Without adequate sleep, all aspects of your health will be compromised. But this is a neglected area of health, often the first sacrifice made by Americans who want to be more productive and active. Far from being a waste of time, sleep is the foundation of your health and something you should prioritize on the same level as diet and exercise.
National Council on AgingOne One-third of Americans report getting less than seven hours of sleep per night. Another 30% report symptoms of insomnia, and 10% report that it negatively affects their daily activities. Overall, 13.5% of adults report feeling tired or exhausted most days.
The bane of sleep deprivation
The amount of sleep you need can vary. The percentage of adults who don’t get enough sleep has remained constant since 2013.2 39% of adults aged 45 to 64 are not getting enough sleep, and the rate of sleep deprivation among men (37%) is slightly higher than that of women (35.4%).
Sleep deprivation varies by region, with the Southeastern United States and Appalachia hit particularly hard. County-by-county sleep deprivation maps directly correspond to the highest rates of diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke.three This is an important clue as to how important sleep is.
Sleep deprivation has been shown to reduce quality of life and increase the risk of chronic disease, obesity, cancer, stroke, dementia, and even death.4 The amount of sleep we need varies. Adults over 18 should aim for at least 7 to 9 hours. With good quality sleep, this is enough time for your mind and body to recover.
Wakefulness and sleep deprivation are associated with neuronal degeneration and mitochondrial stress.5 Animal studies have shown that inconsistent sleep causes significant and irreversible brain damage.6
The glymphatic system, which flushes waste from the brain, increases during deep sleep. Dreams during deep sleep also perform important cognitive functions that help us gain insight and perform better on daily tasks. The CDC table below provides estimates of how much sleep you need by age.
| Age group | How much sleep is needed for health |
|---|---|
| newborn baby (0~3 months) | 14-17 hours |
| child (4 months to 11 months) | 12-15 hours |
| child (1~2 years) | 11~14 hours |
| Preschool children (3~5) | 10~13 hours |
| school age children (6~13) | 9~11 hours |
| Teenagers (14 to 17 years old) | 8-10 hours |
| adult (18 to 64 years old) | 7~9 hours |
| Adult (65 years old or older) | 7-8 hours |
Gardening Linked to Improved Sleep Duration and Quality
A recent study found a positive link between gardening and sleep. In a survey of more than 62,000 participants, non-exercising horticulturists were significantly less likely to experience sleep problems than other non-exercising people. Sleep health increased with more time spent gardening.7
Improved sleep isn't the only benefit. Gardening has also been shown to have a positive effect on sleep apnea, daytime sleepiness, and insomnia.8 Activity and sun exposure are two major components that make gardening a health-promoting activity. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention classifies gardening as a form of moderate cardiovascular activity. Gardening for 30 to 45 minutes a day can burn 150 to 300 calories.
Gardening involves many activities, and not all are created equal. Raking, digging, and intensive weeding and mowing can burn as many calories as moderate to high intensity exercise.9 These gardening activities can restore agility and strength. More passive activities, such as standing or watering, won't increase your heart rate significantly, but you will gain crucial sun exposure.
Reset your circadian rhythm while gardening
Gardening is an attractive form of exercise that combines exposure to nature and physical activity.10 Exposure to natural light helps regulate your body's circadian rhythm, which acts as an internal clock that governs your sleep-wake cycle. Exposure to bright sunlight in the morning and solar noon will help properly “set” your master clock.
The human master clock is made up of a group of nerve cells called the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN).11 The SCN controls melatonin production and synchronizes it with every cell in the body. Even just 30 minutes of sun exposure can improve your sleep, regulate your internal clock, and help you sleep better.12 Sunlight also increases vitamin D levels and lowers blood pressure.13
Gardening has a positive effect on stress. As an environment for social interaction, communal gardens can counteract the isolation of depression, dementia and learning disabilities.14 Studies have shown that growing and eating your own vegetables and fruits has a positive effect on your diet.15
How to successfully start your own garden
There are many reasons to start gardening, but if you've never done it before, it may seem like a daunting task. The first tip is to always start small and don't overextend. The bigger your garden, the more work you have to do. This can cause stress and you can always increase the size of your garden later if space allows.
