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Hot/cold therapy for your body to recover fully and feel your best

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How to Build the Ultimate Recovery Routine with Hot and Cold Therapy

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Most professional athletes know the importance of an effective recovery routine to get the most out of their training and perform at their best. For the rest of us, recovery routines often just mean taking some time off working out. However, you don’t have to be a professional athlete to see incredible results from add

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Unlock your bodies full mobility with these tips and tricks

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Massage Therapy Vs. Stretch Therapy - Stretch 22

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Both Massage Therapy and Stretch Therapy offer unique benefits, and their combination accelerates recovery, reduces muscle stiffness, and enhances overall performance.

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Understand the benefits of getting a good nights rest and how it can affect the outcome of everyday living.

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Healthy Living

The Basics

Overview

It's important to get enough sleep. Sleep helps keep your mind and body healthy.

How much sleep do I need?

Most adults need 7 or more hours of sleep each night. It's also important to get good-quality sleep on a regular schedule so you feel rested when you wake up.

If you often have trouble sleeping - or if you often still feel tired after sleeping - talk with your doctor.

Get details about healthy sleep habits and sleep disorders.

How much sleep do children need?

Kids need even more sleep than adults:

Teens (age 13 to 17 years) need to sleep between 8 and 10 hours each night

School-aged children (age 6 to 12 years) need to sleep between 9 and 12 hours each night

Preschoolers (age 3 to 5 years) need to sleep between 10 and 13 hours a day, including naps

Toddlers (age 1 to 2 years) need to sleep between 11 and 14 hours a day, including naps

Babies (age 4 to 12 months) need to sleep between 12 and 16 hours a day, including naps

Newborns (age 0 to 3 months) need to sleep between 14 and 17 hours a day

Health Benefits

Why is getting enough sleep important?

Getting enough sleep has many benefits. It can help you:

Get sick less often

Stay at a healthy weight

Lower your risk for serious health problems, like diabetes and heart disease

Reduce stress, improve your mood, and get along better with people

Think more clearly, form long-term memories, and do better in school and at work

Make good decisions and avoid injuries - for example, drowsy drivers cause thousands of car accidents every year

Getting enough sleep is also important for children or teens' healthy development.

Sleep Schedule

Does it matter when I sleep?

Yes. Your body sets your "biological clock" according to the pattern of daylight where you live. This helps you naturally get sleepy at night and stay alert during the day.

If you work at night and sleep during the day, you may have trouble getting enough sleep. It can also be hard to sleep when you travel to a different time zone.

Get sleep tips to help you:

Trouble Sleeping

Why can't I fall or stay asleep?

Many things can make it harder for you to sleep, including:

Stress or anxiety

Pain

Certain health conditions, like heartburn or asthma

Some medicines

Caffeine (usually from coffee, tea, and soda)

Alcohol and other drugs

Untreated sleep disorders, like sleep apnea or insomnia

If you're having trouble sleeping, try making changes to your routine to get the sleep you need. You may want to:

Change what you do during the day - for example, get your physical activity in the morning instead of at night

Create a comfortable sleep environment - for example, make sure your bedroom is dark and quiet

Set a bedtime routine - for example, go to bed at the same time every night

Sleep Disorders

How can I tell if I have a sleep disorder?

Sleep disorders can cause many different problems. Keep in mind that it's normal to have trouble sleeping every now and then - but people with sleep disorders generally experience these problems on a regular basis.

Common signs of sleep disorders include:

Trouble falling or staying asleep, even after making healthy changes to your sleep routine

Still feeling tired after sleeping the recommended number of hours

Sleepiness during the day that makes it difficult to do everyday activities, like driving or concentrating at work

Frequent loud snoring

Pauses in breathing or gasping while you sleep

Tingling or crawling feelings in your legs or arms at night that feel better when you move or massage the area

Feeling like it's hard to move when you first wake up

If you have any of these signs, talk to a doctor or nurse. You may need testing or treatment for a sleep disorder.

To learn more about sleep disorders:

Take Action

Daytime Habits

Making small changes to your daily routine can help you get the sleep you need.

Change what you do during the day.

Try to spend some time outdoors in the daylight - earlier in the day is best

Plan your physical activity for earlier in the day, not right before you go to bed

Stay away from caffeine (including coffee, tea, and soda) late in the day

If you have trouble sleeping at night, limit daytime naps to 20 minutes or less

If you drink alcohol, drink only in moderation (less than 1 drink in a day for women and less than 2 drinks in a day for men) - alcohol can keep you from sleeping well

Don't eat a big meal close to bedtime

If you smoke, make a plan to quit - the nicotine in cigarettes can make it harder for you to sleep

Get tips for:

Nighttime Habits

Create a good sleep environment.

