Here’s everything you could possibly need to know about ZZZ…
Sleep plays a critical role in various aspects of our lives, this includes physical health, mental health, cognitive function, and overall quality of life. Needless to say, a good sleep is an essential element to maintain optimal health and well-being. Although the amount of sleep needed varies from person to person, most adults need at least 7 hours of good-quality sleep a night – some need more and some less!
The figures below show the amount of sleep (range of hours) appropriate for each age group, as published by The National Sleep Foundation (NSF).
Average Sleep Needs by Age
| Age | Hours Needed | May be appropriate |
| Newborn to 3 months old | 14 – 17 hrs | 11 – 19 hrs |
| 4 to 11 months old | 12 – 15 hrs | 10 – 18 hrs |
| 1 to 2 years old | 11 – 14 hrs | 9 – 16 hrs |
| 3 to 5 years old | 10 – 13 hrs | 8 – 14 hrs |
| 6 to 13 years old | 9 – 11 hrs | 7 – 12 hrs |
| 14 to 17 years old | 8 – 10 hrs | 7 – 11 hrs |
| Young adults (18 to 25 years old) | 7 – 9 hrs | 6 – 11 hrs |
| Adults (26 to 64 years old) | 7 – 9 hrs | 6 – 10 hrs |
| Older adults (65+) | 7 – 8 hrs | 5 – 9 hrs |
Source: National Sleep Foundation
These scientifically-based guidelines aren’t fixed, as sleep needs for different individuals may fall outside of these ranges. Sleep needs are determined by many factors, such as age, genetics, gender, environment and lifestyle. Sleep deprivation can increase the risk of developing many major health conditions. Here’s a quick roundup of what studies have shown us about sleep deprivation’s impact on our mind and body.
Source: The Sleep Charity
Multiple factors can cause or contribute to sleep deprivation, including poor sleep hygiene, lifestyle choices, work obligations, sleep disorders, and other medical conditions.
The Importance of Getting Enough Sleep
When sleep is disturbed, the negative impacts are far-reaching:
- Increased risk of cardiovascular (heart) diseases
- High cortisol levels during sleep deprivation stimulate alertness in the short term but raising heart rate and blood pressure over time.
- Research has shown that lack of sleep or poor sleep quality led to increased inflammatory markers-cytokines, which are known to play a role in the development of heart, blood vessels and metabolic disorders.
- Impact on cognitive function and memory consolidation—the process of stabilising memories
- During sleep, new learning and memory pathways are formed in the brain.
- Numerous research studies find that these processes happen via a series of electrophysiological, neurochemical, and genetic mechanisms during deep sleep (a stage important for consolidating memories and working through emotions).
- Insufficient sleep can impair concentration, mental clarity, ability to acquire new information, decision making and memory processing.
- The effects of sleep deprivation can be compared to being intoxicated, affecting our daily performance and leading to safety issues (eg. increased risk of accidents).
- Regulates mood and relieve stress
- We often feel irritable after a poor night’s sleep, due to greater amygdala (an area of the brain which acts as our emotional control centre) activation during sleep deprivation.
- This increases anxiety and hampers emotional regulation, poor sleepers tend to react more strongly to negative experiences compared to when well rested.
- As a result, mood disturbances or mood swings increased susceptibility to mood disorders such as depression and anxiety.
- Sleep plays an essential role in stress management, cortisol levels remain high during sleep deprivation, heightening the stress response.
- Poor sleep can have a negative impact on mental health
- Sleep has an important restorative function in recharging the brain, poor sleep leads to one’s inability to manage and cope with stress.
- Experiencing less positive emotions puts one at risk for mental health disorders or psychological distress.
- The most common sleep problem associated with poor mental health is insomnia (sustained difficulty falling or staying asleep), it has been found to worsen most mental health disorders, especially paranoia and hallucinations.
- Sleep disorders can contribute to the onset and worsening of different mental health problems.
- Sleep deprivation affects the immune system, so you’re less able to fend off the cold viruses!
- Sleep is our recovery tool, it is during this time our body rest and repair muscle, synthesise protein, as well as rebuild tissue for growth.
- Studies show that lack of sleep can lead to a weakened immune system, as production of infection- fighting antibodies and cells are reduced.
- Cytokine (proteins that direct immune cells to fight inflammation throughout the body) is produced whilst you sleep, these markers of inflammation in the body are present at higher levels and do not diminish as they should during the period of lack of sleep.
- This results in a chronic state of inflammation, which is associated with development of inflammatory diseases such as cancer, asthma, arthritis and bowel diseases like Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
- Sleep can maintain a healthy body weight!
- Study found that sleep deprivation can lead to overeating and has been linked to higher risk for weight gain or obesity. When you’re sleep deprived:
- Endocannabinoid (eCB) reward system is activated in the brain, which increases hunger, appetite, and higher instances of cravings.
- Normal function of hormones involved in regulating weight is affected:
- Ghrelin (hormone that controls hunger) levels increase, making you feel hungrier.
- Leptin (hormone that controls how full you feel) levels decrease, making you feel less full.
