A popular saying is that people must sleep for 8 hours a day. Indeed, according to a survey by the American Cancer Association, people who sleep an average of 7-8 hours a night live the longest; 80% of those who sleep an average of less than 4 hours a night are short-lived. However, experts from the sleep and respiratory disease diagnosis and treatment center of Beijing Chaoyang Hospital also pointed out that the best sleep time for different age groups is different, and we should sleep scientifically according to our own age. So, what is the so-called scientific sleep method?
elderly over 60 years old: sleep 5.5 ~ 7 hours a day
The elderly should go to bed before 12 o’clock every night. They should sleep for 7 hours or even 5.5 hours at night. According to the data released by the Alzheimer’s Association, the aging of the brain can be delayed by two years for the elderly who are limited to seven hours of sleep every night. Long term sleep of more than 7 hours or insufficient sleep will lead to poor attention, even Alzheimer’s, and increase the risk of early death.
Suggestion: the most common sleep problems of the elderly are dreaminess and insomnia. Dreaminess is due to the deterioration of the brain function of the elderly; Insomnia is often caused by the reduction of melatonin secretion in the body. Melatonin is one of the important factors that determine sleep in the body. Guo Juheng suggested that the elderly with poor sleep quality at night had better develop the habit of taking lunch breaks, and the time should not exceed 1 hour. Otherwise, the central nervous system of the brain will deepen the inhibition, promote the relative reduction of blood flow in the brain, slow down metabolism in the body, and easily lead to discomfort and even sleepiness after waking up.
adults aged 30-60: sleep about 7 hours a day
Adult men need 6.49 hours of sleep, and women need about 7.5 hours of sleep, and should ensure “quality sleep time” from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Because people can easily reach a deep sleep state at this time, which helps alleviate fatigue. A 22 year follow-up study of 21000 adults in Finland found that men who slept less than 7 hours were 26% more likely to die than men who slept 7 to 8 hours, and women were 21% more likely to die; Men who slept more than 8 hours were 24% more likely to die than men who slept 7-8 hours, and women were 17% more likely to die.
Suggestion: if people in this age group lack sleep, it is mostly related to mental decline, or bad habits such as overeating caused by stress. Guo jueheng reminded that in addition to relieving pressure as much as possible, you can also make some efforts in the sleeping environment, such as reducing noise, ventilation, and proper shading, and choose a pillow 10-15cm high with moderate hardness and softness. Those who still don’t get enough sleep can also take a 1-hour lunch break to make up for their sleep.
young people aged 13-29: sleep about 8 hours a day
Teenagers at this age usually need to sleep 8 hours a day, and follow the principle of early to bed and early to rise to ensure deep sleep at about 3:00 at night. Generally, we should ensure that we go to bed at 24:00 at the latest and get up at 6:00 in the morning. On weekends, we should try not to sleep in. Because sleeping for too long will disturb the body’s biological clock, lead to depression, affect memory, miss breakfast, cause eating disorders, etc.
Suggestion: young people are used to staying up late, which will directly affect their mental state the next day, and easily cause skin damage, acne, melasma and other problems. Staying up late for a long time will also affect endocrine, leading to decreased immunity. Colds, gastrointestinal infections, allergies, etc. will come to your door, and mental symptoms such as forgetfulness, irritability, and anxiety will appear. Therefore, the most important thing for young people is to standardize their lives. Don’t eat an hour before going to bed, and take a nap at noon for half an hour, which is more beneficial to their health.
children aged 4-12 years: sleep 10-12 hours a day
It is necessary for children aged 4 to 10 to sleep 12 hours a day. They should go to bed at about 8 o’clock every night and take a nap at noon. It is enough for older children to sleep for 10 hours or even 8 hours. Li Haiying, deputy chief physician of the child care department of the Capital Institute of Pediatrics, told the reporter that if a child does not get enough sleep, he will not only be depressed and have low immunity, but also affect his growth and development. But she cautioned that sleeping time should not be too long. If it exceeds 12 hours, it may lead to obesity.
Suggestion: children basically have no sleep disorder, as long as they create a good environment. Don’t eat before bed, and don’t have too bright lights or exciting music in the bedroom; It’s better to set a schedule with your children and urge them to sleep on time; Let the child do some preparatory work before going to bed, such as brushing his teeth, washing his face, making his bed, etc. this process seems simple, but it suggests to the child that “it’s time to go to bed”.
children aged 1-3 years: 12 hours per night, two or three hours during the day
Children should ensure 12 hours of sleep every night and make up another two or three hours during the day. The specific sleep time can be determined according to their own sleep rhythm. For example, some babies are used to sleeping near noon and later in the afternoon.
Suggestion: babies at this age are likely to be affected by playing too excited. Sometimes, they go to sleep, but their brains are still active; I often grind my teeth, kick my quilt and wet my bed when I fall asleep. These will affect the baby’s brain and body development. Therefore, parents are advised to give their babies a warm bath one hour before going to bed to relax their whole body; Telling a little story or playing some relaxing and soothing music can also help you sleep.
infants under 1 year old: 16 hours a day
Babies under one year old need the most sleep, about 16 hours a day. Sleep is an important period for the growth and development of small month old infants. Therefore, sleep time must be guaranteed.
Suggestions: most of the sleep problems of infants are caused by calcium deficiency, daytime fright, and digestive disorders; There are also children who can’t sleep well at night because they sleep too much during the day. In this regard, parents should pay attention to calcium supplementation and scientific feeding for their children; It is also necessary to try to ensure the integrity of the baby’s sleep at night. It is not advisable to frequently feed or change diapers at night, especially in the second half of the night, because small month old babies secrete hormones fastest in the second half of the night.
Many office workers lack sleep at ordinary times and rush to catch up on weekends and other holidays. This kind of sleep mode can not be good for the body, and it is very likely to damage the biological clock and cause a series of adverse reactions.
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