According to the Sleep in America poll, approximately 20% of American adults (42mil people) report that different discomforts disrupt their sleep at least a few nights each week. Sleep is undoubtedly important for one’s overarching health. This is not new nor groundbreaking information, but an aspect of one’s overall well being that we tend to overlook. Sleep not only affects your physical health, but it can have quite the impact on your mental health affecting both your mood and energy levels. Sleep is a very personal act of our lives, we all experience different patterns, struggles, comforts and discomforts while we rest. Also, not everyone needs the same kind of sleep. Although we all do deserve to get the best rest possible to succeed and perform our daily duties. Remaining mindful of your body will help you to learn ways to target pain points regarding your sleep — or lack thereof it — and how this all can affect your day-to-day productivity.
Below are a series of minor but common sleep discomforts paired with tangible solutions for bedtime issues, including anxiety, hunger, a busy mind, noise distractions, acute insomnia, restlessness, and temperature control. With the change of seasons right around the corner, and an increased mission for self-health and wellbeing (especially as cold/flu season approach) – be sure to control the angles of your life that make a big overall impact on your health- your sleep being a major priority!
Hunger:
We crave carb-heavy, fatty foods when we’re tired. If you know you’ve had an exhausting day, make sure you nourish your body before hitting the sheets. A lack of sleep seems to raise certain hunger-controlling hormones which often causes people to throw their hungry consciousness right out the window. On the flip side, when people regularly get adequate amounts of good sleep they often eat less carbohydrates and fatty treats which also helps with weight loss strategies.
Noise:
It is no doubt that we really cherish our bedtime rituals and there is one thing that is beyond irritating as you try to zone off to catch some z’s. If noise is a constant in your bedroom, this could lead to many restless nights hindering your overall health. Maybe you live nearby an airport or on the first floor of a busy city street or apartment building with the elephant neighbors upstairs, regardless consider wearing earplugs or using a white noise device – you’ll find a noticeable difference in your ability to fall asleep!
General Discomfort:
If you’re tossing and turning, or possibly rolling off of your mattress, you probably are not getting the optimal sleep you deserve. A great way to tell if your mattress is in need of an update is to simply look at it without any sheets. Is it sinking on the edges or center? Noticeable wear and tear from too many moves? Might be time to replace! Investing in a good mattress is one secret to sleep success – finding the happy medium between firm and soft is a personal preference, but remember a good mattress will always be flat and level to the eye!
Not Tired:
This is certainly a new age issue many of us face, my body is telling me yes – go to bed – but my mind, it stays awake! We live and lead busy lives, we should be exhausted after a full day of living! Your cell phone is a mental stimulation constantly gassing your brain to think, ponder and wander! Tuck that phone away at a reasonable hour, not only is it a major mental distraction, the blue light from the artificial lighting in screens will mess with your internal time clock!
Anxiety:
Anxiety is tough, and even more tricky when you are trying to get some rest, but can’t seem to fight off the worries of tomorrow. As we know, mental health and sleep have many crossroads – consider adding some “me-time” to your nightly routine. Mediation and Stretching app’s are amazing accessible tools that will positively assist your physical and mental well being before you snooze away.
Acute Insomnia:
It’s not so cute when you can’t fall asleep, especially when you’re trying so hard and you know that tomorrow is Monday! Your bedtime routine and regularization of time is important to consider when optimizing your sleeping schedule. Try your best to go to bed within the same two hour time frame each night. Your body will thank you later, you might even be able to ditch the alarm clocks too – when you master a sleep schedule you’ll subconsciously become tired and awake at a similar time each and every day!
Temperature:
For both healthy sleeping and healthy skin, you’re best off to sleep a bit cool. The body’s core temperature needs to drop in order to initiate deep sleep. In a perfect world, the suggested or ideal bedroom temperature should be between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit.