Sleep Basics

The sun rises and we wake. The sun sets and sleep begins! These are nature’s cues that help

us create an internal circadian rhythm during a 24 hour cycle. Sleep is in every organism’s

natural rhythm and a very vulnerable state for all. It’s so important to overall well being that it’s been naturally selected to stay in the daily rhythm of life. Even plants shut down production for a period of time without sunlight.

For human beings, the benefits to your entire body during sleep are crucial to good physical and mental health. Enough hours of quality sleep has the following benefits:

● Energy restores

● Alertness boosts

● Memories are stored and organized

● Immunity strengthens

● Metabolism increases

Sleep is the best assistant that we never had to hire! During sleep the brain is sorting and filing away everything from the day. During this “down time” the brain consolidates memories, stores away new information and skills learned, and cleans our waste products. This waste build up is a large factor that leads to dementia later in life.

The process of sleeping is divided between Non-REM (rapid eye movement) and REM sleep. During Non-REM sleep (85% of sleep) there are 3 stages: stage 1 is drowsiness and falling asleep, stage 2 body is asleep, and stage 3 is deep, restoring sleep. During REM sleep (15% of

sleep) your body is asleep but your mind is highly active and similar to being awake.

For adults this is a 90 minute cycle that continues throughout the night. For children this a 60 min cycle and REM sleep is 50% of their sleep, Since REM is happening more often for kids and it’s a lighter sleep stage, this is why it’s easier for them to wake each hour while cycling through sleep and why sound machines and self soothing techniques are crucial to staying asleep through cycles. Infants have 5 times more REM sleep because they are cycling through sleep so often during the day and learning and storing so much memory and information.

So how much sleep do you need?

Each stage of our lives need different amounts of sleep and the temperament of a person can

affect exactly how much sleep they need but here is a general guide:

Newborns

typically sleep 16 to 18 hours a day

Infants

sleep 12 to 16 hours a day, including naps.

Toddlers

should get 11 to 14 total hours including naps.

Pre-School Children

should have 10 to 13 total hours a night.

Elementary school-aged children

need 9 to 12 total hours a night

Adolescents

need 8-10 hours a night

Adults

7-9 hours a night

Here is a key tip!

When the body is overtired and functioning on a low amount of sleep. It thinks

it needs to stay awake for a reason and responds with a rush of adrenaline. In children, we see this hyperactivity and later a crash in emotions which is called being overtired. Early bedtimes and enough naps are key! Sleep produces more sleep!

Lastly, when a person, especially children have a regular routine it helps align their circadian

rhythm. They can more easily fall asleep and wake up at the same time each day. Life is

always changing so while it may be hard to stick to a routine 7 days a week, it’s best to have atleast 5 nights a week on a schedule and no more than 2+ consecutive nights out of routine.

Sleep Produces More Sleep!

The Blueprint: Make sure to NURTURE the benefits of sleep that nature gave us by having a routine that will result in enough hours of quality sleep!