You may be in bed for eight or nine hours but not feel rested the next morning. That's because you aren't getting the best sleep possible. No matter how long you sleep, if it's not a sound sleep, you'll wake up feeling just as tired as you did when you went to bed. A lot of things can affect the quality of sleep. Lack of sleep can take its toll on you mentally and physically. It can diminish your immunity and even make it more difficult to lose weight.
You need to go through several sleep cycles every night.
There are four stages of sleep. Three are non-rapid eye movement ---NREM and one is rapid eye movement---REM. During the NREM sleep stages, the body makes repairs, breathing slows, and blood pressure drops. It's when more blood goes to the muscles to do repairs. If you're building muscles, that's when the magic takes place. During REM sleep, you dream. There's increased brain activity. It's when your brain is reorganizing and revitalizing. Lack of any stage diminishes your immune system and reduces the hormones necessary to build muscle tissue.
Everyone's sleep requirement is different.
You might need six hours of sleep, but your brother needs nine to function at his best. Even within families, the sleep requirement differs, but the average amount necessary is eight to nine hours. Once you determine the hours you require, creating a sleep schedule helps improve the quality of your sleep. You'll fall asleep faster and sleep sounder. It sounds easy enough, but it does require you to go to bed and get up at the same time daily, even on weekends.
Improve your sleep by keeping your room cooler.
Like the number of hours of sleep, everyone's perfect sleep temperature is different. Research shows that for most people, the temperature is usually between 60 and 68 degrees, with 65 degrees the most common. Ensuring your room is dark is also vital. Turn off electronic devices like cell phones, TVs, and computers. Stay off your phone or computer an hour before bedtime.
- Some people find it hard to sleep if they're hungry. It's a survival instinct. Eating almonds, turkey, or walnuts can help. Drinking a cup of chamomile tea has apigenin that promotes sleep.
- If you smoke or consume higher amounts of caffeine drinks like coffee or colas, quit early in the evening or late in the afternoon. They're stimulants that can keep you awake.
- Learn meditation or breathing techniques that help you relax and fall asleep. It helps divert your mind and improves your chances of falling asleep more quickly. Using mental imagery can also help you sleep.
- Regular exercise can help you sleep. Improved sleep boosts athletic performance. Exercise increases the ability to fall asleep. It also enhances the quality of sleep.
For more information, contact us today at Habitat Health & Fitness
