Three tips to get a more restful night’s sleep
There is no magic formula to ensure long-term health. However, if there were such an equation, sleep would be a critical component. Though adults may be able to function with less sleep than doctors recommend, the National Institutes of Health note that consistent lack of sufficient sleep can interfere with work, social functioning and driving ability.
The National Institute on Aging notes that adults of all ages generally need the same amount of sleep, typically between seven and nine hours of rest per night. That’s an important distinction, as busy adults in mid-life might feel as though they can operate on less sleep without adversely affecting their overall health.
However, in addition to the problems noted by the NIH, the NIA reports that ongoing lack of sleep, or even consistently poor sleep quality, can increase risk for cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, depression and obesity.
Adults who feel their sleep quality is poor or those who aspire to sleep more each night can consider these three strategies to ensure a more restful night’s sleep.
1.Keep devices out of the bedroom.
Screens are everywhere in modern life, and that includes the bedroom. In fact, the National Sleep Foundation’s 2022 Sleep in America Poll found that 58 percent of survey participants acknowledged looking at screens within an hour before bedtime. The NSF reports that device usage so close to bedtime can adversely affect sleep quality because the blue light emitted from screens has shorter wavelengths than other colors in the visible light spectrum, which results in more alertness than warmer tones. The blue light actually confuses the brain into thinking it’s earlier in the day, thus making it harder to fall asleep.
2. Skip late afternoon naps.
Short naps can help people reenergize, but the timing of naps could adversely affect how well people sleep at night. The Mayo Clinic notes that napping after 3 p.m. can make it harder to sleep soundly at night. And while short naps can provide a necessary jolt, it’s important that naps be no longer than 30 minutes. Naps that exceed a half hour can contribute to feelings of grogginess and even compromise your ability to get restful sleep overnight.
3. Avoid alcohol.
Some may consider alcohol a sleep aide, and there’s good reason for that perception, even if it’s misguided. Hackensack Meridian Health notes that alcohol acts as a depressant for the central nervous system that can cause brain activity to slow down. As a result, alcohol can increase feelings of relaxation and tiredness.
However, that effect is not long-lasting, and as alcohol levels in the blood drop, people are likely to wake up and may even find it hard to fall back asleep. Waking up in the middle of the night cuts down on the time individuals spend in the most restorative stage of sleep, which is why individuals often feel as if they got little rest after a night of drinking.
Sleep is an important component of a healthy lifestyle. Some simple strategies may help adults get a more restful night’s sleep.
