Medically CitedOverview
Sleep can be your best friend or your worst enemy. Getting the rest your body requires is very important on so many different levels. It’s not just about sleep; it is also about the quality of sleep that your body needs and depends on.
At some point, you have all tossed and turned, had a rough night or repeatedly woke up throughout the night. Yes, you got some shut-eye, but it wasn’t the ideal quality sleep your body actually needs!
During slumber, your body goes through five sleep cycles. Each of those sleep cycles typically lasts for about 90 minutes. To fully complete all five sleep cycles you need on average 7½ hours of quality sleep. Waking up during a sleep cycle is detrimental to your health and your overall well being. Disruption of a sleep cycle can cause many different symptoms like mood swings, headaches and lower your cognitive ability.
Whether you’re getting up to feed the baby every few hours, working those crazy shifts or having to let the dog out there are many things that can interrupt your sleep.There are also some people out there who suffer from insomnia, wake up to urinate frequently or suffer from irregular sleep/wake syndrome. [1]
Even if you are not able to get the average, recommended 7-9 hours of sleep; you can still do things to ensure that you are getting quality rest every time your head hits the pillow. Let’s take a look at 5 ways to drastically improve your quality of sleep.
Causes of not Getting Better Sleep
Dr. Edmond Hakimi, a Board Certified Internal Medicine Physician has better explained the causes of not getting sleep by telling that the causes are varied and can include psychological stress, chronic pain, heartburn, or life habits like excessive caffeine consumption and poor sleep routines. Environmental factors such as noisy sleeping environments also play a significant role.
1. Stress and Anxiety
Chronic stress and worrying can activate the body's fight or flight response, making it difficult to relax and fall asleep.
2. Poor Sleep Environment:
A sleep environment that is too bright, noisy, or uncomfortable can disrupt sleep patterns.
3. Irregular Sleep Schedule:
Inconsistent sleep and wake times can confuse the body's internal clock, making it harder to establish a healthy sleep routine. [2]
4. Excessive Use of Electronics:
Exposure to the blue light emitted by phones, tablets, and computers can interfere with the body’s natural sleep-wake cycle.
5. Caffeine and Alcohol Consumption:
Consuming caffeine or alcohol close to bedtime can disrupt sleep quality and make it harder to fall asleep.
6. Physical Health Conditions
Conditions such as chronic pain, acid reflux, or sleep apnea can significantly impact the ability to sleep well. [3]
7. Lack of Physical Activity
Insufficient physical activity during the day can lead to poorer sleep quality and difficulty falling asleep at night.
What are the Symptoms of Insomnia?
Difficulty Falling Asleep
Spending long periods lying in bed awake, struggling to drift off. It's hard when you don’t fall asleep even after a day full of hard work and fatigue.
Waking Up Often During the Night
Frequent awakenings that disrupt the sleep cycle. This kind of problem generally arises when you don't eat properly or suffer from Stress and Anxiety, Medical Conditions, Environmental Factors.
Waking Up Too Early
Rising earlier than desired and being unable to fall back asleep. It affects the sleeping cycle of your body and causes red eyes or feeling drowsiness during the day time.
Not Feeling Well-Rested After a Night's Sleep
Experiencing fatigue and low energy despite spending adequate time in bed. This condition can lead to fatigue, difficulties in concentration, and a decrease in overall well-being during the day.
Daytime Tiredness or Sleepiness
Feeling overly tired during the day, which can affect concentration and mood. Directly impact the quality of work even though you tried to focus but still remains unchangeable.
Depression and anxiety
Depression and anxiety can be significantly affected by a lack of sleep, creating a vicious cycle where sleep disturbances fuel emotional distress, and in turn, these psychological conditions impede the ability to achieve restful sleep.
Difficulty Paying Attention
Challenging to concentrate on tasks, absorb new information, or make reasoned decisions. This impairment can significantly impact daily activities, leading to decreased productivity at work or school.
Increased Errors or Accidents:
Addressing sleep deficiencies is therefore crucial in restoring and maintaining cognitive function and overall mental alertness. Higher susceptibility to mistakes and accidents due to impaired alertness and reaction time.
Concerns or Worries About Sleep:
Anxiety about sleeping can lead to insomnia, creating a vicious cycle.trapping individuals in a frustrating cycle where the fear of not sleeping actually inhibits sleep.
How Can You Improve Your Sleep?
Improving your sleep is more than just following a checklist; it's about understanding and listening to your body's needs. Reflecting on your daily activities and their impact on your sleep quality is essential. Start small by adjusting one aspect of your routine at a time and observe the difference it makes.
Remember, consistency is key, and patience is crucial as your body adapts to new habits. The reward of a good night's sleep is worth the effort, leading to enhanced mood, increased productivity, and overall better health. Here are the following things which help you to improve your sleeping pattern. [4]
- 1. Establish a Consistent Sleep Schedule
- 2. Create a Pre-Sleep Routine
- 3. Optimize Your Sleep Environment
- 4. Limit Screen Time Before Bed
- 5. Watch Your Diet
- 6. Exercise Regularly
- 7. Manage Stress
- 8. Limit Daytime Naps
Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day helps regulate your body's internal clock, leading to better sleep quality.
