4 Things That Are Affecting Your Sleep And How To Deal With Them
Your sleep quality is extremely important to sustain your health and keep your productivity levels boosted. However, certain habits and physical changes in your body can trigger negative responses and affect your sleep pattern. Over time, they can worsen your health and cause irreversible damage. You need proper sleep for a healthy body and mind. If you often toss and turn in your bed or stay wide awake, it is time to make some lifestyle changes and sleep peacefully for at least 7 to 8 hours every night. Here are four things that can be combated to improve your sleep quality.
- Stress
Stress is one of the biggest factors that can affect an average individual’s physical and mental health. Whether you are dealing with work pressure or are troubled due to issues in your personal life, building stress can take a toll on your sleep quality and cause health issues. Little things like tiffs with your hubby or trouble at the workplace can build up into unmanageable stress and anxiety, a part of which can affect your sleep.
How to deal with it: The best way to combat stress is by practicing meditation on a consistent basis. It involves focusing on your breathing pattern and raising self-awareness. Try meditating for at least 10 to 15 minutes every day, especially before bedtime as it will help improve your sleep quality. You can also try journaling or sip on chamomile tea to further reduce stress. Focus on improving your mental health to feel more rejuvenated and combat stress with ease.
- Overconsumption of Caffeine
Caffeine can majorly disrupt your sleeping cycle and trigger signs of anxiety. If you need coffee to boost energy and enhance productivity, you may have trouble sleeping at night. Overconsumption of caffeine or smoking throughout the day are two major concerns that can deteriorate your physical and mental health over time and trigger anxiety and related symptoms. The good news is, both habits can be combated with some lifestyle changes and strong will.
How to deal with it: Avoid drinking coffee a few hours before you go to sleep. Since caffeine stays in your system for 10 or more hours, you may be wide awake during your usual sleeping hour, which can also disrupt your next working day. If you drink more than 4 to 5 cups every day, try to cut your caffeine consumption by one cup every week. Caffeine is not just present in coffee but also in tea, soft drinks, and energy sodas. Be careful when consuming these drinks too.
- Improper Living Conditions
Certain living conditions are simply not suitable to achieve an optimum sleep cycle. For instance, sleeping with the lights on can affect the melatonin levels and disrupt your sleep pattern. When your eyelids are exposed to light, your brain partly stays awake that can disrupt your REM cycle. Other living conditions like microbes, pollen, and dust mites can cause allergies and result in sleeping disorders like sleep apnea.
How to deal with it: Draw the curtains and keep the room dark when sleeping. If you are living in a shared room where you cannot dim the lights at your own will, you can use a contoured mask that can effectively block light and give you a good night’s sleep. To improve indoor air quality, invest in an air purifier to get rid of contaminants and dust particles. You can also get soft pillows and change your bedding to feel more comfortable when sleeping.
- Overuse of Electronic Devices
The blue light from electronic devices is not only harmful to your eyes but also the biggest enemy of your sleep cycle. It keeps your brain awake and stimulates its function even if your body is tired. Your precious sleeping minutes are wasted on social media, which can affect your productivity after you wake up.
How to deal with it: Put your cell phone, laptop, tab, or any other electronic device away from your bed. Ideally, devices should be locked up in a drawer and kept far away from your head when sleeping as the radiation can affect your brain’s function too. If you feel bored before bedtime, read a book, fill in your journal, or listen to calming music to sleep with ease. You can also invest in glasses that block blue light.
If you are still having trouble sleeping or simply want to improve your sleep quality, try other remedies like aromatherapy and meditation. Implement these tips to boost your sleep quality and always stay at the top of your game. You can also incorporate some physical activity in your routine to tire your body and sleep as soon as you get into bed.
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