What is a good night's sleep and how do you achieve it?

"A 'good night's sleep' means 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night for adults (18 to 65 years). For older adults (65+), 7 to 8 hours is sufficient. Besides duration, sleep quality is also important. It's a good sign if you wake up feeling rested in the morning. If this is not the case, then your night's sleep was not good."

Over 10% of young people and adults sleep less than recommended. And the consequences of a bad night are no joke:

• Poor concentration
• Forgetful
• High risk of accidents
• Higher risk of diabetes
• More feelings of anxiety
• More feelings of loneliness
• Weight gain
• Less vision
• Reduced responsiveness

Do you want to benefit from a good night's sleep again? Then we have about ten tips for you! We hope you experience a good night's sleep again with these.

1. Never sleep too long

This may sound a bit contradictory, but a good and long night's sleep are not the same. We need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep per night. Less can eventually cause sleep deprivation. If you notice you still need more sleep, something else is usually going on. Discuss it with your doctor.

2. A good sleep rhythm and a comfortable sleeping place help

Help your body out and maintain a good rhythm; go to bed at a fixed time and get up at a fixed time. This way, your body knows when to go to bed and when to get up.

Also, ensure a fixed and comfortable place to sleep. Make sure your bed is meant for sleeping. Many people also puzzle or work from bed and unintentionally 'train' their body to do something other than sleep there. This disrupts your rhythm.

3. Move enough

Keep moving throughout the day. You sleep much better if you exercise moderately for at least 30 minutes a day. Think of walking or cycling, for example. When you go for a walk in the evening, you can clear your mind right away.

4. Practice yoga or mindfulness

Yoga and mindfulness can help you relax and put the daily hustle and bustle into perspective. By doing a few physical and mental yoga or mindfulness exercises daily, you learn to let go of your worries. There are various apps and YouTube videos that can support you with this.

5. Take a worry quarter-hour

Do you notice that you have trouble falling asleep in the evening? Then taking a worry quarter-hour can help. During this quarter-hour, you can process your thoughts from the day.

Want to know more about how to fall asleep better? Read our blog article: Trouble falling asleep; these are the causes and how to get rid of them!

6. Avoid alcohol before going to sleep

Alcohol seems to help with a good night's sleep. And alcohol does help you fall asleep faster. However, it does not improve the quality of your sleep. Like caffeinated drinks, it's better to avoid wine, beer, or spirits.

7. Ensure a good night's sleep with a weighted blanket

Weighted blankets, or weighted blankets, are the latest way to help poor sleepers get a good night's sleep. The pressure that a weighted blanket applies to the body stimulates the production of serotonin and melatonin, helping you experience a good night's sleep again.

8. Take your time

Better sleep takes time. Have you not been sleeping well for a while? It can take some time before your sleep improves. You need to get into a rhythm. Try the above tips for at least two months. Think of it as training.