One of the keys to a successful garden is the use of wood chips. They are readily available, locally sourced, and can optimize soil microbiology with little effort. After watching a short documentary in 2014, I contacted my local tree cutting service. They were able to drop off a truckload of wood chips for free.
Local forestry departments may also be able to provide mulch and wood chips for free, and there are websites that can help arborists and forestry companies who want to get rid of tree chips coordinate to put them down.
Once you have finished mulching the soil around your trees and plants, they will begin to work their magic. The trade-off is that wood chips eliminate or dramatically reduce the need for weeding, watering, and fertilizing.
Lay down a thick layer of wood chips and in a few months you will have a rich, nutrient-rich soil underneath the wood chips that you can grow whatever you want. Plant in the soil underneath the wood chips, not in the wood chips, and cover the plants below the first layer of leaves. I have found that wood chips reduce the need to pull weeds by over 90%. Any weeds that do grow can be easily removed by the roots thanks to the lush soil.
Wood chips also reduce evaporation of water from the soil. At night, they absorb moisture from the air and release it back into the soil as needed. The soil itself attracts earthworms as well as a rapid growth of bacteria, fungi and protozoa.
Worms make a vibrant vermicompost that gardeners crave. No need to set up a worm farm, wood chips attract and nurture the worms already living in your soil.
This combination of properties makes wood chips an ideal foundation for your garden, eliminating the need for fertilizer, increasing yields, reducing water usage, eliminating hours of weeding, and increasing the nutrient density of your soil. They also insulate the soil, regulating extreme temperatures and protecting it from freezing.
The Biggest Threat to a Good Night's Sleep
Although gardening seems very helpful for sleep, it's definitely not the only way to get more Z's. Previously I outlined 50 ways to improve your sleep. The first and most important step is to sleep in the dark, or as close to it as possible. If a blackout shade isn't in your budget, a well-fitting sleep mask is a great alternative. Wearing an eye patch while sleeping overnight has been shown to temporarily improve learning and attention.16
It is important not to turn on the lights at night, even when going to the bathroom. If you need night lighting, use red bulbs. This is because red light does not stop melatonin production. If you live in an area with noise pollution, simple and inexpensive ear plugs can reduce most ambient noise.
EMFs can also have a drastic and negative impact on your sleep. Always turn off your Wi-Fi at night and move your alarm clock and electrical devices closer to your bed. 3 feet is the minimum, but the farther away the better. If you can’t put your phone on airplane mode overnight, at least keep it as far away as possible. For even more protection, turn off the power in your bedroom overnight.
Comfort is also important, as the optimal temperature is between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit (15.6 and 19.4 degrees Celsius). This lower temperature mimics the body's natural temperature drop. Poor diet, stress, obesity, alcohol, caffeine, prescription drugs, disruptive pets and fluid intake have the potential to destroy sleep quality.
Additional tips for better sleep
A consistent bedtime is important to optimize your circadian rhythm, and getting to bed as early as possible is the way nature intended for human life. Electricity and light are recent technological innovations. EMF pollution and interference are still newer. Candles are better than LED lights if possible.
Your bed should be your only place to sleep, and removing distractions will make it easier to fall asleep at bedtime. Avoid watching TV, browsing your phone, or working on your computer in bed.
Screen time and lights after dark are unavoidable for most of us, but blue-blocking glasses after dark can improve some of the sleep problems caused by modern technology. Consider putting down work at least an hour before bed. There are also natural sleep promoters such as chamomile tea, melatonin, valerian root, and CBD oil.
Sleeping naked can improve the quality of your sleep, improve your metabolism and circulation, and help you stay cool.17 You can wear socks to prevent waking up with cold feet. Combining gardening, sunlight exposure, and these sleep tips can help you get the sleep you need.
