Sleeping for at least 7 hours each night recharges and rejuvenates you. It can also help you avoid a whole lot of trouble down the road. Not having enough sleep each night can cause serious problems in the future.
Studies find that sleep deprivation escalates the risk for certain types of cancer. It also ratchets up the risk for heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure.
And did you know that denying your body enough sleep could significantly increase the odds of early death? Yes, that’s how serious sleep deprivation is, according to this study.
So, how can you sleep better every night and wake up refreshed every morning? This post explains how.
What Causes Sleep Deprivation?
When a doctor says you’re sleep deprived, what do they mean? They essentially mean you’ve not been getting sufficient sleep for quite some time. Or that the quality of sleep you’ve been getting isn’t where it should be. Another cause of sleep deprivation is sleep disorder.
Luckily, everyone can sleep better with the following tips.
4 Steps to Better Sleep
1. Decide on a Particular Bedtime
Sleep experts advise sleep-deprived people to pick a specific sleeping and waking-up time. Once you decide on a specific time, stick to it. Don’t allow yourself to binge watch soccer when you should be sleeping. Even if your fave TV series (American Horror Story?) starts at that time, just go to bed. The goal is to build a bedtime routine and make it easier to sleep at least 7 hours each night.
2. Sleep Less During the Day
You’re likely a daytime worker. Leonard from from PeachSkin Sheets advises minimizing daytime naps. Daytime napping tends to interfere with nighttime sleep. But if you really must nap, don’t overdo it. The ideal nap doesn’t extend beyond 45 minutes.
One more thing: avoid afternoon naps. If you work nights, though, it’s natural to want to catch some sleep during the day. However, the rule still remains 7 hours every day of uninterrupted sleep.
3. Make Yourself Comfortable at Night
Sleeping better at night is — to quite some extent — about using comfortable bedding. It’s about having the right mattress, bed sheets, duvet covers, pillows, and more.
Believe it or not, the type of bedding you use does affect the quality of sleep you have. If you sweat at night, for example, having moisture-wicking bed sheets helps a lot.
Peachskin sheets are a great example of such sheets. With such bed sheets, you’ll sleep better at night, every night.
4. Worry Less and Exercise More
Worrying too much about issues tends to build up anxiety. And it’s hard to fall asleep when you have unresolved matters on your mind. So, try to deal with such issues during the day.
If you’re feeling a little anxious, try out stress management. Learn how to prioritize things and solve problems.
Meditation and exercise also help immensely. Meditation helps you to declutter your mind so you can think clearly. Exercise, on the other hand, strengthens you so you can handle life’s problems better.
Final Thoughts on How to Sleep Better Every Night
Not getting enough sleep each night is a slow but sure path to an early grave. Obviously, that’s not what you want. Instead, you want longevity, physical and mental strength, and success. But you won’t achieve these goals unless you stay committed to alleviating sleep deprivation.
Fortunately, implementing the tips presented above isn’t that hard. Stick to a specific sleeping time. Also, kick worry out of your life.
Additionally, make bedtime something to look forward to. Make your bed cozy. Buy some new peachskin sheets. Finally, manage anxiety and exercise more.