It's no secret that getting enough sleep is essential for your health and wellbeing. Children and adults with otherwise healthy sleep patterns can suffer short- and long-term adverse effects from sleep disruption. Despite their prevalence, these side effects are well known by the general public, yet we still experience sleep problems.
An adult in Canada struggles to fall asleep or stay asleep on average every two nights, and one in five adults feels unrefreshed the next morning. …Is there anything we can do about it? Listed below are some sleep tips to help boost your quality of sleep in the short term as well as to create a sleep schedule conducive to your optimal wellbeing over time.
Sleep deprivation has dangerous effects
You wake up the next day feeling like you have been hit by a bus after a night of no sleep. The problem goes beyond how you feel that day.
A sleepless night can lead to the following symptoms:
A greater sense of stress reactivity
Pain and aches in the body
A decrease in quality of life
Emotional disturbances and mood disorders
Performance, memory, and cognitive deficits
Although none of those things sound appealing, there are even more risks associated with a lack of sleep over a long period of time:
Dyslipidemia is an unhealthy level of fat in your blood, including LDL cholesterol.
hypertension
heart disease
weight issues
diabetes
certain types of cancer
an increased risk of death
Individuals who are otherwise healthy are at risk for both short- and long-term symptoms. Individuals with underlying medical disorders are at an even greater risk of developing cancer.
After all that, it's easy to see why getting more sleep is so important. We'll talk about sleep tricks to establish healthy sleep habits that will last a lifetime.
Sleeping well is easier said than done
Having trouble sleeping might make you feel helpless. No matter what you do, you just can't seem to sleep better. For those of us who are in this boat, there are some useful tips that will help you create better habits and a more conducive sleep environment. This will lead to healthier sleep in the long run.
Stick to a schedule you set
Each human is a creature of habit to a different degree, and we all thrive when our schedules are predictable. So, let's start by suggesting that you set a healthy sleep schedule.
Schedule your sleep? Why?
A healthy sleep schedule not only benefits the human condition of being able to handle structure better, but it also restores and reinforces your body's natural sleep cycle.
Circadian rhythm, otherwise referred to as the sleep-wake cycle, refers to the body's natural influx and ebb of hormones that control sleep and other bodily functions. It is genetically determined that humans run on a 24-hour cycle.
By discussing early birds and night owls, we begin to understand that people have different sleeping patterns. Hormones dictate a person's sleep and wake-up times, but others follow a more standard and ideal schedule where they are ready for bed early and wake up early.
Changing our bedtime and waking time every day disturbs our natural hormonal cycle and confuses our bodies. Our bodies are designed to sleep in cycles, so if we follow these sleep tips and set a healthy sleep schedule, we can strengthen this natural rhythm.
Putting a schedule in place
Taking your circadian rhythm into consideration is the first step. If you're a person who typically stays up later, don't try to force yourself to go to bed at 9 p.m. Nonetheless, if your work or life requires you to wake up at a certain time, such as 7 a.m., you should plan accordingly.
The average healthy adult needs between seven and nine hours of sleep per night. To ensure you get enough sleep, count backward from your required wake-up time.
Stick to your healthy sleep schedule once you've established one! Yes, that includes weekends, too. Consistently sleeping enhances the natural hormonal cycle and will set you up for better sleep over time.
Set up your room for sleep
Make sure your bedroom is properly set up to promote healthy sleep after you've established a good sleep schedule! It’s time to make sure your bedroom is set up for better sleep, too! Humans should sleep in dark, cool environments like mushrooms, you might have heard. The temperature and lighting are both important, but there are other things to consider.
There is no doubt that you do not want to sleep with a light on, but you might consider making it as dark as possible. A nightlight, even slightly bright, will cause your circadian rhythm to be confused, and what is the worse? Devices like TV sets, smartphones, and tablets emit blue light.
Besides limiting lighting, aim for a temperature of 18.3 degrees Celsius, and consider buying a white-noise machine.
Did you make your room dark, cool, and white-noisy?
You may have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep if you're exposed to light, especially light from your devices. Your brain can be affected by blue light up to an hour after you look at it! For this reason, you should put all your devices away at least an hour before bedtime.
In research, it has been found that sleeping in a room between 15.6 and 19.4 degrees Celsius can lead to better sleep. Keep warm blankets on hand if that sounds too cold.
Last but not least, studies have found that loud noises aren't the cause of sleep disturbance, but rather disruptions in what you've been hearing. It is for this reason that a white noise machine or other soothing noise can help drown out disturbing noises and help you sleep better.
Setting up the right sleep environment
A white noise machine and a thermostat are straightforward sleep tips, but how do you make the room darker? As well as turning off all devices and removing your nightlight, consider adding black-out shades to your windows and closing doors that allow light in.
Do stress levels affect sleep?
You might be rolling your eyes already, but we've got one more sleep tip for you: manage your stress. We all know too much stress is dangerous, but if we could control it, we would!
These tips should start reducing the harmful effects of stress since better sleep is already a way to reduce stress. Are there other steps you can take to reduce stress?
Keep stress in check
Reduced stress is not only crucial for an improved night's sleep, it is also vital for a more fulfilling life.
Chronic stress can really affect us in the long term
Mood disorders like depression and anxiety
Diseases of the heart
Eating disorders and obesity
Have problems with your skin and hair
Diseases and conditions of the gastrointestinal tract
Steps to reducing stress
Several methods exist for reducing stress, though some are difficult. As an example, it is actually easier to say, "quit your stressful job," than to just up and leave. It is possible to reduce stress without changing anything else by using meditation.
Meditation involves learning to observe thoughts and emotions from the perspective of an observer while calming the mind with focused attention. Research has proven that meditation reduces stress and rewires the brain.
When it comes to improving your health and overall wellbeing, it is imperative to get better sleep. You'll have a better sleep schedule and live a healthier life by following these sleep tips above. Additionally, you might consider taking sleep supplements to help you! Shop MySupplements.ca for same-day delivery across the GTA!