Not being able to sleep well in the night has a huge impact on the quality of our lives. Getting enough high-quality sleeping is very important.
In fact, we spend around 30% of our lifetimes in the bed. That is why getting a good night’s sleep is one of the most important things you can do for your overall health and well-being. Because when you do not sleep well, your body is not able to rest and recharge.
Consequences of a lack of sleep
Lack or not enough sleep can case serious problems to your body.
In the short-term, you will most likely be very tired and stressed the next day, unable to focus in the office or at school. You will have troubles with making decisions and answering questions correctly. Your emotions and mood will be affected and you will not get along well with others. Your body will not be strong to fight illnesses.
In cases of serious sleep deprivation issues, you may even have problems with driving the car, as lack of sleep reduces alertness, with working at the computer, as lack of sleep impairs the ability to process information, or with operating a machine.
Lack of good sleep is a serious thing in the long-term because it can cause high blood pressure, a heart attack and even a stroke.
My problems with having good quality of sleep
In the past, I had serious troubles with falling a sleep in the night because I did not pay much attention to my sleep hygiene.
I was tossing and turning for hours, going in my head over everything that happened in the last couple of days, sweating throughout the whole night and waking up a couple of times. My troubles with sleeping were really frustrating.
But, I did some research on the Internet on how to get better sleep to find out what to do, if I cannot sleep. And, then I tried to implement those ideas. Literally, there are hundreds of tips for getting good sleep shared by people who are not able to sleep well or at all.
Tips for getting a good night’s sleep
I have picked a few that worked well for me.
1. Cover the windows with curtains to keep your room dark and quiet.
2. Turn off all lights.
3. Keep the temperature in the room cool, but not too cold.
4. Make sure that your pillow is comfortable and supports your neck and head.
5. Wash your bed sheets regularly.
6. Do not bring a TV set or a computer into your bedroom.
7. Use your bedroom only for sleeping and having sex.
8. Exercise in the morning instead of close to bedtime.
9. Do not drink coffee or tea.
10. Do not eat heavy food, especially fast food.
11. Do not watch TV late in the afternoon or in the evening.
12. Do not schedule any activities later than 10 pm.
13. Stop thinking about deadlines, exams, marital conflicts and job crisis.
14. Do not smoke cigarettes, not only before sleeping, but do not smoke ever.
15. When in bed, avoid discussing emotional issues with your spouse.
16. Try not to drink after 8 pm to reduce awakenings due to urination.
17. Limit afternoon naps to 30 minutes a day.
18. Sleep only when you are sleepy.
19. If you cannot fall asleep, read a book or do something boring (not that I think that reading books is boring).
20. Get up and go to bed the same time every day.
21. Use sunlight to wake you up.
22. Take a bath or refreshing shower before going to bed.
23. Read a book or listen to relaxing music.
How long should you sleep?
On average, most adults need seven or eight hours of quality sleep each night.
Babies need way more sleep than the elderly.
Consistency about getting the right amount which works best for you is important. When your sleep cycle is regular, you will feel way better. But remember that the amount of sleep that you need changes with your age, and varies with hormonal changes, for example, during pregnancy.
What is the best temperature for high-quality sleeping?
According to The National Sleep Foundation in the US, sleeping with the air temperature between 60 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal, that is 15.6 and 20 degrees Celsius.
Cool temperatures are better for having a high-quality sleep, because they help to induce thermoneutrality as regulation of the body’s temperature plays a role in chronic insomnia; normal sleepers have a lower body temperature than insomniacs before bedtime.
In addition to keeping the bedroom cool, to lower the body temperature we can take a cool shower, avoid exercising, open the window to get some cool wind, use a fan to maintain proper ventilation or avoid eating hot foods, for example, chili peppers or ginger.
I hope that my ways to sleep better will help you to get more good sleep in the next couple of night, so you can relax and wake up refreshed.
