Lack of sleep has many effects on people, both physically and mentally. If you’re constantly feeling stressed, your blood sugar is unstable, or you’re anxious, it could be because you’re not getting enough sleep.
SLEEPING LESS THAN 7 HOURS NIGHT INCREASE THESE RISKS
- Paralysis
- Diabetes
- Depression
- Gaining weight
- Heart attack
- Loss of memory
- high blood pressure
IMPROVE YOUR SLEEP QUALITY
You should sleep at consistent times. Your body has an internal clock that it tracks. If you go to bed late one night and early the next day, you’re disrupting your circadian rhythm. So create a schedule where you go to bed and wake up. You fall asleep faster and wake up refreshed. At the same time, you should know the following items for a quality sleep.
Increase your room comfort;
- Comfort
- light levels
- Heat
How can we improve them?
- Use blackout curtains
- use an air conditioner
- Use a high quality pillow and mattress
Keep it cool;
As mentioned, temperature is a big factor in your sleep quality. Keep your thermostat between 15.6 and 19.4 degrees Celsius.
Get sunlight;
Get 5-15 minutes of sunlight after waking up. The sun sets an internal countdown by telling your body it’s the start of the day. This helps regulate your sleep cycle, making it easier to fall asleep at night.
Do not consume caffeine late;
It takes about 10 hours for caffeine to leave your system.
If you are going to bed at 12 pm, do not use caffeine after 2 pm.
Avoid exercising late;
Avoid exercising late at night.
This is how your body prepares before you go to sleep:
- slowed heart rate
- slowing brain waves
- lowering body temperature
Exercise leads to:
- higher heart rate
- Higher arousal levels
- higher body temperature
Avoid exercising 1-3 hours before bedtime.
Avoid blue light;
Avoid blue light before bed.
- phones
- Computers
- artificial lights
This makes our brain think it’s daytime and suppresses the sleep hormone melatonin.
Avoid blue light 1 hour before bedtime.
Relax before going to bed;
When you engage in activities that engage the analytical part of your brain, you create ‘open loops’. Your brain hates unresolved problems, so it keeps you awake as you try to find solutions.
Keep a diary before going to bed;
Stimulating activities create open loops. Keeping a diary turns them off.
Writing allows you to actively work on problems and find solutions.
Your brain understands that your thoughts are stored in a safe place so it doesn’t have to keep it in front of your mind.
Meditate;
Studies have shown the effectiveness of meditation. With just 10 minutes of meditation:
- reduce anxiety
- Decrease heart rate
- lower blood pressure