Very few people receive formal education about the nature of sleep, so our understanding of sleep tends to be an unreliable mix of information we may have read in magazines, heard from friends, or developed on our own based off personal experiences. This makes it more difficult to assess what is actually happening when we experience sleepless nights or compare our sleep habits to the habits of others. Familiarizing yourself with the basics of sleep can help eliminate some of that frustration or confusion, making it easier to sleep.

Eight is Not a Magic Number

Don’t stress if you’re not accumulating eight full hours of sleep each night. Some people really don’t need that much sleep in order to feel rested and energetic the next day. It’s true that eight hours is the average amount of sleep that healthy adults get if they are left to sleep undisturbed, but that may not specifically apply to you. As long are you feel rested when the day begins, try not to worry about the exact number of hours of sleep you are accumulating.

Waking Up is OK

Everyone wakes up at night; it’s normal, expected, and not cause for extreme worry. Our brains wake up every couple of hours during sleep, in between cycles of deep sleep and REM sleep. Research shows that it takes between 90 minutes to 2 hours to complete each cycle. Whether or not you remember, your brain wakes up after each cycle. People struggling with insomnia may notice these awakenings more, and feel anxiety about whether they will be able to return to sleep. But waking up occasionally throughout the night is perfectly natural.

Sleep Needs Change Throughout Life

When people enter their sixties, nighttime sleep tends to shorten and is more fragmented. You might feel sleepy earlier in the evening, and wake up earlier in the morning. Retirees sometimes get in the habit of taking afternoon naps. These are normal shifts that happen to many people, and are not necessarily cause for worry. If you feel tired or sleepy during the day, though, some adjustments to your sleep schedule might be helpful.

Long-Term Effects of Insomnia

Although scientists and sleep physicians are learning more and more about insomnia, many facts still remain unknown. For example, the effects of long-term insomnia on health is not clear although increased risk for depression and anxiety are possibilities. Some scientists believe there may be a link between insomnia and increased risk for diabetes. We still don’t know if insomnia and life span are related. Because there is still much to learn, try not to dwell on the possible long-term effects of insomnia. It probably won’t help you get a better night’s sleep.

Short-Term Effects of Poor Sleep

Research shows that people who struggle with insomnia are not necessarily sleepy during the day. You might feel fatigued, tired, or run down – but not necessarily sleepy. For example, some people who have insomnia are not able to take naps during the day even though they are sleep-deprived. To compare, people diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea and related insomnia often feel very sleepy during the day and take frequent naps. Other short term effects of insomnia might include low energy, mental fogginess, and irritability. Fortunately, there are many treatments available to help people struggling with insomnia.