are, you can get away with shaving down that list by crossing off your most important ones and leaving items that can wait until another day. When you're tired, you probably aren't at your most productive. If you want to get the most out of your gum-chewing experience, stick with mint-flavored gum because mint has more of a rousing effect.Ĭhewing gum will give you only a temporary burst, so rely on it at those rare times when you really need a boost. Researchers have discovered that chewing gum can reduce sleepiness, probably because it enhances cerebral activity. Whether that means joking around with co-workers, making phone calls, watching movie trailers on YouTube, playing a computer game or doing a little yoga in your office, spicing up your day will keep you stimulated when you're extremely tired. Throughout the day, change things up so you have some variety to keep you going. If you're at work, try splashing some cold water on your face in the restroom or placing an ice cube on your wrists or temple. Of course, you may not be able to take a cold shower multiple times throughout the day. A cold shower stimulates your body, and the sudden shock will often help wake you up.
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