You can sleep 8 hours in 4 hours and wake up vibrant and well-rested. Work to improve your sleep quality and reduce the time you spend in bed. Cheat the circadian rhythm by adopting a few healthy habits in your life.
Key Insights
- Improving the quality of your sleep can help you make the most of your less than recommended hours of sleep.
- Avoid screens before bed, indulge in moderate exercise, and get a comfortable sleep environment to make the most of your 4 hours of sleep.
Are 4 Hours of Sleep Enough For You?
According to experts, adults should receive 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night. You can’t achieve your goal in literal meaning but there are ways to make the most of a few hours of sleep. However, a study showed that sleeping for only 4 hours each night was equal to adding 8 years of aging to your brain. Disturbing your sleeping schedule is not a healthy habit and should not be practiced in routine.
If you are struggling with your seep-wake cycle, talking to a doctor might be helpful for you.
How can you get 8 hours or sleep in 3 hours?
Adopt the 3 step technique suggested here to get quality sleep if you don’t have the recommended hours to rest;
Step 1: Relax your mind before bed
When we are concerned, upset, or worked up, it is impossible to get a good night’s sleep. As a result, it’s critical to be thoroughly calm before crawling into bed. When you eventually snuggle yourself down, you’ll be able to fall into a deep slumber more easily because your brain and body are already prepared for sleep mode.
Also Read: How to sleep 3 hours in 8 hours
Get a Book to Read
Did you know that reading a book is one of the finest methods to unwind and release stress?
- According to research, just 6 minutes of reading every day can reduce stress levels by a massive 68 percent.
- Try reading a book in bed before bed as it also helps in deviating your mind from stressful thoughts and aids in sound sleep.
Exercise helps Improve Sleep
Moderate exercise aids in quality sleep. It also improves the symptoms of sleep disorders like sleep apnea.
- Yoga stretches are an excellent method to relax your body and mind before going to bed.
- Light stretching helps to loosen and relax your muscles, while deep breathing and focusing on body movement help to calm your mind.
- Moderate cardio is also recommended before bed to relax your body and mind and reduce the extra time spent in bed struggling with sleep.
Take a Bath Before Bedtime
If you have sore muscles after a long day, having a hot bath before bed can help. An ice bath is also an option to release
- A hot bath boosts blood flow and aids in healing the damaged tissues if you are struggling with muscle and body soreness.
- An ice bath stimulates the production of the melatonin hormone which is responsible for making you feel tired and sleepy.
- Ice or hot bath is recommended at least 1-2 hours before bed so that the body adjusts its temperature.
Keep a Journal
If anxiety or a never-ending list of tasks for the upcoming day keeps you awake, keep a journal and a pen on a nightstand or bedside table.
- You can write about anything, from tomorrow’s to-do list to any unpleasant feelings you’re experiencing.
- This way, if stressful or worrying thoughts keep you awake at night, you can get them out of your head and onto paper.
- It’s pointless to be concerned about something you can’t repair until the morning. So vent out everything on paper and sleep peacefully.
Step 2: Avoid Electronic Screens before Bed
After a day of staring at your phone, computer, or TV screen, you should give your brain a well-deserved rest from device screens. Putting away your electronics an hour to an hour and a half before you plan to go to bed can improve the quality of your sleep significantly.
- Using a screen before bed can seriously disturb the melatonin surge needed to make you fall asleep.
- The blue light coming from your device screens is strong enough to disrupt the circadian rhythm, which is essentially our body’s natural alarm clock that tells us when it’s time to wake up and when it’s time to sleep.
- This cycle is greatly influenced by light, and you want to ensure that your body naturally begins to wind down around night.
- Hence, avoid using a screen at least 30 mins before bed.
Also, read here How To Maintain a Healthy Sleep Schedule?
Step 3: Get Comfortable in a Dark And Quiet Environment
An environment optimized for light, temperature, and sound can help you get a comfortable sleep. Sound sleep for even fewer hours can make up for the recommended 7-8 hours of sleep.
- Temperature: Your bedroom should also be at an appropriate sleep temperature, neither too hot nor too chilly. Experts agree that a desirable temperature range is between 64 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit
- Light: Keeping with the idea of light influencing your circadian rhythm, you should make sure your bedroom is dark when you go to bed. Light reduces the amount of melatonin your body generates, which is one of the signals that tell your body it’s time to sleep. So full darkness is best if you want four hours of quality sleep.
- Comfort: Get a comfortable mattress and clothes to avoid distractions and discomfort affecting your sleep. Side sleepers should sleep on a soft mattress that cradles their bodies’ curves. On the other hand, back and stomach sleepers would benefit more from a firm mattress that prevents their spine and trunk from sinking into the bed.
- Noise: Avoid loud noises as they can disturb your sleep. It can also cause sleep fragmentation. Choose a calm noise-free room to facilitate your quality sleep.
You can sleep less but improve the quality of sleep for a short period of time. Persistently reduced sleep can affect your physical and mental health. If you have a disrupted sleep schedule, consult a doctor for professional help.
FAQs
1. How to fit 8 hours of sleep into 4 hours?
Making your bedtime routine healthy can help you make the most out of your 4 hours of sleep. Keep your mind and body relaxed and stress-free, eat healthily and avoid screens before bed.
2. What happens if you sleep less?
Less than the recommended hours of sleep for a long time leads to chronic health conditions. Insufficient sleep can cause heart issues, kidney problems, obesity, and depression.
3. How Is Much Sleep Too Much?
Sleep demands vary from person to person, but doctors recommend that healthy adults should get 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night. If you need more than 8 or 9 hours of sleep per night to feel rested, there may be some underlying conditions that need a diagnosis.
