It’s a common cliché that we all need to get more sleep. But what does that mean and why is it important? Sleeping well is the cornerstone of good health, and when you don’t get enough restful sleep or your quality of sleep suffers, it can lead to weight gain, heart disease, diabetes, and even cancer. There are many ways you can improve the amount or quality of sleep you get at night, from setting a regular schedule to avoiding blue light at night — but there are also some things that might be making it harder for you to fall asleep in the first place!
Sleep is a cornerstone of good health.
Sleep is a cornerstone of good health. It helps the body recover from the day, giving it time to heal and repair. Sleep is also when our bodies recharge their energy stores, so we can focus better during the day. If you don’t get enough sleep, your productivity will suffer and you may feel irritable or forgetful. This can lead to stress or anxiety—and if those things go unchecked for too long, they could even result in depression. And if that’s not enough reason to make sure you’re getting enough shut-eye: lack of sleep puts people at an increased risk for diabetes and obesity!
Sleep affects your heart, brain, weight, and more.
Sleep affects a wide range of your body and brain’s functions. Here are a few examples:
- Blood pressure, heart rate, and blood sugar levels: People who don’t get enough sleep tend to have a higher blood pressure than those who do. And preliminary research suggests that not getting enough sleep may also raise the risk for type 2 diabetes.
- Memory, learning, and creativity: Research has shown that people who regularly get more than seven hours of sleep per night tend to perform better on memory tests than those getting less shut-eye. The same goes for learning new things or solving problems creatively.
- Weight management: Studies show that too little sleep (less than six hours) can lead us to gain weight by making it harder for our bodies to effectively regulate appetite hormones like leptin – which helps us feel satisfied after eating – and ghrelin – which triggers hunger pangs when we haven’t eaten in awhile or recently ate a big meal and need more calories immediately!
You can improve the amount or quality of sleep you get.
Sleep hygiene is an important part of getting the most out of your sleep. Here are a few tips on how you can improve the amount or quality of your sleep:
- Avoid caffeine, nicotine and alcohol close to bedtime. These substances can cause insomnia by keeping you awake.
- Keep a regular sleeping schedule, including weekends. Sleeping in on the weekends may make it harder for you to go back to regular hours during the week because it throws off your body’s internal clock (circadian rhythm). This is especially true if you’re trying to get up early for work or school in the morning. Try going to bed at around the same time each night so that your body gets used to being asleep when it should be asleep—and wake up when it should wake up!
- Keep electronics out of your bedroom—this includes televisions as well as smartphones and tablets that emit blue light—so they don’t interfere with falling asleep or staying asleep once you’ve fallen asleep
Setting a regular sleep schedule is important.
Setting a regular sleep schedule is essential to getting good rest. When you are consistent, your body will follow the pattern, making it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep at night. Set yourself up for success by going to bed and getting up at the same time each day of the week (including weekends), not just on work days. Don’t fall into the trap of using your alarm clock as an excuse not to get up! If you want better sleep, put your alarm clock away from where you sleep so that it doesn’t tempt you with its glow in order to snooze just one more time!
When possible, avoid napping during daylight hours so that your body can ensure enough REM or dream phase sleep at night.
Example
Set a consistent wake-up time every morning no matter how late or early it is.
Turn off all screens an hour before bedtime and leave them outside of the bedroom.
Drink less caffeine after lunchtime (but don’t stop drinking caffeine altogether!).
Blue light and electronics can interfere with sleep.
It’s not just your body that benefits from sleep, but your brain as well. In fact, it is during this time that the brain consolidates and processes new information. For example, if you learn a new task or skill during the day and want to remember it, getting a good night’s rest is crucial for storing that information in memory—and then being able to recall it when needed.
But what about devices? While there are many health benefits to using technology—from keeping in touch with loved ones across the country or world (via text message) to having access to online healthcare resources—the blue light emitted by these devices has been shown to disrupt sleep patterns and make it harder for people who use them right before bedtime. In fact, one study showed that exposure to artificial light at night can suppress melatonin production by up to 50 percent!
Alcohol impacts sleep quality negatively.
Alcohol impacts sleep quality negatively. A study by the National Sleep Foundation found that alcohol affects sleep more than any other substance, including caffeine and nicotine. The same study also found that people who consume more than four drinks in a day are more likely to experience daytime drowsiness and fatigue.
Drinking alcohol can cause insomnia because it disrupts the body’s natural circadian rhythm, which controls when you feel tired or awake. Alcohol is a depressant and slows down brain activity, so it makes sense that consuming the substance before bed would keep you awake at night (and restless during the day). Even worse, drinking too much can leave you feeling tired the next day because it causes dehydration—which means you’ll have less energy overall!
Try to avoid napping during the day.
In general, naps are not a good idea. They can make it harder to fall asleep at night and interfere with nighttime sleep. If you do nap, keep your nap short—no longer than 30 minutes. Also try to avoid napping during the day if possible because it can interfere with nighttime sleep. Finally, if you need a nap, do it early in the day so that it doesn’t mess up your nighttime sleep rhythm.
Get out of bed if you’re having trouble falling asleep after about 15 minutes.
If you’re having trouble falling asleep, try to get out of bed after about 15 minutes. Go to another room and do something relaxing, like reading, listening to music or watching television at a low volume. Try to relax and let go of your worries—that means no thinking about what time it is or whether you should be getting up early tomorrow. Instead, focus on the activity at hand until you feel sleepy again. Avoid looking at any screens for at least an hour before going to sleep; blue light from phones and computers can disrupt the body’s natural rhythm for sleepiness and wakefulness (known as circadian rhythm), making it harder to fall asleep when we want it most!
Sleeping well is an important part of living well and feeling well.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends that adults aged 26 to 64 get at least seven hours of sleep each night. However, many Americans don’t meet this guideline.
Getting enough sleep is important for your overall health, as it helps regulate hormones and strengthens the immune system. When you don’t get enough shut-eye, you may feel groggy during the day and more likely to be forgetful or cranky—not qualities any employer would want in an employee.
Sleeping well also affects your weight and heart health: studies have shown that people who sleep less than six hours per night are more likely to gain weight than those who get the recommended amount of shut-eye (9-12 hours). When you’re not getting enough quality rest at night, it can affect your blood pressure levels too. Your body releases stress hormones such as cortisol when you’re under stress, which can lead to increased blood pressure if sustained over time. If this happens every night when you go to bed due to a lack of proper restorative time spent asleep then it will eventually become damaging over time!
Conclusion
If you’re struggling to get enough sleep, don’t feel bad! Remember that it is an important part of overall health and well-being. If you need more help, consider consulting a doctor or other healthcare provider who can assist with setting up a proper sleep schedule.
