According to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 35 percent of all Americans get fewer than seven hours of sleep each night. The study also claims such “short sleepers” were more likely to be obese and physically inactive. What’s more, the American Sleep Foundation reports that Americans aren’t getting enough quality sleep, meaning that they’re not waking up feeling rested or refreshed. That, too, can contribute to health problems, stress, and poor workplace performance.
So what are we doing to cause this? We, and our children as well, tend to stay up too late, drink too many caffeinated beverages throughout the day, look at our smartphones, tablets, or laptops well into the night, and play video games into the wee hours of the morning. In short, we’re doing lots to prevent ourselves from just letting ourselves fall into a deep sleep.
No doubt about it: a quality night’s sleep is essential for good health. But how can we get it if our lives are packed with online distractions and triple-espresso lattes? Here are three ways.
Prepare the Bedroom for Sleep
Yes, that sounds obvious, but with so many bedrooms also doubling as home offices, there’s always the temptation to wake up in the middle of the night just to check email or the balance on the bank account. While there are many articles that give ideas on how to combine the two, the bedroom should always be a place for sleep.
To get started, remove all distractions and clutter. Also, try to keep the bedroom a “device-free zone.” However, if you use your smartphone also serves as your alarm clock, set it well from the bed but still close enough for you to hear the alarm. Use soft, indirect lighting — or even candles — for illumination. Also, consider painting the bedroom a relaxing color, such as a warm brown or gold or cool blue for an adult’s bedroom. Consider a slightly brighter one for a child’s. Regardless of who’s sleeping in it, the color needs to be relaxing enough to help you go to sleep and stay asleep.
Turn ‘Em Off
And speaking of device distractions, turn off all devices — phones, laptops, etc. — prior to bedtime and put them away. The blue light cast by these screens affects your body’s circadian rhythm and tricks the brain into thinking it is still daylight outside. Not only do your phones, tablets, and laptops use blue light, so do television sets and video monitors, and even some energy-efficient light bulbs. So shut off your devices, get the kids off the video game, and use soft lighting and candles to settle yourselves and get drowsy. However, if you work in a profession where you are on call, you will need to make your device accessible. But if yours is the one that needs to stay on, make sure it is the only one that stays on.
Cool It Down
Your body temperature lowers toward evening because of your natural circadian rhythm, which means the bedrooms should not only be quiet and distraction-free but also cooler at night in order for you to get a good night’s sleep. That’s not a problem during the fall and winter months when all you need to do is turn down the thermostat. But during the summer, consider adding small, energy-efficient window air conditioners in the bedrooms to keep from constantly running your central air conditioner all night at a low temperature. You can also use portable units. Keep in mind, however, that portable units tend to be more expensive.
By making your bedroom calmer and cooler and switching off all your electronic devices, you can be on your way to quality sleep. And that leads to better health, improved productivity, and more energy to last you and your family throughout the day.
Photo Credit: Pixabay.com
