Whether you are working or retired,
everyone needs sleep. Your mind and body
need to rest and recuperate from the day
before so that you can function well the next
day. But chances are, you have experienced
sleepless nights in your life from many
different reasons and factors.
If you have trouble sleeping, you could be
changing a few things in your daily habits so
that you can get better sleep. According to
W. Chris Winter, M.D., sleeping is a skill that
can be improved if you are not satisfied with
the quality of your sleep. Here are the most
common aspects of your life that could be
affecting your sleep every night, according to
an article written by Paula Spencer Scott:
- Too Much Stress — You could be
causing unnecessary stress and
anxiety to yourself by thinking too
much about things that happened
that day or anticipating what will
happen the next day. Try to accept
the fact that instead of worrying,
you can try to get a good night’s
sleep and deal with your problems
the next day. - Being Random — Your body will
have a hard time keeping up if you
don’t have a normal sleeping
schedule. Instead of sleeping and
waking up at different times every
day, try to stick with a sleeping
schedule that you’re comfortable
with. The article states that adults
need about seven to nine hours of
sleep every night, and you probably
already know if your body prefers
more or less hours in that range.
The key is to be consistent. - Not Comfortable Enough — How
many years have you had your
mattress or pillows? How about
your sheets and blankets? What are
you wearing to sleep? Maybe it’s
time to explore how comfortable
you are with your arrangements. - Pet Disturbance — Sometimes our
beloved animal companions can be
a little too disturbing at night. The
author of the article reminds us
that dogs have different sleeping
cycles than humans, so they are
likely to move around while you’re
sleeping. - Too Much Light — You probably
already turn off your lights when
you go to sleep, but do you turn off
all your technology? There could be
light coming from the television,
computer, phone, printer, etc.,
which can ultimately bother your
sleep. In addition, close your blinds
or curtains if you have strong
moonlight coming through your
window. - Overthinking — I’m sure we have
all done this: thinking about not
getting enough sleep. The article
states that this is a problem that
builds upon itself. Thinking too
much about whether you will fall
asleep or get enough hours adds to
your stress and anxiety. Do yourself
a favor and think pleasant
thoughts, and remind yourself that
simply resting in bed is beneficial
to your body.
