Do you have trouble falling asleep? Do you toss and turn at night? A good night’s sleep is necessary for optimal health. So if you’re one of the millions of people in the world who suffers from a sleep disorder or you want to fall asleep faster, watch this video to learn a trick straight from the US military.
The amount of sleep a person needs depends greatly on their age. Knowing how much you should be sleeping can help you figure out if your sleep routine works or if it needs tweaking. Babies normally sleep for most of the day (around 16 hours), teenagers require about 9 hours a day, and adults require 7 to 8 hours a day.
SUMMARY:
- According to the American Sleep Association, 50–70 million US adults suffer from sleep disorders. It’s estimated that around 20% of people worldwide suffer from sleep deprivation.
- Insomnia can be common if people are under a great amount of stress, experiencing big life changes, or having emotional difficulties.
- If you suffer from insomnia, a lack of sleep can cause hormonal imbalances, which lead to weight gain, slower reaction times, irritability, memory problems, depression, and headaches.
- Lie face up in bed. Relax your facial muscles, including your tongue, jaw, and the muscles around your eyes. If you realize you have a frown, really focus on releasing the area in the center of your forehead.
- Drop your shoulders as low as possible. This will also help you stretch and release the tension in your neck. Then relax your upper and lower arm on one side, and then try it with the other arm.
- Breathe out, and relax your chest. Feel your lungs fill up with air.
- Relax your legs. Release the tension from your thighs first, and then let the relaxation travel down to your calves. Finally, focus on your feet and ankles.
- Now that the muscles in your body are relaxed, it’s time to clear your mind completely.
- When the pilots were trained in this exercise, they performed it sitting down on a chair. In those exercises, they put their feet flat on the floor, placed their hands on their laps, and let them go limp.