Tips to improve sleep habits

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Think of an activity you’d like to do for one-third of your lifespan. If you said sleep, you’re on the right track! If you sleep an average of eight hours a night, you’ll spend nearly 230,000 hours asleep. Spending so much time asleep makes it critical to know and learn tips to help you improve your sleep habits.

The importance of healthy sleep habits

Although you may not realize it, sleep is a key part of your health and well-being. Generally, it allows your body to rest and restore energy. More specifically, it gives your brain the time to process everything you learned during the day. When you get too little sleep, it affects the brain’s ability to adapt and learn.

Sleep plays a role in risks of depression, seizures, high blood pressure, migraines and metabolism, according to Johns Hopkins. It also helps your body fight off diseases and illnesses, giving it the time to rest and recover to build up a healthy immune system.

When you sleep, your immune system releases proteins called cytokines. A higher presence of cytokines is needed whenever you are sick or have an infection. Therefore, getting less sleep means less cytokine production and less overall protection from illnesses. 

Without the proper amount of sleep over time, your risk of chronic diseases also heightens, according to the Mayo Clinic. Less sleep is linked to a higher chance of developing obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

A man lies in a dark room wearing a sleep mask in bed. This represents a tip to improve sleep habits - create a dark and cool environment.

How much sleep should you get every night?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends a different amount of daily sleep depending on age, with children needing the most sleep. Although older adults tend to go to bed and get up earlier than they did when they were younger, they generally need the same amount of sleep as younger adults.

The amount of sleep needed for children varies greatly depending on their age. Click here to see the exact amount of sleep children of all ages need.  

For adults aged 18-60, the CDC recommends seven or more hours each night.

For adults aged 61-64, the CDC recommends 7-9 hours each night.

For adults aged 65 and up, the CDC recommends 7-8 hours each night.

Although the amount of sleep you get is important, the quality of your sleep is essential to your health and well-being. Without quality sleep, your brain may not function as well and your risk for chronic disease increases.

Luckily, there are tips to improve your sleep habits that you can begin implementing as soon as the next time you lay your head on your pillow. 

Tips to improve sleep habits

When you have good sleep habits, the quality of your sleep improves. According to the CDC, there are a few tips to improve sleep habits that you can prioritize each night to get your best night’s sleep. These tips include:

Have a consistent bedtime.

When you go to bed and wake up at the same time each day, it allows your internal clock (or circadian rhythm) to learn the routine. Your body will then adjust and start to get tired around the same time each night, making it easier to immediately fall asleep.

Create a healthy sleeping environment that is quiet, dark, relaxing and cool.

Studies show the right sleeping environment is crucial to a good night’s sleep. A dark, quiet room is necessary for your brain to turn off. Any noise or light disruptions may signal to your brain that it is morning time.

The Cleveland Clinic recommends you keep your bedroom between 60 to 67° F (15 to 19° C) for optimal sleep temperatures. 

Remove electronics or devices that produce blue light.

Before the use of artificial light, humans were up when the sun was out and asleep once the sun went down. Because of this, our bodies are naturally wired to react to light, no matter the time of day. Blue light is no exception. Technology devices use blue light because it boosts attention and increases reaction times during the day. But this can be disruptive at night.

When you use a blue light-producing device right before bedtime, it can confuse your circadian rhythm. Although your body was preparing to go to sleep, the blue light could trick it into being alert and awake again, making it harder to fall into a deep sleep.

Avoid any large meals before bedtime.

Eating before bed can affect your digestion as it may be harder for food to move through your intestines while lying down. This can disrupt your circadian rhythm because it has prepared your body to digest your food earlier in the day. And just as in other tips to improve your sleep habits, when your circadian rhythm is affected, so is your sleep quality.

Avoid caffeine later in the day.

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) states that the half-life of caffeine is between 4-6 hours. This means that six hours after you consume caffeine, half of the amount is still in your body. So, if you drink a caffeinated beverage around 4 p.m., it could still be affecting your body by 10 p.m.

It is generally recommended to stop drinking caffeine after lunchtime so it won’t affect your sleep later that night.

Get exercise throughout the day.

The CDC recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise each week. This equals about 30 minutes a day. Many studies show that exercise helps increase sleep quality. It can help relieve stress and anxiety and tire your body out, making it ready for sleep at the end of a long day.

Quality sleep, healthier life

Taking these steps to improve your sleep habits may positively affect your life. Getting good quality sleep can impact your mood, energy levels and overall health status.

While these tips can help you get on the right track, they may not work if you are experiencing a sleep disorder such as insomnia or sleep apnea. If you struggle consistently to get quality sleep, you should contact your primary care physician to discuss alternative methods and treatment.