Are You Seeking Better Sleep This New Year?
Every new year is filled with people creating resolutions to better themselves in one way or another. Whether it’s focusing on your overall health or building upon your career, goals can be hard to achieve without the proper amount of sleep. Even if your resolution doesn’t focus on improving your sleep, learning how to achieve better sleep will benefit your physical and mental health, making it easier to hit your new year goals.
Sleep is one of the most fundamental building blocks in improving wellness. So how do you achieve better sleep? Dr. Lauck of North Texas Sleep Solutions is here to guide you through the steps it takes to better your sleep quality and set you up for success in the new year.
Why Is Quality Sleep Important?
Quality sleep enables our bodies to perform their functions effectively. It boosts our moods, strengthens physical and mental health, sharpens memory and thinking, and helps regulate our emotions. By achieving quality sleep regularly, it can help you not only achieve your goals but surpass them in ways you didn’t think you could.
Getting regular sleep sets you up with the energy needed to live your productive lifestyle. Thus, helping you achieve your goals, big or small, for the new year!
Tips to Help You Achieve Your New Year’s Resolution of Better Sleep
The most important thing when setting a New Year’s resolution is to act upon it and take the steps necessary to achieve it. When it comes to achieving better sleep, there are various tips and tricks you can try.
Here are our top recommended tips that may help you achieve better sleep this new year:
Leave the Electronics Out of Your Bedroom Overnight
While this may seem like a simple task to perform, many of us fall victim to staring at our screens as we lay in bed before falling asleep. Not only can this induce stress or anxiety due to social media, but the blue light emitted from our screens can also throw off our 24-hour circadian rhythm (the wake-rest cycle our bodies are designed to follow from natural light).
We suggest avoiding screens around one hour before bedtime.
Create a Bedtime Routine
Creating a relaxing bedtime routine before sleep is a great way to unwind and calm your nervous system. If you’re not sure where to start, try incorporating a few of these routines into your nighttime ritual:
- Taking a warm bath
- Reading a book
- Listening to soothing music
- Light stretching
Maintain a Sleep Schedule
Try to create a consistent sleep schedule of going to bed at the same time and waking up at the same time each day. In doing so, you’re able to help maintain your circadian rhythm and achieve better quality sleep. While you may think that sleeping in on the weekend will help you “catch up” on your sleep, it actually may have an adverse effect and disrupt your sleep schedule even more.
Make Changes to Your Diet
That’s right, even the type of food you consume can affect your sleep. While there aren’t many proven foods that improve your sleep, there are foods that certainly hinder it. You probably already know one of the biggest culprits of sleep disruption: coffee and caffeinated beverages. Drinking caffeine within six hours of going to sleep has been shown to reduce your overall sleep each night by at least one hour.
One of the other culprits of sleep disruption is alcohol. While it may feel like you achieve much better sleep after a night of drinking, the truth is it’s causing more harm than good. Moderate to high alcohol consumption can decrease REM sleep, which is an important part of the overall sleep cycle.
Better Sleep May Be More Achievable Than You Think
One of the key components of achieving your new year’s sleep resolution is to create a routine that works for you and that you can stick to. However, if you’re having trouble sleeping and experiencing certain symptoms, such as morning headaches, fatigue, and concentration issues, you may be dealing with a sleep disorder.
If you’re experiencing symptoms of sleep apnea, visit your doctor. They’ll evaluate your symptoms and ensure your receive a proper diagnosis. For custom sleep apnea treatment, Dr. Lauck of North Texas Sleep Solutions is here to help. Call our Keller office today at (817) 431-6764, or fill out our online contact form for more information.