Just like food and exercise, sleep is very essential for all to maintain good physical and mental health. Sleep serves as a rejuvenating factor for human body.
The vigor and freshness obtained after a night’s sleep is unexplainable. After a day’s strenuous work, tiredness follows and both body and mind requires rest which is only obtained through sleep. The nervous system will function smoothly after a good sleep.
During sleep, toxins from the body are eliminated and tissues got rebuilt. Also stress is released.
Duration Of Sleep
The duration of sleep depends on the age, physical and mental condition of the individual concerned. On an average an adult requires 7 to 8 hours of sleep a day. Children require more sleep as they need extra energy for their growth.
Requirements for a good sleep
- A light meal is recommended for the night since a heavy meal requires lot of
energy to digest. People will have a tendency to wake up late without a feeling of
freshness. The diet should be balanced with sufficient nutrition value. Include
plenty of vegetables and fruit in the meal.
- Aerobic exercise will help to get good sleep
- The saying’ Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy and wise’ is perfectly right. Try to avoid ‘burning the midnight oil’ and late night outings.
- Keep the bed room airy with good ventilation. Keep the widows open. If the windows are shut, stale air will remain inside the room causing a nauseating experience.
- A firm bed with out a sag is recommended.
- A hot water bath just before retiring in the night will help in having the muscle relaxed and serves to get a sound sleep.
- Take a short walk in the evening along with family members which will help in exchanging the thoughts about day’s activities and solving personal problems and removing tensions.
Don’ts
- Avoid coffee in the night. Coffee contains caffeine which reduces the intensity of sleep.
- Alcohol in excess will give a bad night’s sleep. It produces a drugged sleep and not a natural sleep.
- Sugar should be limited as too much sugar excites the nervous system causing irritability.
- Don’t drink too much water in the evening as this will necessitate to get up to relieve the bladder.
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