How to Get Better Sleep

We’ve all been there. We have all experienced tossing and turning during the night and spending the next day sleep-deprived.

According to a study, acute insomnia is a condition that affects 25 percent of Americans. However, the good news is that three-fourths of this group do not develop chronic insomnia.

That said, little sleep or poor quality sleep is hardly something to be happy about. How can you possibly get better sleep?

Easy. You can read on or check out sleepundercover.com site for effective and efficient tips for getting a good night’s sleep.

Ready to set sail to dreamland and wake up feeling renewed and recharged? Let’s begin!

What Are the Causes of Insomnia?

First, let’s find out what’s keeping you from getting good sleep. According to the National Sleep Foundation, insomnia has the following possible causes:

Medical Reasons

Poor quality sleep or lack of sleep can stem from a medical condition. Its symptoms could be so disrupted that it can keep one from getting any shuteye.

Symptoms such as breathing difficulties, allergies, sleep apnea, and pain-related symptoms like a sore back or arthritis can keep you up at night.

Medications for some of these conditions, including high blood and pregnancy, can also lead to insomnia.

Depression

The cycle of depression and insomnia is vicious and never-ending. Being depressed can make it so much harder for you to sleep, and the lack of sleep can exacerbate depression.

Luckily, both these conditions are treatable, and successfully treating one tends to mean successfully treating the other.

Anxiety

In the mix of these vicious cycles is anxiety, which can cause or be a symptom of depression and insomnia.

A huge work presentation can make you anxious. Not having the money to pay your child’s tuition can make you anxious. Anxiety can make you lose sleep because all you’re doing is thinking and overthinking.

Lifestyle

How do you take care of yourself? There are certain behaviors and habits that can cause you to lose sleep or have a poor-quality sleep.

Working the graveyard shift could mess with your body clock and keep you from drifting off to dreamland in the morning. Taking long naps throughout the daytime can interfere with your sleep at night. Or maybe you bring your work to bed and find that that’s the only thing you can do. Sleep becomes elusive.

Tips for Getting Better Sleep

Good quality sleep may have eluded you of late, but you should see a positive shift by implementing the following tips:

1. Develop a Sleep Routine

One thing that could be keeping you awake or preventing you from having good quality sleep is a poor sleep routine. You might be sleeping too late or too early at times, which can lead to waking up at different times the next day.

Try to stick to one sleep pattern, preferably one that doesn’t require you to sleep too late. A good time to hit the hay is ten at night. Late-night outs and morning ins shouldn’t impact your routine and sleep quality when done in moderation. But it would be a different story if you made it a weekly thing.

2. Create a Sleep-Conducive Environment

Is it too bright or too warm in your bedroom? That could be why you’re having a hard time falling asleep.

Dim the lights or switch them off completely. Close the blinds (if you’re sleeping in the morning). Set the thermostat to a cool, sleep-conducive temperature. Decorate your sleep space with glowing gadgets, and keep your phone away.

Eliminate noise and other distractions. Consider playing calming, relaxing music to help drift you off to dreamland. Nature sounds and white noise are great for blocking out traffic noise and other distracting sounds.

3. Have a Glass of Warm Milk or Water Before Bed

A cup of warm milk can be great for calmness and relaxation. Tryptophan is the amino acid in milk that can stimulate the production of serotonin, the happy hormone that also functions as a natural sedative.

Milk also has carbs which can speed up the hormone’s transmission to your brain, helping you fall asleep faster.

Tea is a great alternative if you’re not a dairy fan. Chamomile and jasmine, in particular, are traditional sleep aids that have been used since ancient times.

4. Meditate

Meditation holds a ton of benefits, including improving sleep quality and helping you fall asleep quicker. Mindfulness and meditation are practices that can help a person beat fatigue and insomnia, improving their sleep routine as a result.

5. Avoid Napping During the Daytime

Taking long naps during the day may affect your sleep at night. It can confuse your body clock and may make it difficult for you to fall back asleep when you wake in the wee hours of the morning.

6. Take a Sleep Aid

These days, there are a ton of options. One of the more popular traditional treatment options is Valerian root. You may also consider taking a melatonin supplement after getting the green light from your doctor.

Conclusion

Sleeping is one of the most important activities you will ever do in your life. Make sure to make it as good as it can possibly get by using these science-backed tips and practices.