If anyone asks you how many hours of sleep you got last night if you are an adult, you may well answer 6 or more. However, did you know that the recommended amount for an adult to sleep is 7+ hours per night? But just the amount of hours you have slept is not the only factor to take into consideration.
Depending upon your age range, the amount of time needed to sleep will vary. However, a quick look at the table below will give you an overview of the recommended hours of sleep you should have.
| Age group | Recommended amount of sleep |
|---|---|
| Infants 4 months to 12 months | 12 to 16 hours per 24 hours, including naps |
| 1 to 2 years | 11 to 14 hours per 24 hours, including naps |
| 3 to 5 years | 10 to 13 hours per 24 hours, including naps |
| 6 to 12 years | 9 to 12 hours per 24 hours |
| 13 to 18 years | 8 to 10 hours per 24 hours |
| Adults | 7 or more hours a night |
A major factor in whether you wake up feeling refreshed, something just as important as the number of hours you have slept, is the quality of your sleep.
If you have ever had to wake frequently during the night, for instance, if you have a young family or a newborn baby, then you will know all too well the feeling of tiredness and lethargy that you have in the morning. Even if you managed to get 7+ hours of sleep, the consent break in your sleep would negatively affect you.
Newborn babies aside, if you are otherwise fit and healthy with no underlying health conditions, not getting enough good quality sleep may need to be addressed.
It was recently reported that adults getting less than seven hours of sleep per night consistently had been linked with poor health, including weight gain, a body mass index of 30 or higher, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and depression.
Sleep and good quality sleep is massively important.
Sleep deprivation.
If you’re sleep-deprived, getting up early, going to bed late, over the week, this sleep deprivation will start to creep up on you, and com the weekend, you may find that you need to sleep for 11+ hours before you start to feel like “normal”. Remember that the more sleep you miss, the amount of sleep you need increases.
Stress
Everyone will encounter stress in their lives, having coping mechanisms in place to help elevate stress is essential. Currently, if you are super stressed, what do you do to destress and unwind?
Martial Arts and sleep
When it comes to exploring ways to improve sleep quality, exercise will often be mentioned. The reason? Exercise causes the body to release endorphins. Endorphins have a dual purpose. They act as analgesics, diminish the perception of pain, and act as sedatives.
No matter which Martial Art you participate in, there will be some form of exercise, from the warmup to class participation and the cooldown.
Forms/Kata and slowing your breathing down
Your heart rate and breathing slow, and your blood pressure may drop, all as part of the relaxation process. Not only will this allow your body to be released from stress, but it will also give your mind a chance to switch off from the daily stress and focus your mind. The slow, deep breathing lets your brain know that it’s time to calm down, and this leads to an all-over slowing.”
Time for you
Taking time out from your day to do something for yourself is another way to improve your sleep. Meeting with like-minded people, sharing experiences and having a laugh and a smile isn’t usually associated with Martial Arts. Still, the fact of the matter is some many in our Martial Arts school have such a great relationship. It is like watching a family get together. This allows for venting the day’s frustrations, catching up with friends, and enjoying each others company.
A long-serving student of mine said, “He couldn’t think of a nicer bunch of people to be around, even if they are trying to punch you…”
The Martial Arts have so much to offer, more than many realise.
If you would like to come along to find out what we do and what we can offer on top of better quality sleep, get in touch, or better still, book yourself in for a taster session.
Come and see what Wing Chun has to offer.
If you would like to book a taster session, use this link here >> Book Your Trial Session <<
Wing Chun Halesowen’s Instructor and owner, Sifu Alan Bagley, has been involved in martial arts since 1992. He has been teaching Wing Chun at the Halesowen School since 2013.
He has a passion for helping people become better versions of themselves and strives to make an impact and difference in each of his student’s lives. Sifu Bagley believes that Martial Arts is more than a sport. It can have a long-lasting positive impact on lives.