The lack of quality sleep can really take a toll on anyone, take some of these sleep tips below to help improve the quality of your sleep and start living life to the fullest.
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Get Enough Sleep
Even though this is obvious, most of us don’t get the amount of sleep we need. The majority of adults need 7-9 hours or sleep and teenagers usually require 9 full hours of sleep (webmd.com). -
Set A Sleep Schedule & Stick To It!
It’s important to set a specific time to go to sleep and wake up every day, including weekends.
With a sleep schedule, you can help set a natural body rhythm called “circadian rhythm.” This will reduce sleepiness, promote deeper sleep, and in some cases, eliminate the need for alarm clocks. Your body will be more aware on what to do and when to do it.Barry Krakos, MD, author of Sound Sleep, Sound Mind: 7 Keys to Sleeping Through the Night suggests by starting a wake-up time first. “Stick by that for the first few weeks or even months to establish a rhythm,” he says. “That process of always getting up at the same time helps to anchor the circadian rhythm. And if you do that and have a bad night, you’ll also be sleepier the next bedtime.” -
Set Consistent, Healthy Mealtimes
Consuming food at the same time every day will help regulate your circadian rhythms. A healthy breakfast and lunch can also help fight sleepiness by giving you extra energy boosts. Another thing to keep in mind is when eating dinner, it is important eat 2-3 hours before going to sleep. -
Get A Quality Mattress
Owning a quality mattress - one that provides the necessary pressure relief and support - can improve the quality of your sleep. Old, saggy, too soft or firm mattresses with no pressure relief or inadequate support can interrupt your sleep cycles. When choosing a mattress, it is important that your bed emulates an almost weightless feel, relieves pressure on joints, and provides proper spinal alignment. -
Avoid Late Afternoon Napping
Taking naps in the late afternoon can actually make daytime sleepiness worse. Napping can also interfere with nighttime sleep. Keep a schedule and stick with it. -
Exercise
It has been proven that regular exercise (30 minutes a day) can offer many benefits for sleep. Sleep experts say that at least 30 minutes of sunlight exposure per day will also help regulate sleep patterns. -
Buy a Progressive Wake Alarm Clock
Sleep inertia, the feeling of grogginess after an abrupt awakening, can making waking up dreadful. Next-generation technology aims to improve this with a progression wake alarm. Progressive alarms are designed to gently bring you out of sleep by starting with soft sounds and progressively changing sounds or just getting louder and louder. You can find many of these progressive alarms on iPhone or Android markets, such as “Zen Awake” on apple or “Alarm Clock Xtreme” on Android can be downloaded for free or a minimal fee. -
See a sleep specialist
Sleepiness can be caused by sleep disorders regardless if you get enough sleep, set a schedule, eat healthy, have a quality mattress, don’t nap, and exercise regularly. Sleep disorders like narcolepsy or sleep apnea, are among the common causes for fatigue and sleepiness. Medications, illness, depression, stress, and anxiety are also very commonly linked to sleep problems. If you’ve tried everything and can’t get the sleep you need, see a sleep specialist and get a treatment program designed for you. They can help you develop better sleep habits with behavioral therapy or medications.
