Are you someone who struggles to get to bed? It is said that almost 1 in 3 people suffer from mild insomnia in today’s world. Being unable to sleep can really dampen one’s mood, affect your productivity at work and cause long term health issues if not rectified. In this article, we will look at how you can fight back against the common causes of poor sleep quality. Read on to find out more!
1. Are You Comfortable?
The first and most basic question to ask yourself is if you are comfortable in your bed. If you are sleeping on old sheets or bedding, chances are, you aren’t as comfortable as you could be when you’re trying to hit the snooze button. If you are in need of better sleep, it can really pay to invest in high quality sheets. You can either purchase this at reliable bedding suppliers or stores that offer bedding online. Aside from your sleep behaviours improving, you will notice that your skin will be able to breathe much better as well. It’s a win win situation!
2. Is Your Brain Overstimulated?
In today’s fast paced world, many of us are fueled by caffeine and stimulants. Most of us start the day with a steamy cup of coffee, and go on to fuel our bodies with other sources of energy throughout the day. It is known that caffeine can block sleep inducing chemicals in our brains, which is great in the daytime when you need to be alert at work, but terrible for a good night’s sleep.
It is advised that you cut your caffeine supply off before 2pm in the afternoon, in order to ensure that you will be able to get a good night’s rest. Alternatively, limit your intake of coffee to 4 cups a day and no more. Following these guidelines will ensure that you’re not tossing and turning in the middle of the night.
3. Look To The Environment
Another cause of poor sleep quality is the environment in which you are in. Noise, light, and temperature in your bedroom can all affect the quality of sleep you get. Can you hear cars on the roadside from your window? Are there too many sources of light in your bedroom?
For optimal sleep, bedrooms should be kept dark and as noise free as possible. Avoid having televisions in your room, or electronics that may illuminate in the darkness. When it comes to noise, if you are unable to change the location of your bedroom, the next best option is to invest in a pair of high quality ear plugs that will block unnecessary noise from reaching your ears.
4. It’s All About What You Eat
Most people are unaware that eating too close to bedtime can greatly reduce your sleep quality. This is because eating too much in the evening can cause heartburn and discomfort that will in turn, affect your sleep quality. In order to prevent this, it is advised that you keep your dinners light and also try to limit fluid intake before bedtime so that you do not need to wake up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. Stop eating a good two to three hours before bed and you just may see your sleep quality improve considerably.
5. Failing To Wind Down Before Bed
We get it, in today’s world, it can be all to easy to get carried away watching a show on Netflix or chatting with someone on Facebook all night long. Unfortunately, practices such as this do not give your brain time to wind down before bed. Exercising, computer games, using your phone and watching TV keep your brain alert, and should all be avoided for a good few hours before you plan on hitting the sack.
We hope that this article has been useful in giving you some insight into how you can improve your sleep quality.