It’s generally recommended for adults to get at least seven to eight hours of quality sleep every day. Some people can do just fine with less while others need more. According to a recent study in the American National Sleep Foundation, there has been a sharp decline in the sleeping patterns in adults over the last few years. Most of them get an average of only 6.4 hours of sleep during workdays and 7.7 hours during the weekends. Needless to say, this lack of sleep affects them in various ways, starting from mild fatigue and to severe mental disorders.
So what can you do if you’re dying to get a few more hours of sleep but seem unable to fulfill one of the most basic human needs? Here are a few solutions that could help you greatly get rid of your sleep troubles. Please don’t feel shy to try all of them!
Keep a Regular Sleeping Routine
The messier your sleep schedule, the more you’re likely to struggle to fall asleep. The truth is, our bodies are extremely punctual machines that like routine. Once you train your body and brain to follow a certain pattern, completing tasks and sticking to a schedule becomes a habit. This is the same for your body’s circadian rhythm, the internal clock that controls your sleep pattern. By keeping a regular sleep schedule, you’re setting a fixed circadian rhythm that makes falling asleep an easy job.
Follow a Relaxing Sleeping Routine
Speaking of routines, it’s worthwhile to set up a ritual that helps prepare you for bed. If you’re suffering from anxiety, worrying about your life, or anything that stresses you out can keep you up for most of the night. If you’re the kind to keep scrolling down your phone once you jump in bed, the blue light glaring at you from the screen will chase the sleep away while leaving you more fatigued than ever. That’s why it’s better to start breaking these bad sleep habits, and what better way to do that than to substitute them with a healthier routine? Consider taking a warm shower, reading a book, writing a journal entry, or doing whatever helps you relax before you jump into bed.
Avoid Taking Naps Close to Bedtime
Needless to say, you’ll have difficulty falling asleep if your body is fully charged. There are times when you feel so worn out that you decide to take a nap to refresh, which is an excellent thing if it’s early in the day. However, the closer you get to bedtime, the more counterproductive napping will be. It’s best to keep your naps in the middle of the day and better to avoid napping after 5 pm.
Set up a Comfortable Sleep Environment
Even if you’re very sleepy, you’ll probably fail if you feel uncomfortable. You’ll struggle with sleep if you leave the light on, it’s too cold or hot, or noisy. Most of all, your sleep quality will definitely be compromised if your bed isn’t comfortable. As Jay Schiller, the founder of City Mattresses, said, “one of the main factors in getting quality sleep is having the right mattress.” As such, he advises that in order to get the right level of support, comfort, and softness, you should look for the Best City Mattresses To Choose From. Since your needs are likely to be different from others, it’s worth checking out the composition of each mattress and getting the one that best suits you.
Limit the Intake of Stimulants Before Bedtime
You may be used to drinking coffee and losing its effect in a couple of hours, but that doesn’t mean it has left your system. Although you may fail to feel it, caffeine remains up to 24 hours in the blood. This means you should definitely limit your caffeine intake to the early hours of the day and avoid drinking it during the latter half. Keep in mind that caffeine can be present in various beverages besides coffee, like power drinks and tea. In the same sense, you should keep a lookout for all stimulants in general, including alcohol, nicotine, and medications containing stimulating ingredients.
Reduce Food and Water Intake Before Bedtime
Would you be able to sleep if you keep feeling the need to relieve yourself at ungodly hours? Definitely not. If you’re used to drinking a lot of water before bedtime, it’s better to shift your drinking schedule to an earlier time. Likewise, overindulging in food, especially if it’s greasy or acidic, can keep you up due to gastric issues.
Keep an Active Lifestyle
On the list of healthy habits to maintain, be sure to add regular exercise. You’ll be surprised how exercising can significantly transform your life in unexpected ways, one of which is your sleep patterns. You might have already heard about the benefits of exercising and how it has the magical ability to reset your body’s factory settings. Once you start training, you’ll notice an instant improvement in the amount and quality of sleep you get. However, try to limit the exercise schedule to earlier in the day, or at least 3 hours before bedtime, so that the adrenaline pumping your blood can cool down.
Reduce Daily Stress
We struggle to sleep most of the time because of all of the stress we’ve accumulated throughout the day. A stressed nervous system will keep producing high levels of cortisol, which will keep you on alert. That’s why doing your best to reduce, or preferably eliminate, the stressors in your life is a great place to start. If it’s impossible to do so, it’s worthwhile to look for healthy ways to deal with the stress. You can consider taking up activities like meditation and yoga, using essential oils to soothe your nerves, or joining cognitive behavioral therapy to address the root cause of the sleep issue.
As the number of sleeping hours decreases, various sleep disorders arise, and those directly affect the physical and mental health of sleep-deprived adults. Reports of insomnia and other sleep disorders are on an all-time high across the globe, and it’s no surprise that we’re seeing a matching decline in productivity, mental and psychological health, and even physical performance. If you’re struggling with your sleep patterns, be sure to try a few of these effective solutions to help you get a most-needed good night’s rest.
