Everybody loves a good night’s sleep. Your bed is there to give you a comfortable and restful night’s sleep by offering you the support that you need.
Anyone who has had a bad night sleep understands the impact that even minimal sleep loss can have on your mood the following day. Over time, a lack of sleep will take its toll on your energy, mental abilities and mood.
The quality of your sleep directly affects your mental and physical health and the quality of your waking life, including your productivity, emotional balance, brain and heart health, immune system, creativity, vitality, and even your weight. No other activity delivers so many benefits with so little effort! (Smith, Robinson and Segal, 2019)
Some people may feel that they require more sleep than others. Some people will feel they can run and function on very little sleep, but to be able to function at your best most adults will need between 7-9 hours.
Adults (26 to 64 years old) need 7-9 hours. Older adults (65+) need 7-8 hours although will rarely sleep for that long so they tend to nap during the day. (Smith, Robinson and Segal, 2019)
A good nights sleep is judged by the quality of the sleep and not by the length. Sleep is made up of several phases. All the phases must be completed in order to wake up feeling restored and rejuvenated. More importantly these phases help with the release of certain hormones that help with your growth, development and healing.
75% of your sleep is made up of NREM (non rapid eye movement) and 25% is made up of REM (Rapid eye movement). REM first occurs about 90 minutes after falling asleep and recurs about every 90 minutes, getting longer later in the night. This part of sleep is important for providing energy to the brain and body and supports daytime performance. The brain is active and dreams occur, eyes dart back and forth and the body becomes immobile and relaxed, as muscles are turned off.
The one-third of our lives that we spend sleeping, far from being “unproductive,” plays a direct role in how full, energetic and successful the other two-thirds of our lives can be. (Sleepfoundation.org, 2019)
Sleep is important throughout your whole life and there are several measures you can put in place to ensure you are getting a good night sleep. One major component of a good night sleep is the surface on which you are laying.
At OSKA we understand the importance of a comfortable nights sleep, which is why our mattresses are made to provide outstanding comfort and support. The aerolite foam used on the OSKA Series2 mattress and OSKA Series4 mattress is incredibly soft and moulds to the contours of the body whilst allowing the air to flow freely keeping the skin cool and dry. The OSKA Series5 lateral tilt mattress not only has Geo-Matt® cut top foam which allows individual foam cells to react instantly to the body, it also has a quiet pump so it won’t disrupt your sleep.
As previously mentioned sleep is vital for healing. A study showed that healing will occur quicker in people who are getting adequate sleep in comparison to those who are sleep deprived.(Loomis, 2018). For residents who have existing pressure ulcers or who are at risk will benefit from sleeping on a specialist mattress that provides a comfortable sleeping surface along with aiding in the prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers.
For help and guidance on choosing the correct mattress for your resident contact our OSKA pressure care experts.
Myth:
Getting just one hour less sleep per night won’t affect your daytime functioning.
Fact:
You may not be noticeably sleepy during the day, but losing even one hour of sleep can affect your ability to think properly and respond quickly. It also compromises your cardiovascular health, energy balance, and ability to fight infections. (Smith, Robinson and Segal, 2019)
References:
Loomis, I. (2018). Sleep helps wounds heal faster. [online] Science News for Students. Available at: https://www.sciencenewsforstudents.org/article/sleep-helps-wounds-heal-faster [Accessed 24 Jun. 2019].
Sleepfoundation.org. (2019). What Happens When You Sleep? – National Sleep Foundation. [online] Available at: https://www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/what-happens-when-you-sleep [Accessed 24 Jun. 2019].
Smith, M., Robinson, L. and Segal, R. (2019). Sleep Needs. [online] HelpGuide.org. Available at: https://www.helpguide.org/articles/sleep/sleep-needs-get-the-sleep-you-need.htm/ [Accessed 24 Jun. 2019]
