An average of 6 to 9 hours of sleep per night is considered adequate for adults. A child’s need for sleep is greater than an adult’s. Sleep disorders, work schedules, everyday stress, a noisy or disruptive bedroom environment, and medical issues such as hypertension can all contribute to having sleep troubles. Even healthy food and lifestyle might not help you get enough rest. Therefore, a lack of sleep may be an early symptom of a sleep disorder.
Sleep is a crucial bodily requirement that enables you to feel rejuvenated and refreshed upon awakening. Sleep also helps to promote overall health and to keep diseases at bay. When the brain doesn’t get enough sleep, it doesn’t function correctly. Because of this, it will be difficult to concentrate, make decisions, recall information, or retain knowledge; that’s why it’s extremely important to sleep when you can.
Here are some of the simple things you can do to fall asleep without exerting too much effort:
1. Breathing Exercise
Breathing patterns affect many things in our autonomic nervous system, including heart rate, muscle tension, motivation, and other features of relaxation and excitement. Some breathing patterns might be stressful, but others can help you relax.
Deep breathing is a method that promotes more air circulation in the body while also lowering anxiety and stress; it can also enhance your attention span and alleviate pain.
2. Take Sleeping Aids
There are over-the-counter items in pharmacies or products in the market that can help adults fall asleep faster, especially for those who have insomnia or other factors that can make it challenging to achieve the right amount of sleep.
You may choose to go natural by drinking herbal teas like chamomile, lavender, or other herbs that can help in relaxation. There are also flavored drinks in some groceries and health stores that contain natural ingredients like lemon and balm, which give a calming effect.
Nonetheless, the most popular sleeping aid is melatonin which is widely available in the market. In any of these options, it’s best to consult your doctor first before hopping into taking these supplements.
3. Subscribe to Sleep Apps
You know what they say about using gadgets too much, that it can cause sleeping problems? Though there is some truth to that, the digital space has proven that it can do almost everything once again. For some who are having problems falling asleep, sleep aid apps are available for gadget downloads.
Some of these apps run for free with limited app access, while some may require monthly or yearly subscriptions for broader sleeping aid selections within the app. These apps will run continuously for a set duration and will shut off automatically afterward.
4. Invest in Quality Mattress
Mattress prices can range from $300 to $4000, and it wouldn’t be a bad idea if you’re going to put in a little more bucks for that piece of the household item where you spend most of the time at home.
Other than ready-made mattresses in the stores, there are options to customize the beds, providing better support to the body, promoting better sleep and relaxation. Customized beds are also great for those who have medical conditions that would require specialized mattresses.
It may be required to learn the foundations of excellent sleep hygiene and how to effectively set up your bedroom in order to get adequate rest. While these modifications should help you sleep better, seek treatment from a behavioral sleep medicine practitioner if your problem persists.
