What Is The Best Way to Sleep Well for 8 Hours Straight?
Can I Get Uninterrupted Sleep without Medication?
It is uncertain whether or not there is one best way to sleep well for 8 hours straight for optimal health and the ability to
function well each day.
But wait a second…
Is 8 hours of sleep a good rule of thumb? Is it better to sleep 8 hours straight or split sleep up into 2 or more sessions? And if I need 8 hours of sleep every night, can I get that uninterrupted sleep without medication?
People have different circumstances; different experiences that may make them less prone to sleeping soundly. There are many factors.
So, we’ll proceed with this in mind, and hopefully cast a vast blanket, and for the maybe less-common causes of poor sleep I will be able to link you somewhere more specific. If your specific situation is not addressed, let us know, please.
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Is Eight Hours of Sleep a Good Rule?
Is the eight hours of sleep “rule” a good standard, or is this another thing some group that presumed it knew what was best for everybody decided on and it turns out is a steaming pile of bullplop soufflé (Soufflé: from the French verb souffler which means “to blow”, “to breathe”, “to inflate” or “to puff”)?
It depends on the quality of those 8 hours, doesn’t it? Or is this also a load of bovine brownies??
Actually, 8 hours seems to be optimal, for me, personally. I used to be able (or at least I thought I was) to function on a dribble of sleep, not all that long ago. I’m now in my fifties, and it is suddenly a whole other story.
But too much sleep is just as bad as not enough. In fact, hypersomnia has been linked to many of the same health issues as insomnia. These are fundamentally cardiovascular diseases, cognitive impairment, diabetes, and obesity.
Does Depression Cause People to Oversleep, Or Is It the Other Way Around?
You know how depression tends to make a person sleep a lot? Well, I think the word I am reaching for is “conundrum”. Sleeping too much actually can contribute to depression.
People with depression tend to sleep to avoid depression. But sleeping too much can leave them feeling guilty–like they are wasting their lives. It reinforces a sense of shame, which is likely a root of the depression, to begin with.
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World’s largest sleep study shows too much shut-eye can be bad for your brain
But besides depression, oversleeping can have other quite serious physical and psychological effects, including:
- headaches
- backache
- weight gain
- brain fog
- heart disease
Can Stress Cause You to Oversleep?
Is It Better to Sleep 8 Hours Straight or Split It Up?
To be completely honest (not to suggest that I make a habit of spewing half-truths, or hold back a little just for myself, usually), the consensus for this topic is all over the place. Nobody seems to know for sure, despite sounding like they do, despite the sea of very diverse opinions. I don’t want to be another of them, so I will point you to the largest study on the 8-hours of sleep a day theory that I have been able to find, and be done with it. As I said before, the 8 hours of sleep rule works for me. Two hours on either side adds up to no good, especially if either happens more than one day in a row.
7-9 hours of solid sleep, regularly, seems to be ideal!
And long periods of regular, disrupted sleep will have substantial cumulative effects on your overall health.
What Is The Best Way to Sleep Well for 8 Hours Straight…What Can I Do to Sleep Better??
Ashwagandha is what works for Larke, and she will holler it’s virtues to you “in front of the post office!”.
Ashwagandha for anxiety and insomnia (and MUCH more)
Bay leaves are another natural remedy for relaxing and eliminating insomnia if taken in tea form, before bed (Hops can also do this).
Staying physically active during the day is paramount. This can’t be overstated, and it just makes sense.
Even short and sparse doses of physical activity during waking hours helps lead to deep sleep—the phase of sleep that is the most physically and mentally restorative. And deep sleep helps to boost heart health and immunity, and also helps limit stress and anxiety.
A Fluoride-Calcified Pineal Gland
If your pineal gland is calcified, due primarily to the effects of drinking fluoridated tap water (if you’re wondering if yours is, it is safe to assume it is), this can cause difficulty sleeping. Get a filter system that removes fluoride, or find which bottled water brands actually have the fluoride removed.
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These are a few causes of and remedies for insomnia that we have touched on at Un-Pharma, which are less-talked-about, and we bring them up because people who have trouble sleeping know all the usual recommendations. And we do deal with the more obscure things, which are harder to find out about, because the powers-that-be would rather have us in the dark about anything on which they could be hindered from capitalizing.
A Proper Diet Will Help You Sleep
Of course, I can’t bring up exercise without mentioning diet. Not eating processed garbage is going to heal you physically and cognitively. I have done both, and can exuberantly attest. Eating well is much harder than it used to be, but is still possible. It takes a bit of thought and cunning when shopping, but the results are like night and day, in so many ways.
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A Video: How Sleep Cleans Your Brain
Completely Natural Sleep Supplement
Here is a completely natural sleep supplement, containing ashwagandha, which I mentioned, as well as zinc, magnesium, B6 and many more nutrients. And it will actually work, without the side effects of pharmaceutical chemicals. It simply promotes balanced brain chemistry and relaxation, and may have one or two added benefits.
If you are a chronic sufferer of insomnia, this product will not be the answer, if you are not taking care of your diet and keeping somewhat physically active (and getting regular sunshine!)
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“Healthy sleep requires balanced brain chemistry. This relies on the proper metabolism of catecholamines (dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine). This is because catecholamines are responsible for feelings of excitement, nervousness, and anger, which can all interfere with restful sleep.*
Optimal Sleep II* is a powerful vitamin, mineral, and herbal formula intended to support the healthy onset of sleep.*
This formula supplies the necessary nutrient cofactors for healthy neurotransmitter metabolism to support optimal sleep. These targeted nutrients serve as cofactors for enzymes that break down excitatory brain chemicals (such as dopamine) and potentially toxic byproducts (such as ammonia). They also support the metabolism of serotonin for those who may have a build-up of this neurotransmitter.”*
In Summary
It is possible to get enough sleep without medication or other chemicals, and the best ways to sleep well for 8 hours straight every night are to stop eating junk food and keep as physically active as you are able.
Of course there is another conundrum, at the risk of wearing out a great word… without a proper diet, you won’t feel like exercising.
I leave that for you to work out for yourself. In the meantime, if you are someone with an occupation that has you sitting down at a desk all day, start by taking walks when you can. 10 minutes of walking is better than ZERO minutes of walking. Often the only exercise I get all day is my nightly stroll. But I do notice if I miss it. I feel lethargic.
And I don’t seem to sleep as well.
Ok, then.
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