You’re not in college anymore. You need to get a good night’s rest.
While you might have been able to cruise by on three hours of sleep in college and high school, you should be getting at least seven hours a night as an adult. More than that, you should be getting good quality rest. Just because you were in bed for seven hours doesn’t mean you’re well-rested. Stress can interrupt your sleep, as can aches and pains, blue light, and even nutritional imbalance.
When you consider that sleep deprivation is on par with being drunk in terms of driving, you get a sense of how dangerous being tired really is. You wouldn’t attempt to do your job tipsy. You’d be afraid of making mistakes and working too slowly. If you show up to every work day lethargic, however, no amount of coffee is going to cure the real problem: you need to sleep better.
If you feel like better rest is something you need, take advantage of the these tips. One or two might be the answer to your restless nights.
Aches and Pains. If you’ve got stiff shoulders, a sore back, or a tight neck, sleeping can be a misery. You might not wake up enough to notice, but your body will likely flop back and forth all night as you try to get comfortable. If you have pain during the night, you can try a natural pain relief such as Curamed, or you can invest in a better pillow or more comfortable mattress. It might help to talk to a chiropractor and see what bedding is best suited for your sleeping posture.
Blue Light. When you look at a screen, you’re looking at blue light. It’s in phones, TVs, laptops, and desktops, and it’s a normal part of any screen setting. It can, however, keep you from sleeping well at night. Sound crazy? Studies back it up, and if you look at a screen before going to bed, your body may be unable to produce melatonin properly. While you can just turn off your screens an hour before bed, you can also install blue-light blocking apps, or get blue light glasses to block blue light.
Not enough Nutrients. Did you know that a nutrient imbalance can disrupt your rest? If your body isn’t getting the nutrients it needs, you might have a harder time getting deep rest. Most common on this list are magnesium, calcium, and vitamin D. You can also try vitamin supplements and see whether your sleep starts improving.
Stress. Stress is a common enemy of sleep, and it could keep you awake. Stress might also interrupt your sleeping hours, because you may toss and turn during the night, stressed out even after you’ve fallen asleep. Stress can disrupt your REM if it gets too high. If you live in a chronic state of stress, you may want to consult with a doctor or therapist about what to do next. You can also try meditating or writing in a journal in the evenings to start releasing some of your daily tension.
Getting a good night’s rest is complicated, but with these solutions, you’ll be closer than ever to achieving a great night’s sleep.