The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends adults get at least seven hours of sleep every night, but Harvard-trained Dr. Amy Shah knows that’s not always in the cards for everyone. She understands that people are busy and says it’s not worth stressing if you don’t get the full seven hours each and every night.
Dr. Shah also points out that everyone is different and she advises letting your body tell you how much sleep you need. These are some hidden signs your body is letting you know you’re not getting enough sleep. If you answer yes to three or more of these, you probably aren’t getting the right amount of good-quality sleep.
- It takes you 30 minutes or longer to fall asleep.
- You hardly ever remember your dreams.
- You’re still tired and don’t feel rested when you wake up.
- You’re hungry more often, and crave junk food.
- You wake up earlier than you want to.
- You’re sometimes sleepy throughout the day.
- You frequently wake up once or more during the night.
- You often lie awake in bed worrying and with thoughts racing.
- Your eyes are puffy, red or have dark circles under them in the morning.
- Your emotions are all over the place, swinging from anger to anxiety to sadness, etc.
If you’re not getting enough good-quality sleep on a regular basis, Dr. Shah suggests trying to get at least two good nights of sleep in a row. She explains this gives your body time to complete one full sleep cycle, which will help you feel less groggy when you wake up.
Source: CNBC