How to Get the Right Amount of Sleep

The National Sleep Foundation suggests that most adults need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night, with teens and children needing even more. If you have a busy lifestyle, though, this can be hard to achieve. If you want to get the right amount of sleep, you need to make sleep a priority.

Instructions

• 1

  Decide how much sleep you feel you need. The amount of sleep that anyone needs can vary drastically. Too much or too little sleep for you can leave you working at less than your peak. Pay attention to how you feel after different amounts of sleep. You should not have a difficult time getting out of bed in the morning.

• 2

  Catch up on some sleep during the weekend. If you've not been sleeping enough, you may have a "sleep deficit," which can mean that you'll still feel tired, even after you've gotten the right amount of sleep. The weekend often offers opportunities to sleep a bit longer.

• 3

  Eat your dinner 2 to 3 hours before sleeping. A full stomach could affect your sleep. Avoid late-night snacks and eat your dinner early.

• 4

  Turn down the thermostat. Teen Health suggests that the best environment for sleeping is one that is slightly cool. If you're having trouble sleeping, lower the heat in your room and see if doing so has an impact.

• 5

  Block out noise and light. You want a dark and quiet space for sleep. Use blinds or blackout curtains. If others in your home are awake after you're going to bed, ask them to keep the noise down.

• 6

  Give yourself enough time to sleep. If you must wake up at 6 a.m. and need 8 hours of sleep, you must go to sleep at 10 p.m. In other words, don't go to bed late when you know you'll end up short on sleep.

• 7

  Turn the display of your alarm clock toward the wall. If you're constantly looking at the clock trying to figure out how many hours of sleep you'll get, it can be hard to fall asleep.

• 8

  Stick to your sleeping schedule on the weekends, too. It will be harder to fall asleep if you're constantly changing your sleep patterns.