The quality of your sleep has a direct impact on both your physical and psychological health. You may have experienced a sleepless night, and the next morning you felt grumpy.
Your lifestyle can impact the quality of your sleep, in addition to the impact of a lack sleep on your health. Here are some factors that can affect how well you sleep.
Too Much Screentime
Circadian rhythm is what controls your body. It is a clock inside your body that tells you when to get up in the morning and when to go to bed at night. It is usually influenced by sunlight. When it is bright out, your brain and body are told that it is time to wake up. As the night falls, your body will prepare to sleep.
Blue light is the light that most affects your circadian rhythm. It can be found naturally in sunlight but also in electronic devices such as computers, TVs and cell phones.
You could disrupt your circadian rhythm if you spend too much time watching TV in the evening or using your phone. It’s best to stop using electronic devices at least three hours before going to bed, or use a filter that blocks out blue light.
Excessive weight
Overweight is another lifestyle choice that can impact your sleep quality. Overweight can cause breathing problems such as snoring or sleep apnea.
Snoring may not affect you directly but it can disrupt your partner. Sleep apnea can have a major impact on your sleep quality. Sleep apnea may even require you to use a CPAP or look for CPAP alternative.
You might consider losing weight if you want a good sleep. Diet and exercise can help you achieve this. Both have been shown to improve your sleep.
Alcohol Consumption
You may not sleep well if you drink too much alcohol right before bedtime. Studies have shown that alcohol does not help you to sleep deeply. Alcohol may help you to fall asleep quicker, but it can reduce the amount of REM sleep you get.
You may feel tired and have poor concentration the following day if you don’t get enough REM sleep.
Alcohol consumption before bedtime can also cause breathing problems, which may lead to snoring or sleep apnea. You can get a good night’s sleep by changing your lifestyle.
Schedule changes
You probably get the weekends off if you are like most people. You probably have a regular schedule for when you go to sleep and wake up during the week. You might ignore your normal schedule on weekends and stay up later and sleep in. These changes in your sleep routine could affect your ability to sleep well.
Your body is put under a great deal of strain when you change your sleep schedule. It may seem like taking a nap on the weekends will allow you to catch up on sleep but it will affect your ability sleep at night. You can feel more alert and rested if you change your routine to go to sleep and wake up at the same times every day, including weekends.
Anxiety
When your body perceives a danger, it experiences stress and anxiety. These two processes cause your brain to release chemicals which keep you awake and alert. If you are anxious or stressed about something in your life this can affect how well you sleep.
You may experience anxiety and stress due to your work, friends, or family. Finding a way for you to relax and de-stress before bed will help you get a better night’s sleep. Take a warm bath, meditate or stretch.
The Quality of Your Sleep and Life are Interconnected
You may have wondered whether your lifestyle could affect the quality of your sleep. It can. Your lifestyle can be affected by the quality of your sleep. Both are connected. You may have to change your life in order to get a good sleep.
These tips may be difficult to implement initially, but they are worth the effort. Look at your lifestyle to determine what actions are most likely to affect your sleep. You might be surprised by how much better your life will be once you start sleeping well.
