How many hours of sleep do you get a night? Not getting enough sleep can negatively affect your health, weight, and energy. Sleep deprivation can cause memory loss, depression, a damaged immune system, or increased observation of pain. However, too much sleep can also be detrimental, making you feel tired and groggy throughout the day. When you are grieving or a caregiver you can often have trouble sleeping and this creates wear and tear on your health.   Here are some helpful hints:

Our bodies are constantly changing and require different amounts of sleep at different points in our lives. Each individual is different so listen to your body in order to determine what amount of sleep makes you feel rested.

When we’re born, we require 16 hours of sleep a day; as we grow into teens, it’s best to get around nine hours each night. As adults, we begin to vary; some adults can function beautifully on as few as five hours while other adults need as many as 10 hours to get out of bed, but most adults work best on 7-8 hours a night. And of course, pregnant women or those fighting illness need more sleep than usual.

It’s important not only to get enough sleep but good quality sleep. Try not to workout or eat a lot right before bed. Use the bathroom before bed so you don’t wake up in the middle of the night with the need to use the restroom again and avoid taking naps. Stick to a consistent bedtime and wake-up time as this allows your body to get into a routine, and then you’ll know if you need more or less sleep.

These are general guidelines but the best course of action is to consult your doctor about what will work best for you. Listen to your body; it’ll tell you its needs and it’s your job to act accordingly.  Of course, we can’t help you decide how much sleep you need, but we’re to help when the stress of funeral planning keeps you up at night.  Contact one of our locations to assist you:

Chapel of the Chimes~ 1234 Prospect Street, Indianapolis, IN  46203

Greenwood Chapel~481 West Main Street, Greenwood, IN  46142

Stirling-Gerber Chapel~5950 East Thompson Road, Indianapolis, IN  46237

Lahm Chapel~211 East State Street, Pendleton, IN  46064

Or you can call 1-800-891-3607 to reach any of the chapels.