Sleep health and strategies for getting better sleep

Sleep health and strategies for getting better sleep

We all know how important sleep is for maintaining both our physical and emotional wellbeing. Nonetheless, despite the significance of sleep, a concerning proportion of people consistently experience poor sleep quality and experience daytime sleepiness. Although there are many different types and reasons of sleeping issues, experts point to a few definite actions that encourage more peaceful sleep. Trying to adopt all these tactics can be overwhelming for many people. But keep in mind that it’s not all or nothing; you can start with minor adjustments and progress toward better sleep hygiene.

Sleep Disorders

• Restless legs syndrome:

A condition where there is a strong want to move one’s legs.

The positions for restless legs syndrome are sitting and/ or lying down. It usually gets worse with age and might interfere with sleep also.

Treatment includes self-care.

Moving around and getting up can help the uncomfortable feeling pass momentarily. Self-care techniques, lifestyle adjustments, or medicine may be helpful.

• Jet Lag:

A sleep condition that can occur in people who often switch between different time zones. 

Jet lag is  an intermittent sleep problem. 

Treatment can include:

• Get plenty of rest before travelling
• Stay hydrated
• Properly time exposure to bright light
• Use of medication

• Narcolepsy: 

A long-term sleep problem that significantly impairs alertness during the day.

Although the exact etiology of narcolepsy is unknown, hereditary factors and aberrant brain signals may play a role.

Treatment for Narcolepsy

Stimulants, antidepressants and other medication can help.

• Insomnia:

Persistent problems falling and staying asleep.

Insomnia has to do with bad sleeping habits, depression, anxiety, lack of exercise, chronic illness or certain medication.

Treatment for Insomnia consists of self care

Which includes improving sleep habits, behavior therapy, identifying and treating underlying causes. Sleeping pills can as well also be used, but should be monitored for side effects.

• Obstructive sleep apnoea:

This is an intermittent obstruction of airflow when sleeping.

Obstructive sleep apnea is experienced by all age groups, although the frequency increases with aging and fat.

Treatment consists of self care

Weight loss, sleeping on one’s side and decreasing alcohol intake can help as well.

Sleep hygiene

Sleep hygiene is a behavioral as well as environmental technique that was created in the late 1970s as a treatment for mild to moderate insomnia. Doctors examine patients with insomnia and other illnesses, such as depression, to determine their sleep hygiene and then make recommendations based on the findings. These are some explanations of good sleep hygiene.

We’ve divided these sleep hygiene suggestions into four groups to make them easier to understand:

• Designing a Bedroom That Promotes Sleep
• Improving Your Sleep Routine
• Establishing a bedtime routine 
• Promoting Sleep-Friendly Habits

The above four categories covers the strategies for getting a better sleep and they’re well explained below.

• Designing a Bedroom That Promotes Sleep

In preparing your sleep environment, you should focus on maximizing comfort and reducing distractions. 

The tips below should help:

• High-Performance Mattress and Pillow should be used: The best mattress for your needs and preferences is crucial in making sure that you are comfortable enough. It ensures also, along with the best pillow, that your spine gets support to avoid aches and pains.
• Choose Quality Bedding: Your sheets and blankets play an important role in helping your bed feel attractive.
• Avoid Light Disruption: Excess light exposure can throw off your sleep and affect your circadian rhythm. Dark curtains over your windows or a sleep mask for over your eyes can block light and prevent it from interfering with your rest.
• Build Peace and Quietness: Reducing noise to a minimum is a very important part of building a sleep-conducive bedroom. 
• Choose an Agreeable Temperature: You don’t want your bedroom temperature to be a disruption to your sleep by feeling too hot or too cold. The ideal temperature can differ based on the individual’s preference so find the temperature suitable for you.
• Introduce Pleasant perfumes: A light scent that you find calming can help ease you into sleep. 

• Improving Your Sleep Routine

Being in control of your daily sleep routine is a powerful step toward getting good sleep. To control your sleep time for your benefit, try and follow these four strategies:

• • Set a Fixed Time to wake up: Chose a wake-up time and adhere to it, even on weekends or days when you would otherwise be tempted to sleep in.
  • Budget Time for Sleep: Whenever possible, give yourself extra time before bed to get ready for sleep.
  • Be Careful With Naps: The best time to nap is shortly after lunch in the early afternoon, and the best nap length is around 20 minutes.

