The recommended amount of sleep everyone should get is between 7 and 8 hours, yet 40% of Americans get less than seven hours. Just like a child if you’re irritable or moody, it might be because you’re not getting enough sleep.
Reasons You’re Losing Sleep?
- Work: If you stress out about work or are constantly worrying about deadlines or coworkers, this might be keeping you up.
- Pain: A lot of times people wake up in the middle of the night because they have back pain, headaches, or even joint pain.
- Family: Problems with family members or fertility problems can keep you up.
- Depression and mental illness: If you’re sad, have depression, this might cause you anxiety or insomnia.
- Snoring: While snoring may be very common, it can be a more serious issue, such as sleep apnea, high blood pressure, or even a stroke.
Always consult with your doctor just to be on the safe side. Sleeping is a very important part of your health, so it’s important to consult with your doctor because he or she might be able to recommend treatment if necessary.
What Can You do?
There are many other things that could be robbing you of hours of sleep, such as what you eat. Don’t eat greasy or fatty foods before going to bed because those foods might make your body work overtime causing digestion discomfort, keeping you up. Exercising right before going to bed increases your heart rate and energy levels, so your body and mind is wide awake when you’re trying to rest. If you’re working late or staring at your computer or phone that can also keep you up. Make sure you turn off electronic devices at least an hour before going to sleep. The light that comes from your electronic devices stimulate your brain, making it difficult to relax when it’s time to say good-night.
Another thing to avoid is drinking caffeine, while you might want to stay up a little late, the effects of caffeine found in coffee, tea, chocolate, and even alcohol can prevent you from a good-night’s sleep. Temperature can make a big impact in the quality of sleep. While we like to feel cozy when we’re in bed, being too hot or too cold can keep you up. The optimal range would be between 65 and 72 degrees. There are things you can eat like yogurt or a banana if you’re hungry right before bedtime. The potassium and magnesium found in bananas can help you sleep better. Herbal tea can also help, such as chamomile.
