SLEEP, A FORCE THAT POWERS YOUR WELLNESS

Jack and his colleague, Prince just clocked in for work that morning and were ascending the stairs to their offices. “You look stressed,” Prince told Jack. Jack jokingly dismissed Prince's observation saying “I am Odogwu - a great man.” 

Jack prides himself on being a very strong man who hardly falls sick. No doubt, he is vibrant and dedicated to his work. But on this fateful day, the two friends had not reached their floor before Jack slumped and died. The autopsy report confirmed that Jack, a night owl with a mild cardiovascular disease, died of exhaustion. Before his death, he had not had adequate sleep for several days. His system had overworked and gone without repair for days. Repair? How you may ask?

Sleep is a basic necessity of life after food, water, and oxygen. People can survive up to 40 days on water alone, but nobody can exceed 11 days without sleep. This shows that sleep is important for a healthy living. Unfortunately, sleep is underrated especially by the working class.

Asides the fact that it is a natural maintenance mechanism that invigorates and strengthens the body for the next day, during sleep the body rests and the brain remains active but recharged to control other body functions. Getting a night of sound sleep is like taking a natural medicine that maintains the body daily.

Sometimes, necessity can deprive you of sleep. Responsibilities like being a nursing mother, an employee trying to meet a deadline, or a socialite having a nice time out can prevent one from sleeping. But remember that while a random night without sleep makes you feel tired and irritable the next day, it won't harm your health. However, repeated and regular sleepless nights can compromise mental and physical health and the impacts could be serious.

So what duration of sleep is adequate for you? Your age determines the duration of sleep you need to perform at your best. As you grow older your sleep requirement decreases. 

It is medically suggested that a baby between one and 11 months needs sleep of about 12 - 17 hours daily. For children between one and five years, they need 10 - 14 hours. School-age children and teenagers (six - 17 years) need eight - 11 hours. The working population (18-64 years) need seven-nine hours, while those above the age of 65 need seven-eight hours. What this detailed suggestion of sleep based on age means is that sleep is beneficial to our wellbeing. However, oversleeping can cause a host of medical problems too, including diabetes and heart disease.

Sleep generally replenishes you for the next day. Sleeping releases hormones that aid the repair of blood vessels and worn-out muscles and the production of white blood cells to boost immunity. It boosts energy level, reduces stress, regulates emotions, and removes toxins from the body. This is why you feel moody and irritable after a sleepless night. Adequate sleep also improves brain functionality leading to productivity, concentration, and super cognition.

Sometimes, your diet and activities deprive you of sleep unknowingly. For this reason, you may need to reduce foods and beverages that contain caffeine, alcohol, and refined carbohydrate. Caffeine may not only cause difficulty initiating sleep, but may also cause frequent awakenings. You can also get adequate sleep and manage sleeplessness by maintaining a consistent sleep pattern such as associating sleep with darkness or time.

Activities such as reading, watching television or working on your devices, and eating that awakens the body system should be avoided in bed. All of these can increase alertness and make it difficult to fall asleep. Regular exercise can improve sleep quality and duration. However, exercising just before bedtime can have a stimulant effect on the body and should be avoided.

You are not God, so ensure you get adequate sleep daily to improve your overall wellness. When you get the right amount of sleep, you wake up refreshed, recharged, and ready to conquer the challenges of the day. 

As an Irish proverb says, “A good laugh and a long sleep are the two best cures for anything.” Sleep is not only for lazy souls, get adequate sleep for your all-round wellness.

Coach Adetutu is a Pharmacist, Seasoned Serial Entrepreneur, Personal Freedom Coach and the promoter of TalkNWalk Wellness, her earnest desire is to influence individuals to make healthy lifestyle choices.

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