A good night’s sleep is incredibly important to your health. But the fact is that more than ever people are getting less and less sleep. On top of that, the quality of their sleep is decreasing as well. This is not good. We all need the recharge and reset that sleep offers. Here are some of the things that a poor night sleep may lead too.
- Impaired Attention
- Impaired Alertness
- Impaired Memory
- Impaired Judgement
- Increased Risk of Heart disease
- Increased Risk of Heart attack
- Increased Risk of Heart failure
- Increased Risk of Irregular heartbeat
- Increased Risk of High blood pressure
- Increased Risk of Stroke
- Increased Risk of Diabetes
- Depression
- Poor Skin Quality
- Weight Gain
These are just a few of the things that are at risk when your sleep is lacking. I think we can all agree that sleep is great but now it is starting to be clear that it is imperative to long lasting health. Here are some benefits of a quality night's sleep.
- Lower risk of things in the previous list.
- Increased Energy
- Improved Concentration
- Improved Productivity
- Improved Immune Function
- Reduced Inflammation
- Faster Recovery
- Heal Damaged Cells
- And more…
According to the CDC here is a list of sleep recommendation by age.
Newborns - 14-17 hours
Infants - 12-16 hours
Toddlers - 11-14 hours
Preschool-age children - 10-13 hours
School-age children - 9-12 hours
Teens - 8-10 hours
Adults - 7-9 hours
If you are like many people you may be thinking you need to get a few more hours each night to get up to these numbers. So, let us talk about some ways to help improve your sleep.
Blue Light: Your body has a natural clock called circadian rhythm. It effects many systems in your body. By reducing the blue light exposure in the evening’s, you can help your body to fall into a natural sleep pattern improving that rhythm.
Action: Turn off electronics such as phones, TV and other blue light emitting devices. Some even have a filter to help reduce exposure but turning them off also helps reduce brain stimulation and addiction to likes and follows. 😀
Stimulants: Compounds like caffeine can obviously wake up and keep you awake, and some people are more sensitive than others. But, did you know that caffeine can stay elevated in your blood for 6-8 hours? So, a mid-afternoon cup might not be a great idea if you’re looking for a good night’s sleep.
Action: Try switching your afternoon or evening drinks to decaf coffee or teas. Many teas can help promote a good night’s sleep. Here is a good one. Just heat over a stove until ingredients are dissolved.
1 & 1/2 cups warm almond milk
1 & 1/2 teaspoons ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons local raw honey
Schedule: Our bodies crave consistency. When we have a more consistent sleep pattern the body can more easily know what to expect. Irregular napping and random late nights can throw your system for a loop.
Action: Set a bedtime and wake time and stick to it. Plan your good night’s sleep. If you are taking naps. Try shorter consistent naps as they have shown more long term benefit.
Supplements: There are some supplements that may help. Some compounds that our bodies naturally produce like melatonin can help to aid in getting to and staying asleep.
Action: Consider looking into melatonin or other natural sleep aids like ginkgo biloba, glycine, valerian root, magnesium, or lavender.
Set the mood: Setting your bedroom up in a way that makes your feel comfortable as well as the right temperature can help to aid in getting to and staying asleep.
Action: Arrange your room and consider removing any stimulants like TV to maximize comfort. Test out various temperatures to find one that is more comfortable for you.
Final Thoughts
There are many aspects to getting a good night sleep. And we just scratched the surface. But I hope after this you see the importance of sleep and long-term health. There are many great resources to help you determine ways to get a better sleep and in the long run it will be worth investing in this way to improve your health.
Until next time. Make good choices and stay healthy! 😀
