12 Tips for Healthy Sleep

Regular and adequate sleep is very important for healthy living.

Regular and sufficient sleep is crucial for healthy living. Expert Psychologist Ezgi Dokuzlu from Anadolu Health Center emphasized that quality sleep supports mental health, physical health, and overall quality of life. She explained, “Health problems can sometimes disrupt sleep patterns and quality, or disturbances in sleep can negatively affect health and daily life. Insufficient or poor-quality sleep can lead to difficulty with motivation and concentration, quick temper, loss of tolerance, fatigue, feeling burnt out, and both mental and physical exhaustion.” So, how do sleep disorders affect psychology? Expert Psychologist Ezgi Dokuzlu provided important information on this topic and offered 12 tips for healthy sleep.

The daily sleep needs vary from person to person. It is said that about one-third of the average human lifespan is spent sleeping, which is not an insignificant amount of time. For adults, 7-9 hours of sleep is sufficient, while in the early years of life, sleep needs are around 12-18 hours. For children aged 12-35 months, 12-14 hours of sleep is needed, for preschool-aged children and 6-year-olds, 11-13 hours, for elementary school-aged children, 10-11 hours, for teenagers, 7-8 hours, and for adults, 6-7 hours of sleep is sufficient.

In the early years of life, most of the time is spent sleeping. As age progresses, the need for sleep decreases. Since sleep duration tends to decrease with age after the age of 45, it may drop to 6.5 hours. The time it takes to fall asleep also increases with age.

Children Who Don't Get Enough Sleep Can Be Irritable or Restless

The lack of adequate sleep and rest can lead to some physical and mental problems and negatively impact a person’s quality of life. A person may start the day feeling tired, with disruptions in attention and concentration, and a decrease in performance. Disruptions in sleep patterns and duration are also linked to obesity. According to research, individuals who do not sleep enough have higher levels of the hunger hormone, ghrelin, which is associated with increased obesity risk. Since children need more sleep than adults, inadequate sleep can negatively affect their behavior during the day. A child who doesn’t get enough sleep can be irritable or restless.

Psychological, Environmental, Physical Factors, and Lifestyle Can Lead to Sleep Disorders

Sleep disorders can have many causes, including psychological, environmental, physical, and lifestyle-related factors. Psychological factors like stress, anxiety, and certain mental health conditions; lifestyle factors such as excessive caffeine intake, certain medications, working hours, shift work, late-night eating, and poor nutrition; environmental factors like light, noise, room temperature, and whether the environment is safe or not; and physical illnesses such as pain, frequent trips to the bathroom, and respiratory problems can all lead to sleep disorders. Additionally, anxiety related to separation from the mother, which is common in babies between 7-9 months, can also disrupt sleep patterns. This situation can also be seen in babies of working mothers. A baby who spends the day away from the mother may perceive bedtime as another form of separation. Finally, nicotine in cigarettes has a stimulating effect, which can make it difficult for individuals to fall asleep.

85% of Depressive Patients Complain of Insomnia

Sleep disorders can also occur in conditions like psychosis (schizophrenia, schizophreniform disorders, schizoaffective disorders), bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, and substance use. Some medications used to treat psychiatric disorders can also cause insomnia. In major depressive disorder or generalized anxiety disorder, difficulty falling asleep and waking up during the night can lead to significant insomnia and daytime sleepiness. Around 80-85% of depressive patients report insomnia. In anxiety disorders, sleep problems often appear as difficulties initiating and maintaining sleep. Many individuals with panic disorder also experience difficulty falling asleep.

12 Tips for Better Sleep

1. Prefer light meals in the evening and leave at least 4 hours between your meal and bedtime.
2. Ensure that the bedroom temperature is neither too hot nor too cold, and ventilate the room before sleeping.
3. Make sure your sleeping room is dim, comfortable, and quiet. If necessary, use earplugs and a sleep mask.
4. Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day to regulate your body's biological clock.
5. Find out what works best for you when transitioning to sleep. Some people prefer complete silence, while others sleep better with soft music or certain sounds.
6. Do not have a television in your bedroom. "Digital detox" by leaving your cell phone away for at least 90 minutes before going to bed.
7. Try to exercise lightly at least three times a week. Exercise raises body temperature. After 2-4 hours, body temperature drops, which makes it easier to fall asleep and maintain sleep. Although being tired makes it easier to sleep, excessive fatigue after a stressful and negative day can make it harder to fall asleep.
8. If you don’t feel sleepy and can’t fall asleep within 20-25 minutes, leave the bedroom and engage in a quiet activity elsewhere. Only return to the bedroom when you feel sleepy.
9. Avoid napping during the day. If you can’t resist, limit naps to one per day and reduce the duration to under one hour. Do not nap after 3:00 PM.
10. Maintain a regular sleep-wake schedule on holidays and weekends.
11. Avoid caffeine in the afternoon and limit your caffeine intake during the day.
12. Use relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, yoga, or meditation before bed to unwind.