- Inadequate sleep diminishes the body’s ability to metabolise glucose, which increases risk of diabetes.
Tips for a Better Night’s Sleep
If you toss and turn throughout the night, unable to find decent rest, you’re not alone. Good sleep habits (sleep hygiene) refers to a series of healthy sleep habits that you can practice to improve your ability to fall asleep faster and stay asleep until it’s time to wake up. Let’s look into a few top tips for a more restful night’s sleep:
- Get into a regular bedtime routine, even on the weekends!
We recommend going to bed and waking up around the same time every day so your body and brain can get into a routine.
- Regulate your body clock, ease your body into its natural sleep rhythm.
- Use a consistent and wind-down routine.
- Get some natural sunlight early in the day.
- Limiting daytime naps
While short naps can help alertness later in the day, longer naps can be detrimental to nighttime sleep as they are likely to affect the ability to fall asleep and stay asleep.
- We recommend limiting afternoon naps to 20-30 minutes (between 1pm and 3pm)
- Create a comfortable bedroom environment!
Make sure your room is well ventilated and comfortable, as a cool room is usually better to sleep in than a stuffy one.
Getting the best temperature for sleep requires the right combination of:
- Temperature settings
- Nightwear
- Opt for quality mattress and bedding made of breathable material that allows your body to self-regulate its temperature.
- Smell – Calming scents of candles or essential oils can help you feel more relaxed at bedtime, look out for ones that contain lavender or ylang ylang, which help calm a busy mind in no time. *Never leave a burning candle unattended
Sound – Sit back and listen to soothing music or a guided meditation before bed. Keep your room as quiet as possible to prevent unwanted interruptions- try earplugs or white noise can work well.
- Keep lighting low in your home & avoid exposure to bright light sources.
When it’s dark, our bodies release melatonin (key hormone to the regulation of sleep-wake cycles), responsible for making you feel sleepy as bedtime approaches.
Light suppresses melatonin, hence its production is affected if your bedroom is too bright.
- Make your bedroom as dark as possible by using heavy curtains or shades to block light from windows.
- Unplug before bed.
Watching TV, playing computer games, or scrolling on the phone can stop your mind from winding down. Blue light emitted from the screens can interfere with production of melatonin and causes alertness.
- Avoid electronic devices at least an hour before bed!
- Diet & sleep
Avoid stimulants, such as alcohol, soft drinks, caffeine and nicotine, as these reduce the amount of deep sleep you experience at night – a stage which is critically important to feeling refreshed the following day.
- Ditch your coffee and alcohol 6 hours before bed, opt for a soothing herbal tea or warm milk instead!
- Avoid eating large meals close to bedtime, as this can cause heartburn, which affects sleep.
- Sleepy food (containing tryptophan, an amino acid that promotes sleep) consists of almonds, bananas, oatmeal, and turkey.
- Include some simple physical activities into your day to improve the quality of sleep.
Regular exercise helps promote good sleep, as increased activity builds sleep drive.
- Avoid anything too energetic in the 90 minutes before bedtime (shortening effect on the night-time sleep need)
Embrace the power of sleep and wake up as your best self
Getting enough sleep is imperative for maintaining a healthy body and mind. Now that you know how to create the right conditions for sleep – both in our minds and in our environment, you can take back control and get the sleep that you need!
Good sleep plays a key role in supporting your mental health and keeping diseases at bay. By making small changes to your sleep habits, you can improve the quality of your sleep and feel more rested. What works best for some, may not work for others, find what works well for you and stick with it.
Our top picks: products to consider if you’re having difficulty to relax & unwind
1. Elementz Magnesium Flakes 100g/1kg
R Pharmacy | Elementz Magnesium Flakes 100g/1kg | R Pharmacy
Soak up the sleep-inducing benefits of magnesium.
The magnesium found in the salts can promote the production of melatonin, a sleep-inducing hormone. Add a cup of these Magnesium flakes to warm bath helps soothe muscles and calms down the nervous system
2. Vitahealth Charge-Up Gosleep
R Pharmacy | Vitahealth Charge-Up Gosleep 30s | R Pharmacy
A natural sleep aid formulated with a blend of herbal extracts for promoting relaxation and improving sleep quality, based on traditional use only.
Combination of 4 ingredients, jujube, Purple passion flower, hop, plus the valerian root, combine to help you enjoy a natural night’s sleep.
- Hops are sedative and induce sleep
- Valerian is sedative, calming and induces sleep
- Passion flower is sedative and induces sleep
- Always read the label
*Consult your doctor or pharmacist if you have an underlying medical condition, are taking any other medication or complementary therapy, or if symptoms persist.
Seek advice before using if you are breastfeeding, pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or suffer from allergies.
If you continue to have trouble sleeping after trying the above measures, it’s well worth speaking to our friendly team of pharmacists. Our highly skilled team will work with you to identify factors affecting your sleep and provide you with the guidance you need. Sleep well, Live better. Sweet dreams!
Article reviewed by Jing Hui Ng, pharmacist at R Pharmacy