How much sleep do you need? Identify your sleep pattern

In NLP we often focus on how to assist individuals and groups to perform at their best. One thing that NLP doesn’t usually mention is that to perform well, you need to be in a state of readiness, which includes every aspect of your wellbeing. One of the most important factors that will be impacting on your “State of Readyness” is sleep. Identify your own sleeping pattern and ensuring you get the sleep you need is something that everyone can do to increase their capabilities. This article contains sections on Sleep debt, iPhone aps, and the recommendations from the National Sleep Foundation and what you can do

Lack of sleep ‘linked to early death’ from the BBC.

Insomnia

Not too little sleep, yet not too much, the experts advise

Excerpt…

Getting less than six hours sleep a night can lead to an early grave, UK and Italian researchers have warned. They said people regularly having such little sleep were 12% more likely to die over a 25-year period than those who got an “ideal” six to eight hours. They also found an association between sleeping for more than nine hours and early death, although that much sleep may merely be a marker of ill health.

Sleep journal reports the findings, based on 1.5m people in 16 studies.

Professor Francesco Cappuccio, leader of the Sleep, Health and Society Programme at the UK’s University of Warwick, said: “Modern society has seen a gradual reduction in the average amount of sleep people take and this pattern is more common amongst full-time workers, suggesting that it may be due to societal pressures for longer working hours and more shift-work.”

“But having less than five hours a night suggests something is probably not right. “Five hours is insufficient for most people and being drowsy in the day increases your risk of having an accident if driving or operating dangerous machinery.”

---

Other opinions…How much sleep do our bodies need? from NineMSN

Yes, it is true — we do need around eight hours of sleep a night to perform optimally. If you can only manage six, your ability to function normally will only be slightly impaired, so long as this is a one-off occasion. Once you go below six hours on a regular basis, that’s when problems start occurring.

---

How Much Sleep Do I Need? By Brandon Peters, M.D., About.com Guide, Updated February 05, 2010.

Sleep Debt

What happens if we don’t meet our sleep needs? By not getting enough sleep, we accumulate a sleep debt that we usually have to “pay off.” This might involve extra sleep by napping, going to bed early, or sleeping in to catch up. If we sleep less than our body needs to feel refreshed and don’t catch up we might experience:

• Daytime sleepiness
• Fatigue
• Difficulty concentrating
• Poor thinking
• Increased risk of accidents

---

Sleep Cycle Application for iPhone

Sleep Cycle Analyzes Your Sleep Patterns for a Better Wake-Up

Sleep Cycle uses your iPhone’s accelerometer to monitor your movements during the night and determine when you’re most likely in and out of a dream state. Before you go to bed, set the app’s alarm clock, then place your iPhone on the corner of your bed (putting it under the fitted sheet will keep it from sliding around). Sleep Cycle isn’t meant to be a scientific tool for people with medical sleep issues, but rather an unobtrusive way to get a little insight into your sleep patterns.

The Sleep Cycle alarm clock is a bio-alarm clock that analyzes your sleep patterns and wakes you when you are in the lightest sleep phase.

Waking up in the lightest sleep phase feels like waking without an alarm clock – it is a natural way to wake up where you feel rested and relaxed.

Sleep Cycle iPhone Application is available from Lexware® Labs or Apple
Open iTunes to buy and download apps.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxf33g-X758&hl=en_GB&fs=1&]

---

National Sleep Foundation

How Much Sleep Do We Really Need? from the National Sleep Foundation (NSF)

Excerpt from National Sleep Foundation continued…

What You Can Do

To begin a new path towards healthier sleep and a healthier lifestyle, begin by assessing your own individual needs and habits. See how you respond to different amounts of sleep. Pay careful attention to your mood, energy and health after a poor night’s sleep versus a good one. Ask yourself, “How often do I get a good night’s sleep?” If the answer is “not often”, then you may need to consider changing your sleep habits or consulting a physician or sleep specialist. When Ellen’s family members began this process, they realized that often they weren’t getting what they would call a “good night’s sleep.” This led each of them to reevaluate how much sleep they needed and whether their sleep habits were healthy ones.

To pave the way for better sleep, experts recommend that you and your family members follow these sleep tips:

• Establish consistent sleep and wake schedules, even on weekends
• Create a regular, relaxing bedtime routine such as soaking in a hot bath or listening to soothing music – begin an hour or more before the time you expect to fall asleep
• Create a sleep-conducive environment that is dark, quiet, comfortable and cool
• Sleep on a comfortable mattress and pillows
• Use your bedroom only for sleep and sex (keep “sleep stealers” out of the bedroom – avoid watching TV, using a computer or reading in bed)
• Finish eating at least 2-3 hours before your regular bedtime
• Exercise regularly during the day or at least a few hours before bedtime
• Avoid caffeine and alcohol products close to bedtime and give up smoking

If you or a family member are experiencing symptoms such as sleepiness during the day or when you expect to be awake and alert, snoring, leg cramps or tingling, gasping or difficulty breathing during sleep, prolonged insomnia or another symptom that is preventing you from sleeping well, you should consult your primary care physician or sleep specialist to determine the underlying cause. You may also try keeping a sleep diary to track your sleep habits over a one- or two-week period and bring the results to your physician.

Most importantly, make sleep a priority. You must schedule sleep like any other daily activity, so put it on your “to-do list” and cross it off every night. But don’t make it the thing you do only after everything else is done – stop doing other things so you get the sleep you need.

Our Opinion

As stated above, if you are experiencing difficulty sleeping, you could also contact your friendly NLP Practitioner who may also be able help to find a way to sleep better, having dealt with the underlying cause, whether the cause is known or unknown. We can also recommend a lot of practices such as recognising the anchors of what you do and have in your place of sleep and adjusting them if required, how you find relaxation and other areas we could discuss.