• Adjust Your Schedule Gradually

• Establishing a bedtime routine

If you find it difficult falling asleep, it’s natural to assume the problem starts immediately you lay down in bed.

Poor habits before bed time are a major factor contributing to insomnia and other sleep problems. Changing these habits can actually be demanding, but you will find out it’s worth it by making you more relaxed and ready to fall asleep when bedtime rolls around.

As part of that routine, practice these three tips:

• At Least 30 Minutes, calm down: When you are relaxed, falling asleep is much easier. You can prepare yourself for sleep by doing things like relaxing activities, reading quietly, low-impact stretching, and listening to calming music.
• Reduce the Lights: Steering clear of strong light will aid in the process of getting ready for bed and can assist your body produce melatonin, a hormone that helps you fall asleep.
• Unplug from devices: The light from devices can prevent your body from producing melatonin naturally. 

• Promoting Sleep-Friendly Habits 

• See the Light of Day

• Find Time to take a walk: This can promote solid sleep.

• Monitor Your Caffeine Intake: Monitor your caffeine intake and make sure to  avoid it later in the day because it can be a barrier to falling sleep.

• Be Mindful of Alcohol: It’s advisable to avoid drinking in the hours before bed because alcohol’s effects on the brain can impair the quality of your sleep.

• Don’t Eat Too Late

• Don’t Smoke: Exposure to smoke has been associated with a range of sleeping problems including difficulty falling asleep and shortened episodes of sleep.

• Let your bed be for sleep and sex only.

If You Can’t Fall Asleep

Try to hang on this tips if you can fall asleep.

• Not less than thirty minutes, Calm Down: It’s much simpler to fall asleep when you’re calm. By engaging in soothing activities, reading quietly, practicing low-impact stretching, and listening to relaxing music, you can get ready for sleep.
• Lower the Lights: Avoiding bright light will help you prepare for bed and can help your body create the hormone melatonin, which promotes sleep.
• Disconnect from electronics:  The light produced from your devices can cause your body to stop making melatonin on its own, therefore stay away from it. As much as you can, avoid being connected for at least 30 minutes before bed.
• Don’t fret in bed: You want to prevent your mind from associating your bed with aggravation from lack of sleep. This means that if you’ve been in bed for around 20 minutes and still can’t sleep, get out of bed and do something calming in dim lighting. During this time, avoid looking at the time. Before going back to bed, make an effort to divert your attention from sleep for at least a few minutes.
• Try Out Various Approaches: Sleeping issues can be complicated, and what helps one person may not help another. It makes sense to test out various strategies to determine which one works best for you as a result. Please keep in mind that it may take some time for new techniques to start working, so allow your adjustments some time to take effect before concluding that they aren’t.
• Keeping a Sleep Journal: You can monitor your sleep quality and pinpoint any elements that may be promoting or inhibiting it by keeping a daily sleep journal. The sleep diary can be used to track how well a new sleep pattern or other sleep hygiene improvements are working for you.
• Speak with a doctor: The ideal person to give specific advise to those who have severe sleeping issues is a doctor. If you see that your sleep issues are getting worse, lasting a long time, posing a threat to your health and safety (such as from extreme daytime sleepiness), speak with your doctor.

Conclusion

Try to establish a consistent evening routine that you adhere to because this helps to maintain good habits and alerts the body and mind that it is almost time for bed.

References

- https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-hygiene/healthy-sleep-tips

- https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_hygiene

- https://www.google.com/search?client=ms-android-transsion&sxsrf=AJOqlzVE6n6RbGYB65_OKazSNFlN2iPPIQ:1677874971540&q=Insomnia&si=AEcPFx6l3RvH8SFlhHZyn7jIc6m2bU9vmoFvFAMQv2WWSYjXN5-K1uz2ShksLsJ6gGIcZV--cUZt0HlWqoTrKK7TW8r1UoAfJ6JP3re5oXQH_mnCeFQ7yOE%3D&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwinwZ-ty8D9AhWwh_0HHbsYCgsQ0EB6BAgPEAs&biw=360&bih=740&dpr=2#wptab=s:H4sIAAAAAAAAAOMwe8ToyS3w8sc9YSmHSWtOXmO04lLwTU3JTM7MS3XJLE5NLE71y89LKSpNDylKTSzJTc0rKRYS42JzzSvJLKkU4pHi4uLQz9U3SEkpL-FZxCqcmVecn5uXmahQAlcOAFgJ-4dkAAAA