Get the right amount of sleep every night it is imperative to be rested and maintain the right level of concentration and energy during the day. Plus, it helps prevent burnout. This is also and above all true for teachers. The necessary number of hours of night rest varies from person to person and several factors affect, including age and lifestyle. The American Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has created a table indicating the ideal amount of sleep, divided by age group.
Getting enough sleep – but how much?
One of the most harmful habits for our health is certainly sleep little and badly. It might initially seem like a harmless practice, but over time it will reap its bad rewards. The AASM report (“Recommended Amount of Sleep for a Healthy Adult: A Joint Consensus Statement of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and Sleep Research Society”, published in the “Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine”), cited by Fanpage, indicates which are some of these consequences:
- problems with attention, behavior and learning
- increased risk of accidents or injuries,
- hypertension,
- obesity,
- diabetes
- depression.
NB. Similar symptoms can be experienced by those who sleep too much.
Night sleep hours table
So it is important to know how many hours a day we should sleep to feel refreshed and energized. Given that a good night’s rest it is not only characterized by quantity, but also by sleep quality, the table with average hours of sleep suitable for age groups it’s the following:
| Infants from 0 to 3 months | 14 – 7 hours a day |
| Babies from 4 to 12 months | 12 – 16 hours a day, including naps |
| Toddlers, between 1 and 2 years of age | 11 – 14 hours of sleep, including naps |
| Kindergarten children aged 3 to 5 | 10-13 hours a day, including naps |
| School-age children aged 6 to 12 | 9 – 12 hours a day |
| Teenagers between 13 and 18 years old | 8 – 10 hours a day |
| Adult between 18 and 64 years old | 7 – 9 hours a day |
| Adults aged 65 and over | 7 – 8 hours a day |
The CDC add: “Good sleep quality is also essential. Signs of poor sleep quality include not feeling rested even after getting enough sleep, waking up repeatedly during the night, and experiencing symptoms of sleep disturbances (such as snoring or panting)”.
Tips for a better rest
Improve sleep quality it is possible thanks to some small tricks. American scientists recommend:
- always go to sleep and wake up at the same time, even on weekends (follow your own circadian cycle);
- keep the bedroom dark, quiet and with a suitable temperature (just below 20 ° C);
- eliminate electronic devices such as TVs, computers and smartphones from the bedroom;
- turn off electronic devices at least half an hour before going to rest;
- avoid large meals, coffee and alcohol before bedtime
- exercise throughout the day, but not before bed.