10 Ways to Get More Sleep
Do you always wake up tired? This is a common problem that plagues everyone at some point in their life. Here are ten factors and solutions to your sleep troubles.
1. Bedroom temperature
Often, people sleep more restlessly if they are too cold or too hot. Try to find your optimal temperature so that you can have the number of blankets you enjoy while staying comfortable.
2. Caffeine
Consuming high amounts of caffeine and having caffeine late in the day are both detrimental to sleep. A rule of thumb is to avoid caffeine after lunchtime, although this time may change depending on your weight, caffeine habits, and metabolism.
3. Mattress and pillow
It is no surprise that a quality mattress and pillow impact your sleep. Shop around to find the right one and consider aspects such as firmness, price, durability, and material.
4. Blue light
It is mainstream knowledge that blue light causes sleep problems. Despite this, many watch television or scroll on their phones even in bed. To sleep well, turn all devices off an hour or two before bed.
5. Noise
If you're kept up late or woken early by noises from your neighbors or family, perhaps white noise could help. Running a fan or air purifier in your bedroom might drown out these background noises.
6. Lack of routine
We're all creatures of habit, and sleep is no exception. By going to bed and waking up at the same time daily, your brain catches onto the pattern. You'll naturally get tired at bedtime, enabling you to fall asleep faster, and you'll also wake up more easily.
7. Lack of exercise
Whether you love it or you hate it, exercise has important benefits. One of them is its impact on sleep schedules. Exercising during the day helps spend energy that would instead keep you up too late and prevent you from having enough sleep.
8. Lack of melatonin
If you have trouble falling asleep, perhaps your melatonin levels are low or blue light has prevented melatonin from being released. A supplement can help with this, although it is still inadvisable to use screens before bed.
9. Light
One obvious reason to have trouble sleeping is the light in the room. Whether from a window or a lamp, light can convince your body that it's daytime. An eye mask will help you fall asleep and sleep more deeply.
10. Stress
Often, the worries of the day seep into our nights as well. Stress over school, work, and/or personal matters could make sleep difficult. To combat this, relax before bed by reading, taking a hot bath, or sipping herbal tea.
All these factors affect sleep, and adjusting your approach to any one of them can help your sleep schedule. Though they might be tedious or annoying, they'll result in feeling well-rested and alert during the day. Perhaps you'll even find that you become a morning person!
