Change The Clocks And Your Sleep Habits
Early Sunday morning, at 2:00 am, daylight savings will come to a close and we will set our clocks back an hour. As most of us tend to do, we adjust our manual clocks (those not already controlled by WiFi or internet connections) before we go to bed. But this year, as you go about preparing your clocks, take a moment to think about your sleep quality. Now is as good a time as any to review and reset some of your sleep habits.
In the article below we discuss what you can do to improve your sleep… which can also help improve your health… and can also help improve your life!
Reflect on your sleep today
Before you embark on any journey involving lifestyle changes, it is important to write down how you feel now before you begin. Noting how you currently feel will help you to notice changes (both good and bad). This will provide you with insights as to what is working and what might not be for you. Also, seeing what “once was” will provide you encouragement to continue down your path to successful habits – habits that become second nature.
First, write down your habits. What do you do before bed? Do you have a routine? Do you do something different each night? How many hours do you typically spend sleeping?
Second, write down what could be key factors that result in less than optimal sleep. Do you drink too much caffeine? Are you continually stressed before bed? Is your bedroom, bed or surroundings less than conducive for good sleep?
Lastly, write down how you feel each morning after waking. Do you feel rested or do you feel groggy and still tired. Did you wake up frequently throughout the night?
Now that you have written down what you are currently doing, review the steps below and note the areas where you can start to make improvements. Then, start implementing new steps tonight!
Steps to improve your sleep success with proper sleep hygiene
1. Routine
Going to sleep and waking at the same time every day, even on weekends is key. Your circadian rhythm functions rely on carefully planned consistency and prepare your body for restful sleep. Inconsistent sleep schedules do just the opposite and can wreak havoc on your circadian rhythm making you feel restless or less refreshed when it is time to wake.
2. Moderation
Like anything in life, too much or too little of a good thing can do more harm than good. Such is the same with sleep. Studies have shown that sleeping excessively could result in lowered overall health and in some cases be an indicator of existing negative health conditions. Sleeping not enough and you aren’t giving your body ample time to repair physically and your mind to refresh and recharge. Finding your sweet spot is key. The National Sleep Foundation suggests 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night on average with variations based on age and other factors.
3. Environment
Where you sleep greatly affects how you sleep. Your bedroom should be a room set aside for sleep and limited from use for other activities. It should also be a room free from distractions, noise and light. Temperature also is a key contributor to restful sleep. Your bedroom should be cool and dry, as studies show sleeping hot could affect your quality of sleep more than noise. 70 degrees is a suggested temperature, but also take your own personal preferences into consideration.
4. Food and Drink
Eating and drinking (especially alcohol) late in the evening has been shown to result in less than optimal sleep. While eating and alcohol consumption are sometimes thought to help people to sleep or to fall asleep faster, the quality of sleep is low when “induced” by food or alcohol. Studies suggest limiting food, alcohol and large amounts of other liquids a few hours before bed can result in better sleep quality.
5. Relax
This goes back to the routine portion we mentioned earlier. Having a routine of limiting electronic devices (phones, television, computers, etc.) can result in a more calming pre-bed schedule. This will help ease your mind and lower stress levels. Also, electronic devices generate what is called “blue light”. This type of light tricks your brain into thinking it is daylight and thus reduces melatonin hormone levels that help you to fall asleep. So put down the phone, iPad or computer and find a way to relax your mind and body before bed.
6. Sleep Meditation
Experts suggest that meditation, more specifically sleep meditation can provide dramatic shifts in your sleeping habits and patterns. This article does a great job of outlining how you can approach sleep mediation in week 1-4 blocks. This milestone approach helps increase the likelihood of adhering to a new regiment and ultimately success.
7. Sleep Apps
With literally millions of apps in the world, it comes as no surprise that apps that help you with sleeping or falling asleep exist. From free apps to paid apps these programs can help you be more self aware of your routines, sleep patterns and even assist in helping you to fall asleep faster, deeper and longer. See this article on some of the best sleep apps available.
8. Sleep Supplements
There is a large list of supplements and enhancers that have been connected to better sleep. From the newly popular CBD to melatonin, magnesium, ginkgo biloba and the list goes on, these could help your body to attain better sleep quality. If you are considering adding these to your routine, consult your doctor or medical professional first and only add in one at a time to have a better control and idea of what works for you.
9. Sleep Disorders
Even with the best intentions and plans, poor sleep quality could be caused by a sleep disorder like sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is defined by interrupted breathing while sleeping causing your body to be deprived of the oxygen it needs. This is clearly a serious matter and if left untreated could lead to health issues or even death. Being experts in the field of sleep therapy, if you or a loved one suspect sleep apnea please contact us right away. Our sleep studies can help diagnose and treat this possibly serious underlying condition. If you’ve been diagnosed with a sleep condition, be sure to use the recommended prescribed equipment each time you sleep. Also, if you are using a CPAP machine, it might be time to reorder your equipment to be sure it is running optimally and properly.
Put it all together for better sleep.
So now you have a handful of ways to improve your sleep. First, benchmark where you are today by writing down what you are currently doing and experiencing. Then try to implement some of the suggestions we mentioned above. Improved sleep won't happen overnight (no pun intended) but by carefully planning for sleep you’ll be surprised how much better you will sleep and how much better you will feel too.
Do you have questions about your sleep or do you have concerns that you might have sleep apnea? Reach out to us now and we can provide you with solutions that can result in better sleep and health for you or a loved one.