Are you getting enough?

Are you getting enough?

How much sleep people need varies massively.

Some can function on four hours a night some won't feel refreshed until they've had then hours of shut eye.

On average though, you need seven to eight hours a night. But complicating this further is the issue of 'sleep debt' You may get the amount of sleep you need on a couple of nights, but because of an accumulation of lost sleep time you can still feel tired.

The amount you need and your sleep patters also change throughout your life. A new born baby sleeps for about 10 to 18 hours a day a teenager needs 9 hours and in your 70's you need the same amount as you did in your 30's but you may find you sleep earlier and more lightly.

So how do you know if you're getting enough? If feeling sleepy interferes with your daily activites or makes it harder to do them, you should be looking to increase your sleep time.

And it is not just how much sleep you're getting- research has revealed that quality of sleep rather than quantity is the key yo a healthy mind and body. The later stages of non REM sleep are when hormones are released that are essential for growth whereas REM sleep can help consolidate memory.