Table of contents:

1. How much sleep should a healthy person get?
2. Causes of insomnia

Sleep deprivation can also affect other health complications. People suffering from insomnia are more likely to fall into alcohol and other addictions (smoking, use of hard and soft drugs).

There is an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease or schizophrenia among people who have sleep problems. There may also be damage to the lungs, liver and small intestine. Insomnia also affects arthritis and reduces sexual desire, and weakens the immune system.

How much sleep should a healthy person get?

Everyone's body is different and therefore each person has different sleep requirements. A lot of people sleep less than the average sleep requirement, which varies according to age.

Charles A. Czeisler, professor of sleep medicine at Harvard University has shown that daily sleep recommendations should be respectively:

• Newborns (0-3 months): 14-17 hrs.
• Infants (4-11 months): 12-15 hrs.
• Toddlers (1-2 years): 11-14 hrs.
• Preschoolers (3-5 years): 10-13 hrs.
• School age (6-13 years): 9-11 hrs.
• Teenagers (14-17 years): 8-10 hrs.
• Young adults (18-25 years): 7-9 hrs.
• Adults (26-64): 7-9 hrs.
• Older adults (65 and over): 7-8 hrs.

Causes of insomnia

There are many causes of insomnia, the main ones being:

• irregular lifestyle - it is best for our body when we wake up and go to bed at the same time each day,
• naps during the day,
• overeating at night,
• doing intense exercise before bedtime,
• watching TV and playing computer games late at night,
• abuse of stimulants such as caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, energy drinks, psychoactive substances (drugs and some medicines),
• distractions, e.g. intensive lighting in the bedroom, computer on or other sound-producing devices,
• inadequately prepared bedroom (wrong mattress or pillow, unventilated room, inadequate room temperature, which should be 18-20°C).