Sleep is something we all love. When we fall asleep quickly and stay asleep throughout the night, we feel refreshed, invigorated and ready to take on the day. A great night of sleep can do more than you think.
Quality sleep reduces stress, improves your memory, can prevent weight gain, help you heal faster, reduce inflammation that can lead to heart-related conditions, cancer and diabetes, and makes you more alert during the day!
That is a pretty powerful 8 hours!
But sleep is sometimes hard to come by, and our health, well-being and happiness can suffer. Students, young adults, athletes, frequent long-distance travellers, and night shift workers are all vulnerable to sleep-related problems. We believe that everyone deserves to experience the best sleep possible, and that is why we have put together this list of common sleep problems and solutions so that you can easily find what is right for you!
Trouble Falling Asleep
- Set a nighttime routine to relax and prepare for sleep
- Make sure your bed is comfortable and use it only for sleeping (no electronics, checking your email, or watching television)
- Create an environment that is conducive for sleep, primarily:
- Dark
- Quiet
- Cool
- Avoid stressful thoughts by writing in a journal before bed.
Read also: Top 7 Ways To Build a Better Night’s Sleep
Trouble Waking Up
- Wake up at the end of your sleep cycle – interrupting that cycle can cause us to feel sluggish and tired upon waking. (There are five stages of sleep in a cycle, and each complete cycle takes about 90 minutes)
- Wake up more naturally with a dawn simulator to signal to your body that it is time to wake
- Limit your intake of caffeine and alcohol before bed, both of which can disrupt sleep and/or hinder deep sleep and REM sleep stages
My Partner Snores
- Elevate the head and neck with a supportive pillow to keep the airway open
- Block out the sound with a white noise machine or sound maker
- Invest in a humidifier – the added humidity opens the nasal passages and reduces congestion, making breathing easier
- Limit alcohol consumption before bed, which can narrow the airway
- Snoring occurs most often when the airway is constricted. Losing even a few pounds can reduce pressure on the airway and decrease the occurrence of snoring
Regularly Wake Up in the Middle of the Night
- Make sure that your room is dark and remains dark until you wish to wake up – an eye mask that completely blocks light is ideal
- Keep yourself cool and comfortable with a fan or moisture-wicking pajamas – when you’re too hot, you’re likely to spend less time in the deeper stages of sleep and wake in the middle of the night
- Block out disruptive noises with a sound machine with a “continuous” setting
- Limit your consumption of caffeine and alcohol before bed, both of which can cause sleep disruptions and/or hinder deep sleep and REM sleep stages
- Exercise regularly, but avoid strenuous activity 2 hours before bedtime, as this can interfere with your ability to fall asleep quickly
Trouble Getting Baby to Sleep
- Establish a consistent nap and bedtime routine
- Block out disruptive noises with a white noise machine (most babies can block out disturbing noise, so you don’t have to create a noiseless sleeping environment, yet many babies startle and awaken easily with sudden noises, so the white noise machine will establish continuous noise control)
- Many babies wake up because they are too warm, so regulate your child’s temperature with a sleeping set that has zippers.
- Place a humidifier in your child’s room, since dry air can lead to a stuffy nose and difficulty breathing