Information » Health » Health and Body Matters » Sleeping
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On average, we sleep for about one third of our lives. We need to sleep in order keep our mind and body working properly
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Older children need about 9 -10 hours sleep per night and adults need about 7 – 8 hours per night. Teenagers going through puberty may need even more
Types of sleep
There are two types of sleep and we move between them throughout the night.
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Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep
It is during this type of sleep we dream. Our brain is active, muscles are relaxed and our eyes move quickly from side to side.
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Non-REM sleep
The brain is quiet but the body moves around. This is when body repairs itself and recovers from activity during the day.
During a normal night, we will also wake up for about one or two minutes. Unless we are anxious about something we won’t normally remember waking up.
Insomnia
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Not being able to sleep is a condition called insomnia and it can be triggered by stress, excitement, eating late at night, hunger, alcohol, caffeine and stimulant drugs, including nicotine
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Other factors which can lead to insomnia include an uncomfortable bed or bedroom, physical health problems, sleep apnoea (abnormal breathing while asleep), asthma, tinnitus, pain and indigestion
Sleep walking
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Sleep walking is common in children and young adults. It tends to run in families
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There is no clear understanding why some people do it but it is thought to be linked to stress or anxiety. It is not a serious condition
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The danger is to the sleep walker who could trip or fall. Keep doors locked and keys out of the way and always stay with a sleep walker until they are safely back in bed
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You can wake a sleep walker with no danger to them, but it is not recommended as it can be a scary experience for them
1 Comment – Post a comment
Sam (Sub-Editor)
Commented 23 months ago - 30th June 2010 - 10:24am
Good article on sleep here ---> http://www.thesprout.co.uk/en/news/got-sleep/02234.html