Nothing feels quite as fabulous as a good night’s sleep. Waking up rested and ready for the day is a true gift. But getting quality sleep is not so easy, with the stresses and demands of day to day life, there are plenty of things that can try to get in the way of getting a full night’s sleep. Few things are as frustrating as struggling to fall asleep or stay asleep, and going through the day without a full sleep can cause you to be tired, irritable, and all around not at your best. Here are the top three challenges you might face to getting a quality night’s sleep.
What You Do Before
Your before bed routine has a major impact on how well you sleep throughout the night. Having a bedtime routine that you do every night can help your body learn habits of yours to use as signals to get ready for bed, releasing the hormones necessary to put you to sleep. Reading, having a glass of tea, journaling, and meditating are all great ideas for things to add to your nighttime routine that can assist you in seeking sleep. The number one thing to avoid before bed is electronics screens. The blue light that screens emit sends signals to your brain to stay awake, and this can affect your ability to fall asleep when it comes time to bed. Try to put your screens away at least thirty minutes before bedtime to help get a good sleep.
Your Mattress
If your mattress is not comfortable, you’re going to struggle with your sleep. Having a mattress that is the right firmness for your personal needs is essential to getting a quality sleep. If your body needs a firmer or softer mattress, your body will be unable to completely relax when trying to sleep, which can prevent you from sleeping when you need to. You also need to keep your mattress clean. A dirty mattress can cause health problems because of the dirt and dead skin they accumulate. If you are unsure of the cleanliness of your mattress, then now is the time to get that checked, and cleaned. Knowing your mattress is clean will help you sleep nice and sound.
Light and Noise in the Bedroom
Light and sound are huge sensory cues for our brains about when it is time for bed and when it is time for wakefulness. If your room is too brightly lit because you have lots of natural light and your curtains or blinds don’t block enough light from entering your room, then you should consider blackout curtains. Keeping the light out helps your brain recognize that it is time for sleep, allowing you to relax into a sleep that will be calm and pleasant. The same is true for noise. Invest in sound proofing if your bedroom experiences lots of leakage noise. Or if that is not an option, perhaps consider white noise to cover up unwanted noise from outside. This can help you to promote a peaceful ambience that promotes sleep.
As we get older, sleep gets more important it seems. Unfortunately, it also seems to get harder. Try to recognize these three major challenges to getting a quality sleep, and follow this advice to overcome these challenges and get the best sleep of your life every night.
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