You’ve done it every night (more or less). However, practice does not always make perfect when it comes to striking our pillows. The Institutes of Medicine estimate that 50 to 70 million American individuals have a sleep or wakefulness issue. The CDC discovered that more than a third of Americans receive less than the seven to nine hours of sleep each night recommended for adults’ health. According to a 2014 National Sleep Foundation poll, 45 percent of Americans reported that lack of sleep has hampered everyday tasks at least once in the previous week. There are some medicines like Modafinil, Modalert 100 mg / Modalert 200 mg to prevent unwanted sleep during night or day. But taking medicine to get better sleep is quite dangerous.
So, what went wrong? A lot of us may be making these frequent sleep mistakes:
- Not decompressing enough
According to Krieger, one of the most popular misconceptions regarding sleep is that a switch is tripped as soon as you go into bed. “Not even shutting off your computer is that simple,” she explains. Physiologically, sleep is defined by the body’s major functions slowing down and reducing. Those are intricate procedures that take time (or just because the episode you were watching on Netflix ended).
For some, establishing a sleep-inducing atmosphere includes reading, listening to soothing music, having a warm shower, or doing moderate yoga stretches. Krieger advises taking two minutes before going to bed to sit in the dark, do nothing, and quiet and soothe your thoughts.
2: Bringing tech to bed
The world is at your fingertips wherever you are, which is terrific — except when you’re trying to tell your body to shut down. Krieger believes the same applies to computers, TVs, iPods, etc.
The intense blue and white light waves from these devices have been shown to disrupt our circadian cycle. The brain associates this light with the sun and tells the body to stay awake by blocking the body’s natural release of melatonin, a hormone that keeps our body clock on track.
That annoying email from a coworker (you promise you won’t worry about it till tomorrow) or your Facebook page also activates the brain, Krieger adds. “Now you’re engaged,” she explains, which is the reverse of a sleep-friendly setting.
Bottom line: turn off gadgets 30 minutes before bedtime, ideally an hour before.
- Constant caffeination
Many of us drink more than one caffeinated beverage every day, according to surveys. And that “lot more,” especially late-afternoon, can be damaging to our sleep, adds Krieger. Caffeine is a drug. It works by inhibiting sleep-inducing chemicals in the brain and enhancing adrenaline production. While many of us need a cup of coffee to get us going in the morning, it can take up to six hours for the body to entirely remove the caffeine. You may be awakened well after your 4 p.m. Red Bull.
But, Krieger says, everybody is unique. Caffeine affects people differently. If you’re sleeping well and waking up refreshed, Krieger says you don’t need to modify your routines. While many of us need a cup of coffee to get us going in the morning, it can take up to six hours for the body to entirely remove the caffeine. To enhance sleep, Krieger advises limiting caffeine intake to the morning. (The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends avoiding coffee in the late afternoon and evening.)
- Too many nightcaps before bed
Alcohol might make you sleepy and drowsy. It sedates. This causes your brain to go into a deep sleep and stay there, rather than cycling through the other phases of sleep (including REM sleep, when we dream), which all have a part in restoring our bodies and minds for the next day. Plus, the impact wears off later in the night, causing your body to spend more time in the lighter phases of sleep, which are more likely to wake you up (and dream). Enjoy your beverage around happy hour rather than just before night, and limit yourself to one or two drinks, the National Sleep Foundation advises.
- Hot sleep
The body’s temperature drops as it prepares to sleep. (That happens physiologically during sleep!) Keeping your environment cool speeds up the process says, Krieger. The National Sleep Foundation recommends a temperature between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit. If it’s cold, cover with a light blanket (or keep one close), Krieger advises.
- Making up sleep on weekends
It’s like eating less. Most of us couldn’t eat five meals on Saturday to make up for a week of lunch-skipping (at least not the nutritious quality calories our bodies need). Similarly, if you don’t get enough sleep during the week. You can’t make up for it on weekends (or other days you can sleep in), says Krieger. “The body is tough. We only make up to feel better.” You may feel better the next day, but you cannot stockpile sleep for the next week. Chronic sleep deprivation has been related to serious health issues like weight gain, diabetes, heart disease, and cognitive loss.
- Believing you need less sleep
“Just get through tomorrow…” True. Krieger believes we don’t have a solid sense of how much sleep we need. Again, the body is tough. It’s the same impact as going too long without eating and needing a snack to ‘get through the following hour. “Your body won’t shut down,” Krieger assures. But you probably aren’t feeling or functioning well.
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