Let’s be truthful with ourselves, without an adequate amount of rest, none of us are fun to be around. Without sleep, your health -- both mental and physical -- as well as your ability to focus seriously suffers.
There are a few tried and true ways to get a better night’s sleep, such as not consuming caffeine after a certain hour or keeping your devices out of your bedroom. But there are also factors that you wouldn’t expect to be sapping valuable hours of shut eye.
GENDER
Studies show that women need more shut eye than men because of the more complex ways they use their brains during sleep. Women tend to sleep 15 to 20 minutes longer than men.
AGE
As a person gets older, the parts of his or her brain that deal with regulating sleep essentially start to decay, which leads to less sleep. This drop off in sleep can start sooner than you think: around your mid-30s.
As a person gets older, the parts of his or her brain that deal with regulating sleep essentially start to decay, which leads to less sleep. This drop off in sleep can start sooner than you think: around your mid-30s.
Career
People who work shifts -- doctors,Nurses, to bartenders -- certainly have sleep schedules that get thrown off due to their schedules. But there are workers in some industries that you wouldn’t expect to run into this issue. The top occupation groups where workers had sleep troubles were communications equipment officers, transportation workers and rail transportation workers.
People who work shifts -- doctors,Nurses, to bartenders -- certainly have sleep schedules that get thrown off due to their schedules. But there are workers in some industries that you wouldn’t expect to run into this issue. The top occupation groups where workers had sleep troubles were communications equipment officers, transportation workers and rail transportation workers.
Weekends
After a long, stressful week, of course your inclination would be to get as much rest as possible, but sleeping in on Saturday and Sunday can lead to disrupted sleep during the rest of the week due to chronic social jet lag.
After a long, stressful week, of course your inclination would be to get as much rest as possible, but sleeping in on Saturday and Sunday can lead to disrupted sleep during the rest of the week due to chronic social jet lag.
Your hometown
A recent study looked at the sleeping habits of people across Nigeria and found the most well rested state in the country was your hometown. The one that reported the worst time falling asleep was the cities in the country.
A recent study looked at the sleeping habits of people across Nigeria and found the most well rested state in the country was your hometown. The one that reported the worst time falling asleep was the cities in the country.
Marital status
That same research also looked at different demographics to figure out how well people slept based on their relationship status. The study found that folks in a relationship got better sleep compared to single people. Sixty-seven percent of married people slept seven hours or more a night compared to 62 percent of people who never married and 56 percent of those who were divorced, separated or widowed.
That same research also looked at different demographics to figure out how well people slept based on their relationship status. The study found that folks in a relationship got better sleep compared to single people. Sixty-seven percent of married people slept seven hours or more a night compared to 62 percent of people who never married and 56 percent of those who were divorced, separated or widowed.
Education
The prevalence of healthy sleep duration was highest among respondents with a college degree or higher” at 71.5 percent. So if you find yourself tossing and turning, maybe consider auditing a few classes or pursuing an advanced degree.
The prevalence of healthy sleep duration was highest among respondents with a college degree or higher” at 71.5 percent. So if you find yourself tossing and turning, maybe consider auditing a few classes or pursuing an advanced degree.
Your choice of toothpaste or tea
Peppermint is a prime way to keep you alert and focused, If you're fading and need to meet a deadline, peppermint tea might be a helpful solution to help perk up, but if you want a soothing beverage before bed, try something else. Just avoid citrus, which has similar effects to peppermint. And maybe brush your teeth earlier in the evening.
Peppermint is a prime way to keep you alert and focused, If you're fading and need to meet a deadline, peppermint tea might be a helpful solution to help perk up, but if you want a soothing beverage before bed, try something else. Just avoid citrus, which has similar effects to peppermint. And maybe brush your teeth earlier in the evening.
The environment
Air pollution, specifically nitrogen dioxide, impacts our ability to sleep well. City dwellers in particular are at risk on top of the other stressors inherent to living in bustling metropolitan centers. Air pollution has increased by 8 percent across the world since 2011, according to data the World Health Organization released last year.
Air pollution, specifically nitrogen dioxide, impacts our ability to sleep well. City dwellers in particular are at risk on top of the other stressors inherent to living in bustling metropolitan centers. Air pollution has increased by 8 percent across the world since 2011, according to data the World Health Organization released last year.
Pets
There are sleep benefits to letting your dog get some shut-eye in your bedroom, but only if it has its own bed. Unsurprisingly, participants in the study had more disrupted sleep if their dog hopped onto the mattress with them.
There are sleep benefits to letting your dog get some shut-eye in your bedroom, but only if it has its own bed. Unsurprisingly, participants in the study had more disrupted sleep if their dog hopped onto the mattress with them.
Closed doors and windows
Your inclination might be to close the door to prevent outside noise from disrupting your sleep, but it turns out that open doors and windows can actually help. Opening your bedroom windows and door before you go to sleep can reduce carbon dioxide levels in the room, which could adversely affect the quality of sleep. The researchers found a connection between better sleep depth and efficiency and fewer instances of waking up in the middle of the night
Your inclination might be to close the door to prevent outside noise from disrupting your sleep, but it turns out that open doors and windows can actually help. Opening your bedroom windows and door before you go to sleep can reduce carbon dioxide levels in the room, which could adversely affect the quality of sleep. The researchers found a connection between better sleep depth and efficiency and fewer instances of waking up in the middle of the night
Your pillow
If you lay your head down on a pillow that doesn’t support you enough, it could lead to back, neck and shoulder pain. This could eventually lead to trouble breathing, snoring and have an impact on your posture during your waking hours. If you want to test if your pillow is due to be retired, see how it bounces back from being crushed or having a weight put on it. If it doesn’t return to its full form, then you know it’s time to get a new one.
If you lay your head down on a pillow that doesn’t support you enough, it could lead to back, neck and shoulder pain. This could eventually lead to trouble breathing, snoring and have an impact on your posture during your waking hours. If you want to test if your pillow is due to be retired, see how it bounces back from being crushed or having a weight put on it. If it doesn’t return to its full form, then you know it’s time to get a new one.
Your body
Body issues ranging from allergies, muscle pain, acid reflux, low blood sugar and hunger and frequent trips to the bathroom keep them up at night. But there is hope. To sleep better, you can do things such as replace your mattress to alleviate back pain, use a pillow to elevate your stomach to help with reflux and eat a tablespoon of honey a half hour before bed to quell hunger and avoid the need for a midnight snack.
Body issues ranging from allergies, muscle pain, acid reflux, low blood sugar and hunger and frequent trips to the bathroom keep them up at night. But there is hope. To sleep better, you can do things such as replace your mattress to alleviate back pain, use a pillow to elevate your stomach to help with reflux and eat a tablespoon of honey a half hour before bed to quell hunger and avoid the need for a midnight snack.
No comments:
Post a Comment