If You Sleep Less Than 7 Hours, Start Putting These Simple Tips Into Practice

If you sleep less than 7 hours each day and your health can suffer on a chronic basis. Little by little you will notice the consequences of that lack of rest that both the body and the brain claim as a debt.

To get a healthy and restorative rest, we must rest between 7 and 9 hours. It is also clear that each person has needs, and that they will not be the same in a child as in an older adult. However, we must stick with the 7 o’clock threshold.

In this sense, at the time when rest fluctuates between 4 or 6 o’clock continuously (we are not talking about occasional insomnia) it is necessary to change routines or consult with the doctor.

Next, we suggest that you start making small changes in your daily habits. Whether you have trouble falling asleep or not, they can be beneficial for you. You have nothing to lose!

If you sleep little, start applying these simple steps on a day-to-day basis

The following data may seem curious: the people who understand sleep hygiene the most are astronauts. This is because the fact of having to live for long periods in outer space forces them to develop adequate routines to maintain circadian rhythms.

From the space stations they can see how the Earth, in a leisurely and perfect rhythm, receives the dawn of the sun in every corner of the world, while in other corners the night falls.

The astronauts, in the solitude of small cubicles and dominated by gravity, have already lost contact with light and darkness to be able to regulate their sleep cycles and keep watch.

The effects of this sleep disturbance cause serious problems. Something serious, if we take into account the important work they carry out, where any failure can be irreparable.

For this reason, NASA carried out interesting studies on the biological clock, even recommending a series of tips to get a good night’s sleep. We explain them below.

Keep regular hours – the body has an internal clock!

We all have that “biological clock” that marks our circadian cycles. In this way, certain physiological changes are regulated over 24 hours.

Following appropriate routines where you always eat at the same time and go to bed at the same time each day will guarantee harmony in these physiological changes.

The more constant in these cycles, in those daily routines, the greater the well-being and the better rest.

Now, we know that complying with these routines is not always possible. Having a shift-rotating job, for example, forces us to misadjust this clock.

In these cases, and as far as possible, we must meet every day between 7 and 9 hours of adequate rest. If you sleep less than that many hours, the following tips may help.

Control the external signals around you

To sleep you need darkness. This is how the brain regulates sleep-wake patterns. If you are forced to sleep during the day, lower the blinds and try not to get light from under the doors.

Similarly, other signals that we must control are electronic ones. To enjoy a restful sleep it is necessary to turn off the mobile, the computer and the television an hour before going to bed. Even if it costs us, the mind will appreciate it.

Room temperature and smells

It may seem silly, however, it is necessary to take it into account. The ideal temperature of a room to fall asleep should be between 15 and 22 ºC.

Also, an uncomfortable smell can cloud us to fall asleep or it can even cause us to have nightmares. In this sense, as a recommendation, the lavender or vanilla fragrance is very relaxing.

One hour of adequate rest before bed

If you sleep less than 7 hours this advice can help you. One hour before going to sleep, as we have indicated before, we will turn off all electronic devices.

We’ll get comfortable and read a book. Don’t get hung up on “I have to sleep.” It is time to turn off the rumor of worries and “tomorrow I have to …” to immerse ourselves in reading. Nothing matters now, everything must be calm. Little by little, and without you realizing it, the dream will reach the body. Surrender.

Short naps will help you fight insomnia

It may seem contradictory to you. However, to understand it, let’s analyze this information.

• The healthiest nap is the one that lasts between 15 and 20 minutes, we should not exceed this interval.

• It is the perfect time to wake up again more active, recovered.
• Sleeping more would mean the opposite: we would wake up tired and go to bed without wanting to rest. Thus, a short nap at noon helps us to regulate our cycles and our internal clock as well.

If you sleep less than 7 hours you must be aware that the key is to “train” the brain to regulate itself. We must be constant in these tips. Also, do not hesitate to consult your doctor for this problem. It is necessary to know why this inability to rest is due, and what clinical strategies we should follow in case of chronic insomnia.