You probably think you need to get 8 hours of sleep every night for good health. This is not true. People are very different. You have short and long sleepers. Sleep scientist Merijn van de Laar (Maastricht University) has been researching sleep and sleeping problems for years and has concluded that the quality of our sleep is much more important than the quantity.
Deep sleep is the most important factor. And you can learn how to sleep deep. The first 4,5 - 5 hours of the night are the most important. This is core sleep. This is when you have a lot of deep sleep in which your body recovers; the tissue recovers, you and the muscle mass and memory rest. These are alternated with short periods of light sleep. If you sleep well during those hours and have enough relaxation moments during the day, you should in principle be able to get easily through the day. In the second part of the night, also called residual sleep, light sleep is alternated with REM sleep, in which you are dreaming.
What makes you fall asleep? That's the sleep pressure. This is determined by the amount of time you are awake and the physical activity and your tensions. The night is a mirror of the day. You must ensure adequate relaxation during the day. In any case, you should not set an alarm clock next to the bed or take a nap during the day.
When do you suffer from insomnia?
"According to the clinical definition, one has problems falling asleep, stay asleep or wake up early at least three nights a week and this will be accompanied with complaints during the day, such as concentration problems, fatigue, increased irritation, and reduced functioning at work or in social circles."
Half of all people suffer from insomnia and the other half sleep without problems. And in that first group you have the 10-12% of people who suffer chronically from insomnia. Half of the "insomniacs" also suffer from a psychological disorder, such as depression or an anxiety disorder.
Some people also maintain their sleep problem by, for example, lying in bed for more than eight hours, not relaxing properly or worrying about their sleep. Where a normal sleeper wakes up at night and thinks, "I'm awake for a moment and I doze off again," the bad sleeper thinks, "Oh no, I'm awake again!"
If you have any questions after reading this information, you can contact your doctor.