Make sure your bedroom is dark - if there are streetlights near your window, try putting up light-blocking curtains

Keep your bedroom quiet

Consider keeping electronic devices - like TVs, computers, and smartphones - out of your bedroom

Set a bedtime routine.

Go to bed at the same time each night and wake up at the same time each morning, including on weekends

Avoid eating, talking on the phone, or reading in bed

Avoid using computers or smartphones, watching TV, or playing video games at bedtime

If you find yourself up at night worrying about things, use these tips to help manage stress

If you're still awake after staying in bed for more than 20 minutes, get up. Do something relaxing, like reading or meditating, until you feel sleepy.

See a Doctor

If you're concerned about your sleep, see a doctor.

Talk with a doctor or nurse if you have any signs of a sleep disorder, such as trouble falling or staying asleep or trouble staying awake during the day. Learn about other signs of sleep disorders.

Even if you don't have these problems, talk with a doctor if you feel like you often have trouble sleeping.

Keep a sleep diary [PDF - 53 KB] for a week and share it with your doctor. A doctor can suggest different sleep routines or medicines to treat sleep disorders. Talk with a doctor before trying over-the-counter sleep medicines.

Reviewer Information

Reviewed by:
Marishka Brown, Ph.D
Director, National Center on Sleep Disorders Research
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

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Getting enough sleep helps keep your mind and body healthy. Most adults need 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night. Share this resource to help people get enough sleep.

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Discover why exercise is important for ALL age groups.

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Why is physical activity important?

Exercise and physical activity are good for just about everyone, including older adults. No matter your health and physical abilities, you can gain a lot by staying active. In fact, studies show that "taking it easy" is risky. Often, inactivity is more to blame than age when older people lose the ability to do things on their own. Lack of physical activity also can lead to more visits to the doctor, more hospitalizations, and more use of medicines for a variety of illnesses.

Including all 4 types of exercise can benefit a wide range of areas of your life. Staying active can help you:

Read and share this infographic about the four types of exercise.

Keep and improve your strength so you can stay independent

Have more energy to do the things you want to do and reduce fatigue

Improve your balance and lower risk of falls and injuries from falls

Manage and prevent some diseases like arthritis, heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and 8 types of cancer, including breast and colon cancer

Sleep better at home

Reduce levels of stress and anxiety

Reach or maintain a healthy weight and reduce risk of excessive weight gain

Control your blood pressure

Possibly improve or maintain some aspects of cognitive function, such as your ability to shift quickly between tasks or plan an activity

Perk up your mood and reduce feelings of depression

Quick tip

Being active can help prevent future falls and fractures. For tips to help prevent falls at home, read Fall-Proofing Your Home.

The YMCA offers evidence-based group exercise programs for older adults to improve fitness and balance for falls prevention.

Emotional benefits of exercise

Read and share this infographic and spread the word about ways that may help foster healthy aging.

Research has shown that exercise is not only good for your physical health, it also supports emotional and mental health. You can exercise with a friend and get the added benefit of emotional support. So, next time you're feeling down, anxious, or stressed, try to get up and start moving!

Physical activity can help:

Reduce feelings of depression and stress, while improving your mood and overall emotional well-being

Increase your energy level

Improve sleep

Empower you to feel more in control

In addition, exercise and physical activity may possibly improve or maintain some aspects of cognitive function, such as your ability to shift quickly between tasks, plan an activity, and ignore irrelevant information.

Read and share this infographic and help spread the word about the everyday benefits of exercise and physical activity.

Here are some exercise ideas to help you lift your mood:

Walking, bicycling, or dancing. Endurance activities increase your breathing, get your heart pumping, and boost chemicals in your body that may improve mood.

Yoga. This mind and body practice typically combines physical postures, breathing exercises, and relaxation.

Tai Chi. This "moving meditation" involves shifting the body slowly, gently, and precisely, while breathing deeply.

Activities you enjoy. Whether it's gardening, playing tennis, kicking around a soccer ball with your grandchildren, or something else, choose an activity you want to do, not one you have to do.

You may also be interested in

For more information

This content is provided by the NIH National Institute on Aging (NIA). NIA scientists and other experts review this content to ensure it is accurate and up to date.

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Real-Life Benefits of Exercise and Physical Activity

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No matter your health and physical abilities, you can gain a lot by staying active. Learn about the many benefits of being physically active.

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Dive into key ingredients to meals to feel your best!

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Home Meal Preparation: A Powerful Medical Intervention

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One of the principles of culinary medicine is to help patients learn how to make nutritious eating simple and easy. In this column, you will learn tools for preparing and storing food; a key component to successful home cooking. While this article…