Getting a good night’s sleep can be very important if we want to function properly day-to-day. After all, it’s difficult to try and get through your day of tasks when you can’t keep your eyes open! Sleeping through the night can feel like a myth, and it can mean you wake up irritable and even stressed. If bad sleep continues for a prolonged amount of time, it can even mess with your health.
Sleeping disorders are more common than you might think, but they’re also easier to solve than you think too. With so many factors attributing to disrupted sleep such as children, work, stress, drinking and late night television, there are a few steps you can take to improve your sleep environment. We might also experience pain when sleeping; even this can be solved without having to see a doctor.
If you can’t fall asleep
Many of us find ourselves going to bed as a reasonable time, but still lying awake hours later. Not being able to fall asleep easily is a common problem that can mean we miss out on valuable sleeping time, and can contribute to feeling tired the next day.
One of the biggest aids to drifting off to sleep easily is to avoid electronic devices. Logging off your computer or putting your phone down up to an hour before you go to bed can help your mind to switch off. There has also been research into the effects that screen light has on your sleep, and it’s not good! Blue light, as it is known, can actually suppress melatonin production, the hormone that helps you sleep.
Implementing an exercise routine can also help, even if it’s just an evening walk. For want of a better explanation, this will simply help wear you out a little bit more! It will also improve your blood circulation which can aid sleep.
If you can’t stay asleep
Not sleeping through the night happens to a lot of us, and it can be very frustrating especially when it seems to happen for no apparent reason. The truth is, there are many factors that can affect your ability to stay asleep.
Stress can keep you up at night, so try to relax before heading to bed. Reading a book or exercising are two key ways of helping your body to unwind and ensure you get a full night’s sleep.
Temperature can play a part in our sleep cycles too. The ideal sleeping temperature is around 20°C, so if you find yourself waking up a lot in the night, you might need to check what temperature you room is through the night!
If you have back or joint pain
Your sleeping position can have a big impact on those aches and pains you get when you wake up. If you often have back pain from sleeping, try sleeping on your back to maintain a natural curvature of the spine. You may need to put a pillow under your knees to maintain an optimal position. You can also sleep on your side, but make sure you draw your knees up slightly and have a pillow between them.
Neck pain requires a similar solution; sleeping on your back is ideal, with added pillows under your arms. If you sleep on your side, make sure your pillow isn’t too high as this can strain your neck.
Buying a new mattress
One of the most common root to every sleep problem is your mattress. An old mattress can attribute to joint pain and disrupted sleep more than you think, so if you’ve had yours for a few years you might want to consider buying a new one.
Buying a new mattress can alleviate many sleep problems due to new spring systems and even anti-allergen properties. Offering the right comfort and support to your body throughout the night, as well as maintaining your temperature are all features of a brand new mattress!
