Adequate sleep is necessary for maintaining good physical health and mental health. sound sleep helps in faster recovery of the body. Prolonged sleep deprivation results in the risk of heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure and diabetes.Mindfulness is fully present, not overwhelmed by the situations, and aware of where the person is and what they are doing. A recent study shows an extra 29 minutes each night can help in improving mindfulness.
The researchers from the University of South Florida studied various characteristics of sleep and the impact of the night’s sleep on daily mindfulness. 61 nurses were examined, nurses are important in the healthcare industry and require optimal sleep and mindful attention while working. Long shifts, lack of control over the situations and regular encounters with life-threatening health conditions are common among them. Actigraphs are devices to record daily movements or to estimate sleep parameters placed on the wrist, ankle or trunk. The nUrses were provided with actigraphs for two weeks. The nurses self-report the daily sleep characteristics, actigraphy measures. The Sleep health was determined on teh basis of satisfaction, Alertness, Timing (spent on sleep and awake), Efficiency (spent asleep in bed), Duration.
The study concluded better sleep improves mindfulness the very next day. Mindful and attentive nurses are those who slept for a longer period of time. After an extra 29 minutes of sleep, better sleep quality and less same-day sleepiness is reported. It was also reported that nurses with greater mindful attention were 66 percent less likely to experience any symptoms of insomnia during the study period.