Earlier today, I was speaking to a client with my job about this website. They thought it was an odd subject and always brushed off sleep as something they just “do” every day. I said, “Oh Nay nay” (in my John Pinette impersonation). If you have never tried to improve your sleep, you have no idea how much it will improve your life. One neat trick, how to get 8 hours of sleep in 4 hours. How is this possible?
Let me explain…
Sleep is an indispensable part of our lives. Without it, our bodies cannot function well both physically and mentally. A night of quality sleep is essential so we can have a productive day the next day. With the increase in technology like smartphones and laptops, sleep quality has been very much affected.
Getting an 8-hour sleep is like the holy-grail to staying fit and healthy. The catch is in getting those eight hours exclusively for sleep. In today’s busy world, when people are hovering over lack of time and tight schedules, who has the time to fit eight hours for sleep alone?
Yet, we cannot ignore the importance of sleep in our lives. We may end up losing much more without it. It is not the quantity of sleep that is important. What is important is if you are getting the quality sleep your body needs? Even if you have 8 hours to sleep but you aren’t getting quality sleep, then it is a waste of time. Though you get to sleep for 3 or 4 hours only, if you get proper quality sleep, you will have a more productive day ahead.
Polyphasic Sleep
There is another method called the Polyphasic sleep. It suggests taking long naps multiple times a day. For example, if you are looking at 4 hours of quality sleep, sleep for 2 hours twice a day or sleep for one hour 4 times a day. For some people, these long naps may help them get the quality sleep they need. Or for some people, this method may not work too well.
There are many ways in which you can get quality sleep. Finding the time, or place, is the issue you will face. Let us look at a few tips.
The first step is taking regular exercises to keep fit and stay in shape. Any kind of exercise is essential to improve the quality of our sleep and keep us healthy. With exercise, you work your muscles to spend their energy to create fatigue and that makes your body tired, so it is easy for you to fall asleep. It also reduces stress, depressions, and anxiety which are the main culprits that keep you awake at night.
Staying in shape really isn’t covered on this site much, since we stay focused on sleep, but a good workout regimen can increase your quality of sleep.
The increase in screen time with our electronics has severely disrupted our sleep timings as well. The use of cell phones, tabets and laptops before bedtime interferes with the Melatonin Hormone Schedule, which then disrupts our sleep timings and circadian rhythm. Our internal body clock which tells us to stay up or sleep is affected by screen lights and similar electronics we use every day. Even a small amount of light can disrupt our body clock, leading to us having difficulty in sleeping. Put off all devices before you wind down, so you get uninterrupted quality sleep. I recommend putting everything down no later than 30 minutes before you want to get some sleep.
Reading helps us to relax our mind; so grabbing a good book before bedtime can help us to sleep better and sooner.
Create a cozy scene in your bedroom to help you sleep well. Dim the lights, play light music, relax and you will be able to get a good night’s rest.
Avoiding Other Stimulants
Avoid coffee before bedtime. Drinking caffeine can keep you awake through the night. So it is better to avoid caffeinated drinks before sleep. Caffeine, being a stimulant can hamper your sleep if you drink before your bedtime. It is better to choose decaffeinated coffee or green teas a few hours ahead of your bedtime.
Avoid drinking alcohol and smoking before your sleep as it can interfere with your sleep pattern and keep you awake through the night. Nicotine, being a stimulant can alert your mind and keep you awake through the night. For this reason, most of the smokers have restless nights.
Avoid drinking too much water after dinner as frequent trips to the bathroom may keep you awake and too fresh to sleep.
Stick to regular sleeping hours to set your biological clock that will enable you to sleep and wake up at the same time. Erratic sleeping hours can hamper your sleep schedule and disrupt your life.
WHY IS SLEEP SO IMPORTANT FOR OUR BODY?
Lack of sleep can have devastating effects on our bodies. They also increase the risk of many chronic diseases like diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, obesity, and even premature death.
While missing out on a few hours of sleep is okay, not sleeping well for continuous nights is not a healthy sign. Having a stressful job, worries and life’s problems can also affect your quality of life. Stressful life leads to a lack of proper sleep, and this can cause more health problems.
WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS OF LACK OF SLEEP?
Lack of sleep has many negative aspects –
It can lead to
- Increase in irritability, mood swings, and depression
- Fatigue, tiredness, and feeling lethargic
- Difficulty concentrating and memory problems
- The weak immune system, frequent infections and gaining weight
- Aging skin
- Low sex drive, problem maintaining relations
Sleep is essential to our bodies for many reasons and getting proper sleep has many benefits. A good nights sleep can lift your mood, increase immunity, improve your skin, and your cognitive functions too. Adequate sleep can boost your overall health and brain functions.
When we go into a deep slumber, our brain releases hormones that help in lowering the risk of diseases, improve our immune system and brain function.
We have discussed here the value of quality sleep. It is not in the number of hours we get to sleep but the important thing is, getting the much needed quality sleep. It is in getting the quality 4 hours of sleep instead of the 8-hour sleep pattern that will determine whether you will have a productive day ahead. Even regular long naps throughout the day are extremely helpful in getting that much-needed sleep.
Lack of sleep has many negative aspects, as mentioned above. Getting adequate sleep has a world of benefits. So, we must not ignore the importance of getting proper sleep for our body, mind, and soul.
The quality of our day to day activities depends on a good night’s rest. So, no matter what plans you have ahead, make sure that you rest well to face your tomorrow.
Conclusion
Getting 8 hours of sleep in 4 hours is possible, but not in a time travel sense. What you need is the BENEFITS of 8 hours of sleep in only 4 hours. It is very possible and with practice, can be done efficiently.
One of the BIGGEST take-a ways here is reducing your stimulants before sleep. Cutting out your technology, coffee and alcohol before you need to take a quick nap or sleep.
Check out my other post on Easily Break the Cylce of Waking Uop in the Middle of the Night for more tipe on how to maximize your sleep cycle.
Happy Sleeping!
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