Feeling tired? You’re not alone. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one-third of US adults say they’re often getting less than the recommended amount of sleep. And that can have consequences.
Not getting enough sleep can make you tired and cranky, for starters. It can also result in distractedness, which can have an impact on your job, your personal life and even on public safety. In addition, insufficient sleep might put you at an increased risk for developing certain chronic diseases and conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity and depression.
When’s the last time you reflected on your quality of sleep and took action to improve it? If there’s a good week to do so, it’s Sleep Awareness Week, March 10 – 16, a time when more people are talking about the importance of a good night’s sleep. Because when you’re refreshed and rejuvenated, you may feel better and function better. Plus, sleep is its own reward — who knows what dreams are ahead!
To get you started, here are seven steps you can take to try and improve your sleep. Add one new action every day of Sleep Awareness Week and see how you feel by the end of it.
- Start a sleep journal. You can learn a lot about your sleep patterns by writing them down. A sleep journal allows you to take notes about how much sleep you’re getting and how rested you feel, while also tracking substances that might be impacting your quantity and quality of sleep, like caffeine, alcohol and medications. The National Institutes of Health even created a template you can print and fill out all week.
- Make a sleep schedule. Your body and brain love consistency. This week, set a bedtime and a wake-up time and stick to the schedule, even on days when you don’t have to get up and get moving.
- Create a space that’s cool, dark and calming. Treat your bedroom like the sleep cave it is. Make sure it’s a place where you can relax and leave your worries at the door. Keep the temperature cool and the surroundings dark. Or, if you can’t keep the light out, invest in a good sleep mask. And make sure you use your bed for bedtime activities only; watch TV and fiddle on your phone in another room.
- Relax before bed. Think of de-stressing methods that work for you. Some people might benefit from a warm bath, reading, stretching, deep breathing or meditating for a few minutes. Chose an activity you enjoy and make it a part of your nightly routine.
- Exercise during the day. Movement and fresh air may help you sleep better. Make sure that you’re getting the recommended physical activity throughout the week, which is 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity and two days of strengthening activity. Schedule your workouts earlier in the day so your elevated heart rate doesn’t make it more difficult to fall asleep.
- Limit certain foods and beverages. What you eat and drink could impact your quality of sleep. In general, the CDC suggests avoiding heavy or spicy meals as well as alcohol a few hours before bedtime; also, limit beverages before bedtime so you don’t have to get up and use the bathroom; and avoid chocolate, nicotine and caffeine about five hours before bed— more than that, if you suspect you might be sensitive.
- If you’re still struggling, talk to your doctor. Now that you’ve been keeping a sleep journal, you have useful data that you can share with your doctor. If you’re having a hard time getting to sleep or staying asleep, or if you feel unrested even after a full night’s sleep, he or she may be able to offer additional advice that could help you get enough zzzzs.
