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In today's fast-paced world, a good night's sleep has become some sort of treat.

Sleep shouldn't be a luxury because it is just as important as food and water, for it plays a role in your physical and mental health.

It's not new news what sleep can do to your body --- restores your energy, repairs your tissues, and allows your brain to process information --- so it's not surprising that sleep itself is essential.

But then why are you depriving yourself of getting sleep?

You may name several reasons, whether it be work or family, but continuously getting sleep deprived can cause many serious illnesses in the long run.

“Ang sleep deprivation ay isang kakulangan. Kakulangang sa tulog or nangungutang ng tulog,” tells Dr. Rolando Dela Eva, a sleep disorder specialist at the St. Luke's Medical Center, to Pinoy MD.

“For example, tayong adults kailangan natin ng 7 to 8 hours of sleep pero natulog lang tayo ng mga four hours, so kulang tayo ng 3 more hours a day.

“What more if it's a week? So you multiply that by seven, so 28! Kung baga 28 hours ang utang mo.”

Dela Eva adds that chronic sleep deprivation can also affect your immune system, which is vital in today's day and age when the pandemic is still looming around us.

“Ang tulog kasi ay kailangan to eliminate and linisin ang toxins sa ating katawan,” he says.

“So, kung hindi tayo nakakatulog, palaging sluggish tayo at 'di tayo efficient to perform our daily tasks.”

How much sleep do you need?

As we age, the number of hours we need also does.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, you should aim to get the amount of Zzz's listed below:

• 65 and up - 7 to 8 hours
• 18 to 64 years old - 7 to 9 hours
• 14 to 17 years old - 8 to 10 hours
• 6 to 13 years old - 9 to 11 hours
• 3 to 5 years old - 10 to 13 hours
• 1 to 2 year old - 11 to 14 hours
• 4 to 11 months old - 12 to 15 hours
• 0 to 3 months old - 14 to 17 hours

How to get healthy sleep

Getting a healthy dose of sleep is all about tricking your body and your mind. If you don't know where to start, here are a few ideas from Pinoy MD:

Establish a sleep routine

Dela Eva suggests that one should establish a cut-off time to prepare yourself to relax and get a good night's rest.

He says, “Kailangan meron kang cut-off time at may naka-set ka na clock and mas maganda kung i-maintain mo siya.”

So train your body to get better sleep and stick to a schedule even on weekends, holidays, and vacations.

Cut out your caffeine

Even if you only drink it during the day, the stimulant may keep you from getting a good shut-eye.

Instead, try swapping your caffeine with chamomile tea, especially in the evenings. Chamomile has a natural agent called apigenin that helps your body relax, leading you to sleep in no time.

Put down your phone

The blue light emitted by electronic devices can stimulate your brain, which may make sleeping difficult.

So vow to put away any form of electronics or gadgets at least an hour before you sleep. We know it isn't easy, but if it can help you get a night of healthy sleep, a little sacrifice would suffice.

For some, sleep comes very easy but for others, getting quality sleep is a major challenge. The most important trick to getting a good night's rest is establishing good habits over time.

If you continue to have problems sleeping at night and are fighting daytime fatigue, talk to your doctor. They can test you for any underlying health conditions that might be getting in the way of your sleep schedule.

For more ideas like this, try visiting GMA Network's Lifestyle Page.