There is no one single answer to the question of ‘are you getting enough sleep?’ The exact amount of sleep that we need varies from person to person. Famously Margaret Thatcher, Leonardo Da Vinci, Thomas Edison and Napoleon all survived off less than 4 hours sleep a night, but for many people they require significantly more sleep to be able to function properly during the day. In fact on average it is estimated that a ‘normal’ person needs between 7 and 9 hours of sleep per night, but again this depends on the individual.
So if it is basically impossible to tell you exactly how much sleep you need per night, then how do you know if you are getting enough sleep? Rather than focusing on the exact hours of sleep that you are getting per night, it is maybe more important to look at the quality of sleep that you are getting and how the amount of sleep that you normally get affects your waking life? There are numerous factors that can indicate if a person is getting enough sleep. Why not have a look at some of the questions below and asses your sleep quality.
– I need an alarm clock to wake up at an appropriate time
– It’s a struggle for me to get out of bed in the morning
– I feel tired, irritable and stressed out during the week
– I have trouble concentrating
– I have trouble remembering things
– I fell slow when problem solving, critical thinking and in creative tasks
– I often fall asleep watching TV
– I often fall asleep in boring meetings or warm rooms
– I often fall asleep after a heavy meal or low doses of alcohol
– I often fall asleep within 5 minutes of getting into bed
– I often sleep extra hours on weekend mornings
– I often need a nap to get through the day
– I have dark circles around my eyes
If you answered yes to 3 of more of the above statements then it could be an indicator that you are not getting enough sleep.
So what can you do to help you to get a good night’s sleep and wake feeling well rested and ready to face the day? One simple and natural answer comes in the form of a little bottle of our gorgeous Jersey lavender essential oil. Lavender has long been known to help promote healthy sleep due to its effect of slowing the central nervous system.
Some great ways to use lavender to help promote a good night’s sleep are:
– Sprinkle a couple of drops of lavender oil onto a tissue and slip this inside your pillowcase.
– Add a few drops of lavender to a warm bath and enjoy a good soak before going to bed.
– Ease the stresses of the day away by mixing a drop or two of lavender oil into a tablespoon of carrier oil and gently massaging this soothing mix into your temples before bed.
