More than ⅓ of American adults report sleeping less than seven hours per night, while the recommended hours of sleep per day are between seven and nine hours. Half of the surveyed Americans claim they feel sleepy during the day. This shows how little we value sleep and how we are willing to sacrifice it for productivity, family time, social time, and even Netflix.
The plague of modern times is that we view sleep as a luxury. We are overworked, overwhelmed, and exhausted. We feel the consequences of poor sleep every day. It affects our ability to think clearly. It puts us in danger on the road. It contributes to various health issues.
These are just some of the reasons we need to put more thought (and money) into our rest. In this article, we’ll discuss why investing in a good night’s sleep is the best thing you can do and how to do it.
Why Does Sleep Matter?
When we are sleeping, our brains gather energy for the next day. This is the time we learn and remember new information.
Sleep plays a critical role in other functions, as well. It is a life-sustaining activity, such as eating. Getting enough quality sleep helps your body function properly and repair itself. It has an impact on metabolism, memory, learning, the immune system, and other vital functions.
Sleep patterns are crucial for hormone production because our body makes different hormones at different times of the day. In the morning, this is usually cortisol (which promotes alertness). At night, these are testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone.
When we sleep, some immune cells work harder, keeping us safe from colds and other infections.
Sleep is also linked to emotional well-being, and the lack of it can affect motivation, judgment, mood, and our perception of events.
In children and teens, sleep is important for growth and development.
What Happens When We Don’t Get Enough Sleep?
When you lose sleep for a night or two, you will end up feeling moody, cranky, and unfocused. This can affect your productivity, eye-hand coordination, and mood. You may have trouble keeping up at work and find it hard to judge other people’s reactions.
When this problem becomes chronic, the consequences become more severe. Sleep deficiency drains you mentally and endangers your physical health. Research has linked poor sleep with a number of health problems, from memory issues to heart conditions.
Lack of sleep has a negative impact on both short and long-term memory and affects your concentration and problem-solving skills. One lost night of sleep makes you moody, but long-term sleep deficiency can lead to anxiety and depression.
Daytime drowsiness caused by the lack of sleep increases the risks of injuries and car accidents.
Not getting enough sleep can weaken your immune system and make you more susceptible to viruses that cause colds and flu.
But that is not all. Getting less than five hours of sleep a night increases the risk of high blood pressure, which contributes to the development of heart disease. Lack of sleep plays a role in insulin regulation, causing higher blood sugar levels in people who don’t get enough sleep. This increases the risk for type 2 diabetes. To prevent these, it is important to know how to Control Blood Pressure Effectively through lifestyle changes and medical treatment if necessary.
As a result of the ‘communication breakdown’ that happens inside the body when you don’t get enough sleep, there is a risk of weight gain. Finally, sleep deprivation can result in low sex drive and a drop in testosterone levels in men.
How to Invest in a Good Night’s Sleep
So, we mentioned above that you need to invest thought and money into your rest. Let’s start with the money part. You can’t get a good night’s sleep without a proper mattress. When choosing a new mattress, you need to think about its size, material, and firmness.
As for the size, don’t consider just the regular ones, such as King and Queen. If you are a tall person, you might want to check the difference between a King and California King mattress — the California type is longer and can comfortably accommodate sleepers over six feet tall. The best mattress types to consider are foam (above-average contouring), hybrid (a blend of bounce and contouring), latex (top-notch bounce and durability), and airbeds (firmness flexibility).
Speaking of firmness, note that the choice here is subjective, and it depends largely on your sleeping habits. According to the Sleep Foundation, if you are a side sleeper under 130 pounds, extra soft and soft mattresses are the best for you. Medium works for back and side sleepers between 130 and 230 pounds, while firm mattresses are good for side sleepers over 230 pounds and stomach sleepers over 130 pounds. Extra firm (8-9 on the scale of firmness) mattresses are adequate for stomach and back sleepers over 230 pounds.
Another area that might need an investment is creating a sleep-inducing environment. This means adapting your bedroom so that it becomes a perfect zen retreat. To keep the bedroom temperature ideal for sleep, you can turn down the thermostat or install a fan or air conditioning. The room should be dark, so get good window covers. Some people find certain sounds comforting, so you can get a white noise machine. However, you’ll want to avoid digital distractions in the room.
What you do while you’re awake is also important for sleep quality. Generally, a healthy lifestyle will make falling asleep and staying asleep easier. This means eating a balanced diet rich in vitamins, minerals, protein, etc. Avoid highly processed and fried food, and try not to eat anything a few hours before bedtime.
Being physically active during the day can help you fall asleep faster and improve general sleep quality. Try not to fit in your workout before bedtime, though, because it stimulates endorphins signaling to your brain that you should be awake. Instead, establish a soothing bedtime routine, which includes relaxing activities, such as taking a warm bath and reading a book.
Final Thoughts
Sleep is a vital function, and every part of your life depends on it. This makes it worthwhile to change any habits that could negatively affect the quality of your sleep and to make improvements. While some changes depend on you, others are not under your control. If your sleeping problems are persistent, try consulting your doctor to see whether they’re a symptom of another medical condition.
