All About Creating Good Sleep for Yourself
According to the Sleep Foundation, “Sleep is an essential function that allows your body and mind to recharge, leaving you refreshed and alert when you wake up.” They also said, “Without enough sleep, the brain cannot function properly.”
Sleep is simply a science–your body needs it! It also needs good sleep. We’ll go over what good sleep is and how to get there.
Defining Good Sleep
How Much Sleep You Need
The amount of sleep you need depends on your age. Believe it or not, newborn babies need 14-17 hours per day while older adults need 7-8. Who else wishes they were a newborn so they could sleep that much without getting judged?
An insufficient amount of sleep can lead to
some serious issues like inattentiveness, reduced cognition, delayed reactions, and mood shifts. Not getting enough sleep has also been linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and poor mental health. This is why it is extremely important to get the sleep you need.
To achieve this, we recommend establishing a realistic bedtime and stick to it, treating yourself to a nice mattress and good pillows, not spending time on electronics before bed, and not drinking caffeine after noon.
Continuous Sleep
Good sleep is sleeping straight through the night with minimal disruption according to the Sleep Foundation. There are 4 stages of sleep, and interfering with these stages can prevent you from getting that healthy sleep.
Even if you got 8 hours of sleep, it doesn’t mean it was good. If you suffer from random awakenings and odd breathing patterns, you could be suffering from sleep deprivation.
Determining if Your Sleep is Healthy
Other than the amount and quality of sleep you're getting, Sleep Foundation shared ways to notice if you had good quality sleep throughout the day.
Waking up feeling refreshed
Having lots of energy during the day
Being in a pleasant mood
On the other hand, there are ways to notice you had bad sleep throughout the day.
Having trouble getting up in the morning
Struggling to focus
Mood swings
Needing daytime naps and feeling sleepy
The good thing is that you can always implement healthy sleep habits (we’ll share a few below) to improve your sleep and talk with your doctor to tackle these issues. Everyone is there to help you! Life is hard to enjoy without good sleep.
Healthy Sleep Habits
Set a Consistent Sleep Schedule
Try to go to bed at the same time every night and try to wake up at the same time every day. This will keep your body in a routine and cycle the same every night.
Practice Other Healthy Habits
Our blog posts are full of healthy habits! If you want more extensive advice, feel free to read them! Staying active and eating a healthy diet will definitely help your sleep quality.
Limit Caffeine and Alcohol
Caffeine interferes with sleep and causes withdrawal symptoms at night, leading to a long night of restlessness. Try not to drink caffeine after noon, if at all. Alcohol is a natural sedative that slows brain activity, so it will interfere with your stages of sleep. It is also linked to causing nightmares.
Keep Your Bedroom for Sleep Only
This one can be hard, but it is recommended to avoid eating or watching TV in bed. No electronics should be in your bed! Keeping the bedroom dark and quiet will promote the best sleep. If you use your bedroom for more than just sleep, your body will naturally associate your bedroom with more than just sleeping activity.
Don’t Wait to Start
Waking up feeling refreshed and having a day full of energy will feel so good. It will definitely change your life. This will keep your motivation high, your mood positive, and improve your overall health. Why not start now? Create the best sleep possible for yourself!
Disclaimer: This was not written by a medical professional. All content and information on this website is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Although we are striving to provide great, accurate information, the information presented is not a substitute for any kind of professional advice.
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