Everyone knows that our bodies need sleep to function. But in today's fast paced society, people have less and less time to do things so they try and cram as much as they can into one day. The first thing that they do to cram in everything is reduce the number of hours that they sleep. Little do they realize that reducing the sleep will hamper their next day performance as well. Adding to that, sleep deprivation has been also linked to deadly diseases like heart disease, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes.
But there is another kind of sleep deprivation as well. One that is not intentional. Are you the sort of person who goes to bed and then for more than an hour just rolls around with absolute no sleep. There are a lot of reasons why you might not be getting adequate sleep. Let's tackle a few of them:
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Your mind doesn't shut off: A lot of people constantly keep thinking of the stuff that worries them in bed. Stuff like a new project, relationship, financial planning etc. As the mind is not at peace, the brain cannot go to sleep. The bed isn't the right place to think over your worries. The best thing to do in this case is to discuss your worries comprehensively with your partner and then go to sleep. If you have a big house, probably a change in the location of sleeping can also help. When your anxious thoughts have stopped (they usually stop right away), go back to bed and fall asleep. This strategy, called stimulus control, also helps you to associate the bed and bedroom with sleep rather than with arousal or the frustration caused by the inability to sleep.
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Snoring partner: Sometimes people complain that the only reason they don't get enough sleep is because their partner snores like a pig. Yes, snoring is a major problem but the good news is that it can be cured. Ask your partner to avoid sleeping on his back and try sleeping on his side. There are also various gadgets in the market that will help you/your partner stop snoring. You can even plug in some cotton plugs in your ear to make the disturbance go away.
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Interrupting noise: If you can hear any sound that your brain can comprehend (for example, a conversation, television or traffic), then your brain automatically functions - thus keeping you awake. Sometimes, it's not the sound that's keeps you awake, but the inconsistency of sound or silence that's disruptive. The best solution is to eliminate the noise, but that's often not possible. So, instead try to mask the noise with white noise. You can turn on a nearby exhaust or ceiling fan, or use a white-noise machine. This will both block out the disruptive sounds and provide just enough noise for those who can't stand total silence.
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Hormonal changes: During their menstrual cycle, women complain that their sleep breaks in the middle of the night for no apparent reason. The main reason for that is fluctuating levels of estrogen and progesterone. Best way to counter the effect is to take a hot bath a couple hour before going to sleep. If you are experiencing severe symptoms, you may ask your physician to give you a mild medication for sleeping.
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Messed up environment: A lot of people are not aware that the mind is constantly taking cues from its environment and reacting to it involuntarily. Thus a pile of papers on the work desk, your to-do list, your clothes thrown around are all indications that the work is not finished and as a result you don't feel like sleeping. Make sure you sleep in a clean, organized environment. Try to keep your work desk and your computer away from the sleeping area.
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Hunger pangs: Midnight snacking is one of the most common cause of sleep breakage. A lot of people suddenly wake up in the night because they are hungry. This bad habit is not only bad for your sleep but also for your belly. In order to avoid it, make sure that you have a high slow digesting protein diet for dinner. The slow digesting proteins will keep your body fueled adequately throughout the night.
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Late weekend mornings: Many people have the habit of waking early in the morning in the weekdays. So naturally by the weekend they sleep late. This throws their body clock off balance. Adding to that, the Friday late night parties and the over eating that happens at these parties just makes the situation worse. The best way to avoid this is not to let your body clock go off balance. Make sure that you don't extend your sleep by more than one hour on the weekend. If you are really feeling drowsy throughout the day, take a power nap (not more than 30 minutes) in the afternoon so that you feel fully refreshed in the evening.
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Very bright night lamp: Sleeping in a room that has too many lights is very uncomfortable. Even small lights like glowing alarm clocks, lights from the DVD player, night lamps etc can reach your retina even when your eyes are closed and can upset your internal clock and make you feel awake. In order to avoid such circumstances, make sure you sleep in a dark area. If you are scared of too much darkness, keep a very dim night lamp for security.
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Tight clothes: Another major reason for daily sleeplessness could be uncomfortable clothing. You should wear something loose when going to sleep. The more comfortable you are the better you will sleep.
If you are not getting enough sleep you could be paying for it later. So follow the above strategies to help ensure a good night's rest.
