Most of us already know the importance of getting quality sleep. And in an ideal world, we’d all be getting the recommended 8 hours of sleep every night. Unfortunately, a good number of people feel the need to skimp on sleep for the sake of their busy lifestyles. And, even those who get to bed on time still find it difficult to fall and stay asleep. There are some pretty unexpected reasons why you can’t have a restful night, for starters:
You Have an Irregular Sleep Schedule
Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day is the cornerstone of a good sleep pattern. After an entire week of waking up early to go to work, you probably just want to sleep in until noon during the weekends. While this might seem like a nice a gift for all your hard work, it’s enough to screw up your natural sleep cycle and make it difficult to fall asleep fast the following days.
You’re doing Too Much Before Bed
Considering we have such busy lives, many of us find themselves working right up until bedtime. This doesn’t give you enough time to unwind and prepare your body for sleep. As soon as you lay down, you head dives into all kinds of thoughts and worries of what happened during the day and all the things you have to do the next day. This only keeps you awake much longer. In that case, take at least an hour before bed to engage in some relaxing activities like reading a book, listening to music, or read great articles for some good advice.
You Have an Uncomfortable Bed
There’s no way you can have a restful night if all you do is toss and turn to try and find a comfortable sleeping position. If you’re waking up feeling tired and achy, it’s probably time to replace your old mattress with one of the top mattress pick in the market. There’s wide range of them to suit every price and sleeping style.
You’re watching Your Screens before Bedtime
After a long day, you probably want to catch up on your favorite TV show, play some candy crush on your phone, go through social media, or check your email while you relax in bed. These devices emit blue light, which tricks you mind into thinking it is still daytime. This hinders the production of a sleep-inducing hormone called melatonin. Be sure to turn off all your screens, including phone, tablet, TV, laptop, game consoles, and electronic books, an hour before bedtime. Better yet, keep them out of the bedroom.
You’re Too Hot
If you find yourself tossing and turning and trying different configurations with blankets, you might be too hot. Controlling the temperature is key to a good night’s rest, and research shows that people get deeper, better sleep in cooler temperatures. Consider supplemental AC with a window unit or call in a certified air conditioning repair tech to fix any problems with your appliance. If those aren’t options, get a fan and run it full blast. The white noise can also act as a sleep aid, so much so that some sleep apps include fan noise as an option.
You’re taking Caffeine Too Late In the Day
Your caffeine habit may be preventing you from falling asleep. Caffeine found in coffee, tea, energy drinks, and soft drinks has stimulating effects that can stay in your system for up to six hours. It goes without saying that talking caffeine in the late afternoon increases your risk of staying awake much longer. If you have to drink something, consider taking decaf beverages, warm milk, or warm water. While you’re at it, avoid other stimulants like nicotine found in cigarettes.
