Most people want to get great sleep because they know how good it makes them feel. But, of course, life can sometimes get in the way, and sleep can suffer. A lot of people get by on just a handful of hours a night, which usually isn’t enough.
Fortunately, this article is here to help. It looks at some of the reasons why your sleep might not be as good as you’d like it to be and what you can do about it.
Too Much Screen Time
The biggest culprit is too much screen time before bed. Staring into a smartphone and absorbing all that blue light through the retina is a recipe for disaster.
Therefore, look for ways to modify your bedtime routine so that you’re ready to switch off your brain when your head hits the pillow. Follow a policy of no devices in the bedroom, or read a book to drop off instead. Also, don’t check things like emails or messages from work, as these can add even more stress and make you feel less relaxed overall.
An Inconsistent Sleep Schedule
An inconsistent sleep schedule can be another problem that is preventing you from getting the rest your body needs. Going to bed and waking up at different times every night confuses your system and makes it more challenging to relax and drop off at night.
To fix this, try getting into a routine, even if it means changing some aspects of your daily schedule. The best sleep pattern is one where you go to bed between 9 pm and 11 pm and wake up between 6 am and 8 am. Sticking to this routine aligns your body with the natural rhythm of the day.
Hearing Loss
You may also be having trouble with sleeping because of hearing loss. As scientists discover more about the link between the ears and the brain, this issue is coming to the fore.
The main problem with hearing loss is that it tends to lead to tinnitus, or a persistent sound in the ear. For most people, it is like a high-pitched ringing, but it can also emerge as buzzing or even tapping.
The key to dealing with tinnitus is to visit the audiologist and get them to explore hearing aids with you. These can reduce the severity of the symptoms. You can also try blocking them out by putting a white noise device in the bedroom.
Poor Sleep Environment
Finally, your sleep may not be as good as you want it to be because you have a poor sleeping environment. Problems with your bedroom could be preventing you from drifting off, or stopping you from sleeping as well as you’d like.
For example, being too warm is a problem. The body likes to be cool when it sleeps, so turn off the heating before bed.
The room could also be too light. Street light flooding in from outside can prevent you from getting the deep sleep you need, so block it out with blackout curtains.
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