Sleep is an important function for your body, and every night it’s necessary for your body to rejuvenate and for your body to rest and repair.
Sleep is the time of the day when your body has a chance to regenerate.
If you struggle with your sleep routine, there are options that you can try that may help you.
I want to give you a clear plan on how to get a good night’s sleep, and if you do try any of these suggestions and do not get better results, you can always go back to the drawing board and figure out what’s going on.
Why do you have insomnia?
Many people think they are dealing with insomnia because they are not getting enough sleep, but in reality, we are all sleep-deprived.
Deep sleep is an essential function of your body, and every night you need to recharge.
Deep sleep is when your body does most of its repair work and recharges itself so you are ready for a new day and more energy. But most of us are not getting enough deep sleep.
Most people don’t realize that as you grow older, your body begins to slow down and adapt to your surroundings, and your deep sleep is disrupted.
Even if you do have a perfectly good and cozy bed to sleep in, your body can adapt to your new environment and sleep may not be deep and restorative.
If you go out on the town late at night, your body is still used to being in a very lighted environment and your sleep may not be as restorative as it would be at home.
Many of us want to stay up late, have a couple of drinks and stay up late watching movies, but this often disturbs our sleep pattern.
If you don’t get the sleep your body needs, your stress hormones will increase, and the body cannot adjust to your new environment.
Even if you can get a good night’s rest, you are not fully rejuvenated or recovered. In the morning, your body is often a little foggy.
Your work and studies suffer as a result of a lack of deep sleep.
Many of us have heard the quote from Julius Caesar, “The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars but ourselves.” It’s time for our biological clocks to be reset so we can stay energized.
Now, let’s explore how to increase the quality of your sleep.
How to increase your deep sleep
The first thing to do is to see if your mattress is actually keeping you cool at night.
The average mattress has become too hot for most of us. You will not even notice that it is too hot, but a cool mattress may make a huge difference in your sleep.
First, get a second opinion. You can also try two or three different mattresses and measure their temperature.
If you do decide to purchase a new mattress, buy a high-quality mattress.
Look for at least a 4.5 rating, and have it tested for temperature. Consider getting a premium latex mattress, which is very breathable, keeping you cool.
Another option is to purchase a cooling pad, such as a CoolPad or an Apple Fan.
This will not cost much and is a cost-effective way to cool the mattress to the desired temperature.
The recommended amount of sleep for adults is 6-8 hours of sleep. If you can manage 5-6 hours of sleep a night, you will notice a difference in your body and energy level.
If you are not sleeping the recommended amount of time, please see a doctor. Most adults are not getting enough sleep to fully recover and maintain their energy levels throughout the day.
Too much or not enough sleep has many impacts on our bodies. However, making a good sleep plan may help you get a better night’s sleep.
What are the benefits of sleep?
The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) provides these statistics to help us understand the impact of sleep on our health:
In 2015, approximately one in three American adults reported that their sleep was less than seven hours a night.
Less than 50 percent of working adults slept for more than seven hours per night
Over 40 percent of working adults reported insufficient sleep for at least a month.
Close to 10 percent reported inadequate sleep for more than three months.
Sleep experts suggest that adults should be getting at least 7-9 hours of sleep each night.
However, according to NSF, only 25 percent of working adults said they get the recommended amount of sleep each night.
When we don’t get enough sleep, our brain, body, and mood suffer.
Lack of sleep can cause several physical symptoms, such as fatigue, headache, confusion, irritability, stress, and difficulty concentrating.
Even a nap can help us recharge. When we don’t sleep, our body is often in a fight or flight response.
This causes us to make hormonal changes and makes it harder to get a good night’s sleep the next night.
Many of these health consequences are real, but they are also due to a lack of sleep.
They can be ameliorated by sleeping more.
So make a plan to get a good night’s sleep and see how you feel the next day.
