Importance of sleep
Sleep is an important biological function that is considered necessary for sustenance. An improved sleeping pattern is an essential factor towards better health.
It is as essential as diet and exercise for good health. A good night’s sleep improves brain performance, mood, and health.
Many important functions occur while we sleep, which aid in physical recovery and restoration, cognitive development, cardiovascular function, and body metabolism, as well as acquiring knowledge, memory improvement, and mood enhancement. Sleep is especially important for children, as it aids in growth and overall health, and babies and children require significantly more sleep than adults.
The appropriate amount of sleep is largely determined by your age. For each age group, the National Sleep Foundation recommends the following daily sleep allotment.
| Age Group | Age Range | Recommended Amount of Sleep per Day |
|---|---|---|
| Newborn | 0-3 months | 14-17 hours |
| Infant | 4-11 months | 12-15 hours |
| Toddler | 1-2 years | 11-14 hours |
| Preschool | 3-5 years | 10-13 hours |
| School-age | 6-13 years | 9-11 hours |
| Teen | 14-17 years | 8-10 hours |
| Young adult | 18-25 years | 7-9 hours |
| Adult | 26-64 years | 7-9 hours |
| Older adult | 65 years or older | 7-8 hours |
The effects of lack of sleep
But people frequently sacrifice sleep for work, family obligations, or even to enjoy a good show on television.
Even one night of poor sleep can have an impact the next day. Not only are you more prone to feeling exhausted, but you’re also more likely to be irritable, less productive in the workplace, and involved in a car accident.
Not getting enough quality sleep on a regular basis increases the risk of a variety of diseases and disorders. These include everything from heart disease and stroke to obesity and dementia.
Inadequate or poor sleep on a regular basis contributes to long-term health problems such as:
Obesity
Several studies have found a link between a lack of sleep and weight gain. People who sleep less than six hours per night, for example, are much more likely to have a higher than average body mass index (BMI), whereas people who sleep eight hours have the lowest BMI. Sleep, like the two most commonly identified risk factors for obesity, is now being considered as a potential risk factor for obesity.
Type 2 diabetes
Inadequate sleep, according to researchers, may contribute to type 2 diabetes by influencing how the body processes glucose, the high-energy carbohydrate that cells use for fuel. In one short-term sleep restriction study, a group of healthy subjects whose sleep was reduced from 8 to 4 hours per night processed glucose more slowly than when they were allowed to sleep 12 hours. Numerous epidemiological studies have also found that adults who sleep less than five hours per night have a significantly increased risk of having or developing diabetes.
Heart Disease and Hypertension
According to research, a single night of insufficient sleep in individuals who already have increased blood pressure can result in elevated blood pressure the next day. This effect may help to explain the link between inadequate sleep and cardiovascular disease and stroke.
For more information read more at Harvard Sleep and Disease Risk Page.
Ways to improve sleep
What about sleep quality improvement? How will you accomplish this?
Many people suffer from sleep deprivation as a result of daily stress. It may also be a result of medical conditions such as insomnia, depression, or a variety of other diseases.
Many doctors have traditionally been eager to prescribe sleep medications to their patients. However, while sleeping pills may be effective for some people, others found that they had no effect or, in some cases, made their ability to sleep worse.
PEMF therapy for improved sleep quality without the use of drugs is an excellent solution.
PEMF therapy for sleep has been shown in studies to be applicable to a wide range of sleep issues, take for example insomnia.
Pelka (2001) conducted a four-week double-blind study with 101 participants to highlight the benefits of PEMF therapy on sleep quality. In this study, 70% of the PEMF therapy group reported a significant improvement, whereas only 2% of the control group reported the same finding.
How is PEMF used to work for sleep improvement?
Through a process known as brainwave entrainment (or neuro-entrainment), pulsed electromagnetic field therapy has been shown to improve some sleep disorders.
Through the use of low-frequency waves, pulsed electromagnetic field therapy has the ability to reboot the brain. This simulation mimics the brain’s frequency during a deep sleep cycle, improving the brain’s and body’s ability to fall asleep.
If getting quality sleep is a problem for you and is causing everything else in your life to suffer especially your health, it could be time for you to try PEMF therapy.
Schedule your sessions with us.
