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How to Sleep Better at Night

There's a lot of advice out there about how to get better sleep but some of it is downright unrealistic. It's important to get enough sleep. Sleep helps keep your mind and body healthy. In fact, one in four people experience sleep difficulties, which include trouble falling asleep, trouble staying asleep, early morning waking, sleeping too much, or restless or unsatisfying sleep.  The good news is, you don't have to completely overhaul your life to get better sleep. In fact, there are a few small, yet very effective, steps you can take toward adopting a healthier sleep lifestyle. 




Why your Body Need Sleep 

The point of sleep is not just to help you feel more refreshed, but to allow the cells in your muscles, organs, brain to repair and renew each night. Set aside no more than eight hours for sleep. The recommended amount of sleep for a healthy adult is at least seven hours. Most people don't need more than eight hours in bed to no be well rested. Sleep also helps regulate your metabolism and how your body releases hormones. When these processes are out of whack due to lack of sleep, it can increase your risk of health problems. Go to bed and get up at the same time every day, including weekends. Being consistent reinforces your body's sleep-wake cycle. Doing calming activities before bedtime, such as taking a bath or using relaxation techniques, might promote better sleep.

Better Sleep = Better Mood

There is some truth in the old saying,  getting up on the right side of the bed. It has nothing to do with which side of the bed you roll out of, but sleeping can lead to good moods.  And really, it makes sense. If you sleep well, you wake up feeling rested. When your body gets the sleep it needs, your immune cells and proteins get the rest they need to fight off whatever comes their way like colds or the flu and according to the well-rested sleep specialists over at the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, proper sleep can also make vaccines more effective, which is obviously a plus. 

Being rested helps your energy levels soar. When your energy is up, life’s little challenges won’t annoy you as much. When you’re not annoyed, you’re not as angry. If you’re not angry, you’re happy. So, go to bed early and everyone around you will thank you for it. Create a Comfortable Sleep Environment. If you want to have a good sleep, it helps to create a comfortable sleep environment. Make sure that you have a supportive mattress and fresh, comfortable bedding. Also, try to ensure that your room is not too hot or cold, minimize noise, and block out light.

Some habits that can improve your sleep health:

  • Be consistent. Go to bed at the same time each night and get up at the same time each morning, including on the weekends
  • Make sure your bedroom is quiet, dark, relaxing, and at a comfortable temperature
  • Remove electronic devices, such as TVs, computers, and smart phones, from the bedroom
  • Avoid large meals, caffeine, and alcohol before bedtime
  • Get some exercise. Being physically active during the day can help you fall asleep more easily at night.

Health Risks of Too Much Sleep

It’s not just too little sleep that can be harmful. Sleeping too much can be a sign of health problems, too. In one study, sleeping for a long duration which was characterized as more than 10 hours a night was associated with psychiatric diseases and higher BMI, but not with the other chronic medical conditions related to too little sleep.

Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea causes you to stop breathing temporarily10 during your sleep. As a result, you snore and choke during the night and feel sleepy during the day. To make up for poor sleep, you may nap during the day and try to sleep longer at night, leading to oversleeping.

Sleep apnea symptoms are often resolved with appropriate treatment. After a sleep study confirming you have sleep apnea, your healthcare provider may write a prescription for a CPAP machine. This machine helps support your breathing during sleep. . If you snore loudly and feel tired even after a full night's sleep, you might have sleep apnea.

The main types of sleep apnea are:

  • Obstructive sleep apnea, the more common form that occurs when throat muscles relax
  • Central sleep apnea, which occurs when your brain doesn't send proper signals to the muscles that control breathing
  • Complex sleep apnea syndrome, also known as treatment-emergent central sleep apnea, which occurs when someone has both obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea

How can I tell if I have a sleep disorder?

Sleep disorders can cause many different problems. Keep in mind that it’s normal to have trouble sleeping every now and then. People with sleep disorders generally experience these problems on a regular basis.

Common signs of sleep disorders include:

  • Trouble falling or staying asleep
  • Still feeling tired after a good night's sleep
  • Sleepiness during the day that makes it difficult to do everyday activities, like driving or concentrating at work
  • Frequent loud snoring
  • Pauses in breathing or gasping while sleeping
  • Tingling or crawling feelings in your legs or arms at night that feel better when you move or massage the area
  • Feeling like it’s hard to move when you first wake up

If you have any of these signs, talk to a doctor or nurse. You may need testing or treatment for a sleep disorder.


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