Engage in relaxing activities such as reading, meditating, or taking a warm bath to signal to your body that it's time to wind down.
Ensure your bedroom is cool, dark, and quiet. Investing in a comfortable mattress and pillows can also make a significant difference.
The blue light emitted by phones, tablets, and computers can interfere with your ability to fall asleep. Try to avoid screens for at least an hour before bedtime.
Avoid heavy or large meals within a couple of hours of bedtime. Caffeine and alcohol deserve caution, as they can disrupt sleep patterns.
Physical activity during the day can help you fall asleep more easily at night. However, try not to exercise too close to bedtime as it may keep you awake. [5]
Practice stress-reducing techniques such as yoga, deep breathing exercises, or mindfulness meditation to improve sleep quality.
While short naps (20-30 minutes) can be beneficial, long or irregular napping during the day can affect nighttime sleep.
What are the benefits of taking sufficient sleep?
Taking sufficient sleep offers hazardous benefits, such as improving cognitive function, keeping you in better mood, boosting the immune system, promoting heart health, aiding in weight management, improving physical performance, and facilitating growth and repair processes in the body. [6]
- 1. Enhances Cognitive Function:
- 2. Boosts Mood:
- 3. Strengthens Immune System:
- 4. Promotes Heart Health:
- 5. Aids in Weight Management:
- 6. Improves Physical Performance:
- 7. Enhances Growth and Repair:
Adequate sleep is crucial for cognitive processes, including attention, learning, memory formation, and problem-solving skills.
Getting enough sleep helps regulate mood and can reduce the risk of mood disorders such as depression and anxiety.
Adequate sleep supports the immune system, helping the body to fight off infections and recover faster from illnesses.
Sleep plays a key role in maintaining heart health by regulating blood pressure and reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases. [7]
Sufficient sleep can help regulate hunger hormones, thus reducing cravings and assisting in weight management efforts.
For athletes or those regularly engaged in physical activity, ample sleep can enhance performance, energy levels, coordination, and recovery times.
During sleep, the body undergoes repair and growth processes, including muscle repair, tissue growth, and protein synthesis, essential for overall health. [8]
Conclusion
Regulating your sleep pattern and scheduling the right time to sleep can improve your sleep quality. But regulating is not just about adopting one or two good habits, but rather about incorporating a comprehensive approach that addresses various aspects of your daily life. Give your body the quality sleep it needs.
You will definitely wish you would have done it sooner! From establishing a calming bedtime routine and adopting healthy sleeping positions to managing your caffeine intake and transforming your bedroom into a sanctuary, these strategies collectively contribute to a better night's rest. Additionally, never underestimate the power of a balanced diet and regular exercise in promoting restful sleep.
By making these conscious changes, you are setting the stage for improved sleep quality, which in turn, can significantly boost your overall health and well-being. Start tonight, and you may soon discover the profound impact that quality sleep has not only on your physical health but on your mental and emotional resilience as well.
8 Sources
We review published medical research in respected scientific journals to arrive at our conclusions about a product or health topic. This ensures the highest standard of scientific accuracy.
[1] "Good Sleep for Good Health." NIH News in Health, 15 July 2022, newsinhealth.nih.gov/2021/04/good-sleep-good-health.[2] "Sleep Health." NHLBI, NIH, 23 Apr. 2024, www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/education-and-awareness/sleep-health.
[3] Khanijow V, Prakash P, Emsellem HA, Borum ML, Doman DB. Sleep Dysfunction and Gastrointestinal Diseases. Gastroenterol Hepatol (N Y). 2015 Dec;11(12):817-25. PMID: 27134599; PMCID: PMC4849511.
[4] Yazdi Z, Loukzadeh Z, Moghaddam P, Jalilolghadr S. Sleep Hygiene Practices and Their Relation to Sleep Quality in Medical Students of Qazvin University of Medical Sciences. J Caring Sci. 2016 Jun 1;5(2):153-60. doi: 10.15171/jcs.2016.016. PMID: 27354979; PMCID: PMC4923839.
[5] Banno M, Harada Y, Taniguchi M, Tobita R, Tsujimoto H, Tsujimoto Y, Kataoka Y, Noda A. Exercise can improve sleep quality: a systematic review and meta-analysis. PeerJ. 2018 Jul 11;6:e5172. doi: 10.7717/peerj.5172. PMID: 30018855; PMCID: PMC6045928.
[6] Espie CA. The '5 principles' of good sleep health. J Sleep Res. 2022 Jun;31(3):e13502. doi: 10.1111/jsr.13502. Epub 2021 Oct 21. PMID: 34676592; PMCID: PMC9285041.
[7] Baranwal N, Yu PK, Siegel NS. Sleep physiology, pathophysiology, and sleep hygiene. Prog Cardiovasc Dis. 2023 Mar-Apr;77:59-69. doi: 10.1016/j.pcad.2023.02.005. Epub 2023 Feb 24. PMID: 36841492.
[8] Eigl ES, Urban-Ferreira LK, Schabus M. A low-threshold sleep intervention for improving sleep quality and well-being. Front Psychiatry. 2023 Feb 23;14:1117645. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1117645. PMID: 36911132; PMCID: PMC9996281.
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