Sleep is essential for good health and wellbeing. Good sleep promotes wellness and resilience while poor sleep negatively impacts almost all aspects of your body and mind. Studies show that not getting enough sleep or getting poor quality sleep on a regular basis leads to sleep deficiency which is linked to many chronic health problems, including heart disease, kidney disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, stroke, and depression. Additionally, without deep sleep your body does not produce ample amounts of certain hormones that keep you healthy, including hormones that fuels growth in children, boosts muscle mass and repair of cells in all ages, and hormones that aid your immune system to keep you from getting sick. Sleep is just as important as nutrition and exercise!
How to know if you are Sleep Deficient
You might be sleep deficient if you often feel like you want to nap or could doze off while:
- Sitting quietly after a meal
- Riding in a car or public transportation
- Sitting in traffic for a few minutes
- Reading or watching TV
- Sitting still while at work, at a movie theater, in a meeting or classroom
People have many reasons that cause them to get poor quality sleep — from stress, to chronic pain, to illness.
You may not be able to control all the factors that interfere with your sleep, but you can take steps to improve your sleep habits to encourage better sleep.
Tips for Getting a Good Night’s Sleep
Set a Daily Routine
- First and foremost, make sure that you give yourself enough time to sleep. Busy people sometimes short their sleeping time thinking it will help them complete their list of “to dos” when the reality is, they may find that they’re more productive during the day if they actually get a healthy amount of sleep.
- Keep to a regular routine of mealtimes, exercising, sleep schedule. Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day to help maintain your circadian rhythm.
- Keep the same sleep schedule on weeknights and weekends. Staying up late and sleeping in late on weekends can disrupt your body clock’s sleep-wake rhythm. Try to limit the difference to no more than about an hour.
- Do not go to bed unless your are sleepy – including reading in bed, watching tv or videos, or just resting due to pain. The more time you spend not sleeping in bed, the less your body equates the bed with sleeping.
- Use the hour or two before bed for quiet time. Avoid intense exercise and artificial light, such as from a TV, computer, or phone screen. The light may signal the brain that it’s time to be awake. Read a book or listen to soothing music to unwind.
Make a Good Sleep Environment
- Set up your bedroom for the primary function of sleeping. Avoid having it do double duty as an office, recreational or entertainment area. Get rid of anything that may distract you from sleep.
- Keep your bedroom temperature comfortable. You may want it a little cool, but avoid excessively cold (or hot!) conditions as these interfere with normal sleep.
- Reduce light in the bedroom with black-out curtains or blinds to keep out streetlights or daylight.
- Keep it quiet. To minimize external noise, either close windows and doors or purchase ear plugs. If that doesn’t work, you may want to consider moving to a quieter room.
Other Lifestyle Changes to Improve Sleep
To improve sleep, it also may help to:
- Be physically active during the day, and spend some time outside (when possible). Natural daylight helps regulate sleep patterns.
- Take a hot bath or use relaxation techniques like meditation before bed.
- Avoid napping, especially within 5-6 hours of bedtime, if you’re having trouble sleeping at night as it will reduce your sleep drive at bedtime.
- Avoid large meals and beverages within a few hours of bedtime. (light snacks are okay)
- Avoid alcoholic drinks before bed. Some think a “nightcap” helps them get to sleep, but alcohol keeps you in the lighter stages of sleep rather than allowing for a deep restful sleep that lasts through the night.
- Avoid caffeinated food and drinks (including cola, coffee, certain teas, and chocolate) as well as nicotine/cigarettes. These are both stimulants, and can interfere with sleep. The effects of caffeinated food or beverages can last up to 8 hours. That late afternoon coffee can make it hard for you to fall asleep at night.
- Don’t lie in bed awake. If you find yourself still awake after 30 minutes, get up and do some relaxing activity until you feel sleepy.
If you try these suggestions and still continue to have trouble sleeping or staying asleep, talk with your doctor. You may have a sleep disorder or other underlying condition that needs specialty care.
