28 yourfamily.co.zaHOW TO...
Get enough
NOT ENOUGH SLEEP CAN HARM YOUR HEALTH. HERE’S HOW
TO MAKE SURE YOU’RE GETTING MORE THAN JUST 40 WINKS
‘The younger you are, the better you cope
with sleep deprivation,’ says Dr Rosman.
‘However, this catches up with you, and as you
get older you stop functioning properly after
losing sleep.’
He explains that while the amount of
sleep you need is a totally individual matter
as opposed to a ‘one size fits all’ formula, the
average amount of sleep an adult needs is
about seven and a half hours each night.
‘Some people just naturally sleep for shorter
amounts of time and will do perfectly with five
hours of sleep a night. Others naturally sleep
for longer and need a good eight or nine hours
of sleep to feel their best. This is genetically
determined and can’t be changed, but as long
as you feel alert the following day, you’ll know
you’re getting enough sleep.’good sleep
HOW MUCH SLEEP
SHOULD YOU BE GETTING? HOW DOES POOR
SLEEP REALLY
AFFECT YOU IN
THE LONG TERM?
Over and above feeling
lethargic and drained
after a few nights of poor
sleep, there are other more
serious negative side effects to
consider. Dr Rosman explains:
WEIGHT ‘Depending on
your specific sleep disorder,
you may see an increase in
your weight.’
IMMUNE SYSTEM ‘People
who have inadequate sleep
will, on average, have more
infections than those who
get enough sleep.’There are over 80 sleep
disorders. Insomnia, sleep
apnoea, narcolepsy, and
restless leg syndrome are a
few of the more common ones.Did you know?
S
leep controls everything in the body: your
mood, memory, bone growth, hormones,
immunity, blood sugar, and tissue repair. ‘Studies
show that if animals are kept awake for excessive
periods of time, the effects of sleep deprivation can
be worse than starvation. If you think about it, we spend about
a third of our lives sleeping, which makes sleep crucial,’ says
Dr Kevin Rosman, a Joburg-based clinical sleep doctor.
Sleep is such an important aspect of our health and
wellbeing, and yet so many adults struggle to get a decent
night’s worth. Dr Rosman explains why that is, what the effects
are, and shares some ideas on how you can improve your sleep.