4 Tips to Improve The Quality Of Your Sleep
Sleep undoubtedly plays a crucial role in health and wellness, as a good night’s rest rejuvenates your body and helps you wake up refreshed and prepared to take on the day. However, many people continue getting less than ideal sleep, with the National Sleep Foundation’s research indicating that almost 50% of Americans report feeling sleepy during the day at least thrice weekly. If you want to learn more concerning improving your overall sleep quality, consider the following points.
- Optimize your bedroom environment
Your bedroom environment makes all the difference between sleeping like a log and catching less-than-ideal shut-eye, so it would be best to optimize your bedroom for a good night’s sleep. Factors like noise, external lights, furniture arrangement, bedding quality, and temperature reportedly significantly affect your sleep quality. Consequently, find your ideal bedroom temperature based on your unique preferences, although much research cites 18 °C as the sweet spot for a good night’s sleep. Furthermore, avoid light disruption by using blackout curtains or wearing a face mask. You can also eliminate noisy distractions and select bedding that’s comfortable to the touch. Finally, why not try using pleasant and calming essential oils to introduce soothing smells that can ease you into sleep?
- Address your sleep apnea
Sleep apnea is one of the most ubiquitous sleep disorders in America, affecting about 22 million people. This disorder happens when your breathing is repeatedly interrupted during sleep. These multiple and extended breath pauses may cause your brain and the rest of your body to be oxygen-deprived. Additionally, sufferers typically wake up gasping for air several times, preventing them from sleeping properly. Thankfully, mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea can be addressed with a quick trip to leading dentists like Dr. Brian Valle. Oral appliance therapy will generally be your dental treatment plan, which will involve wearing a custom-fit device during sleep to maintain an unobstructed airway.
- Develop a sleep schedule
Improving your sleep quality must be purposeful, so consciously developing a sleep schedule is an excellent step towards better sleep. You can begin by setting a fixed wake-up time since your body will find it challenging to adjust to a healthy sleep routine if it’s constantly waking up at different times. Also, allocate time for sleep to ensure that you get the proper daily sleep dose of seven to nine hours. However, pay close attention to naps since napping too long or too late in the day can disrupt your sleep schedule and set you up for a long night of acute insomnia.
- Have a pre-bed routine
Many experts opine that several issues with poor sleep begin even before you hit the sack. Some pre-bed habits contribute to insomnia and other sleep issues, so you can adopt a helpful routine instead to make your sleep more enjoyable. Disconnecting from devices like laptops and tablets, lowering your bedroom lights, listening to music, and quiet reading are some of the positive pre-sleep habits you can adopt for a better night’s sleep.