A good night’s rest is important for everyone, old and young alike. Yet according to a study conducted by the National Sleep Foundation’s inaugural Sleep Health Index in December 2014, 45% of Americans had trouble falling asleep at least once a week. If you’re tired and often spend half the night tossing and turning there may be things in your life that you can change to correct the problem.
Your body may be to blame
The cause of your lack of sleep could be your sleep cycle. Over the course of the night, your body’s temperature changes. Having a bed that’s too hot can keep you up as often as a bed that’s too cool. Find the right temperature that suits your needs and change your blankets and sheets accordingly.
A comfortable environment
If you use your bedroom for work and to watch television, it might be time to remove the TV set and work out of another room. Your bedroom should be a relaxing environment. A place where you go to sleep. If you find that you toss and turn a lot before falling asleep it could also be something as simple as your mattress or bedding. If it’s been at least 7 years since you’ve replaced your mattress now might be a great time to do so.
Lights
The best way to get comfortable and feel sleepy is to remove the presence of lights. According to Sleeping Guide here they recommend that you sleep in total darkness. Since it’s unnatural to fall asleep during the day, the body automatically keeps running while the lights are on. In addition to lights, a television is another distraction that makes it difficult to fall asleep. It has a continuous changing of the lighting on the screen that makes it hard for your eyes to relax. By removing the television from your bedroom or simply turning it off before going to sleep your body will automatically go into sleep mode. For those who work the overnight shift sleeping at night is not an option. And while you can’t prevent the sun from coming up you can cover your windows with black-out curtains. These prevent light from getting in and also eliminate hot and cold air as well.
Stress
Life happens and from time to time stress takes over. Unfortunately, even though you’re completely exhausted once your head hits the pillow your brain starts trying to figure out how to solve your problems. This keeps you up and can prevent any real sleep from happening. Addressing the problem and sorting through it will help you to sleep better. If your problem isn’t going away anytime soon, a sleep aid or therapy may help you get the rest you need now while you get through a difficult time.
Relax and unwind before bed
It’s a good idea to follow a routine each night and let your body feel relaxed before heading off to bed. Late night snacks, caffeine, and stress-related work are all things to avoid. Instead, read a few chapters from a book, take a hot bath, meditate, fill the room with a soft scent-like lavender or listen to calm music. You can also start taking a brisk walk after dinner. It will help your food digest, keep the pounds off and also make your body feel good.
If you’ve changed your bedroom environment, eliminated caffeine and relax an hour before going to bed and still can’t fall asleep, you may have a medical condition such as sleep apnea, insomnia or snoring. If you suspect that any one of these conditions might be keeping you up at night it’s best to consult with your doctor and take the necessary steps to address the problem.
2 comments