7 ½ Hours of Sleep Each Night Could Help Reduce Your # of Sickness Absences

Are you getting stressed because you are already running out of sick days and cold & flu season is just starting? According to Finnish researchers, you might want to consider getting more sleep each night. To be more specific, women should aim for 7 hours and 38 minutes of sleep each night and men should aim for 7 hours and 46 minutes, according to a recent study published in the September issue of the journal Sleep.

In addition to helping you feel more alert and be more productive throughout the day, Finnish researchers found that getting adequate levels of sleep each night also helps keep people healthier. In fact, a seven year analysis of the sleeping habits, health, and absentee patterns of more 3,700 people between the ages of 30 to 64 in Finland revealed that those who slept between 7 and 8 hours a night were much less likely to have to take time off from work due to sicknesses. Principal investigator Tea Lallukka, who is a specialized researcher at the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, explains that “those sleeping five hours or less, or 10 hours or more, were absent from work every year for 4.6 to 8.9 days more, as compared to those with the optimal sleep length”.

Whether you get too little sleep or are getting too much sleep, researchers say if you aren’t getting the recommended 7 ½ hours per night you aren’t doing yourself any favors. It is important for those who think they might have insomnia to talk with their healthcare provider and make an effort to improve their sleeping patterns. Those who are unable to fall asleep at night, frequently wake up early in the morning and can’t fall back asleep, feel excessively tired throughout the day, or use sleeping pills may have insomnia. Some of the treatment options that your doctor might recommend include medication, cognitive therapy, some behavioral changes, or even a combination of different therapies.

In the meantime, Mountainside Medical Equipment offers a wide range of sleep aids to help combat the symptoms of insomnia and promote a higher quality of sleep. Products like the Flents Light Shield Deluxe Sleep Mask are great for blocking out disturbing light so you can get the rest you need, whenever and wherever you need it. Great for those who routinely wakeup in the middle of the night and can’t fall back asleep, the MidNite Sleep Supplement is a natural sleep aid that can be taken anytime up to three hours before you wish to awaken!

Sources:

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_148374.html

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/04/140403212521.htm