Adults (between 19 and 60) may not be growing anymore, but good sleeping habits should still be maintained because of the massive health benefits. Most adults in a healthy state should be getting roughly 8 hours of sleep a night through the night with no interruptions. This is not always possible but with better sleep hygiene, it is much more likely.
Good adult sleeping habits might not differ too much from sleeping habits at different ages, but it is arguably more important for this age group because adults are usually in a higher position of responsibility. Because they are behind the wheel or going to work, it is vitally important that adults get enough sleep and don’t put themselves and others in danger.
At this age, you should try not to nap at all during the day as this could increase adult sleeping problems during the night. However if you are unbearably tired, or just need a quick recharge nap, then only take half an hour as any more or any less is not beneficial.
As adults, it may be tempting to sleep fewer hours because of the lack of free time during working days. While this may benefit you in terms of fitting in more de-stressing activities, lack of sleep can cause depression and other sleep deprivation symptoms. It may be worth going to bed 30-60 minutes earlier to ensure you get enough sleep.
You should also make sure that your television or radio is turned off before you sleep as this can hinder you from falling into a deep sleep, causing interruptions during the night. If you’re really finding it difficult to fall asleep, it is scientifically proven that you should read in a moderate to dim lighting condition instead of watching tv or listening to music.
You should try to limit the things you do in bed other than sleeping, so that includes bringing the laptop in or work. This helps your mind to associate the bed with sleeping and helps you to fall asleep quicker at night time.
As you get older, your digestive system may not function as well as it used to, so it is important to refrain from eating a large or rich meal too close to bedtime. The time that you have dinner can be very important in an adult’s sleeping pattern. It is generally agreed that the earlier someone has dinner, the earlier they get tired at night time. The best time to have dinner is agreed to be before eight o clock.
So as a recap of all the good habits in this post:
- Get around eight hours of sleep a night
- Try not to sleep too late
- Turn television and radio off if you watch/listen to them in bed
- Try to avoid watching television and listening to the radio, instead, you should read in moderate to dim lighting conditions
- Try to limit the things you do in bed
- Try not to eat a large/rich meal too close to bedtime
- Try to eat dinner earlier