Trouble getting enough sleeping is a large problem for many people around the world. In fact, in the US 43.7% of Americans ages 18-25 have reported unintentionally falling asleep sometime during the day at least once in the past month in 2008 and in 2011 a poll done by the National Sleep Foundation found 60% of Americans age 11-64 report having trouble falling asleep. This issue is something I’ve started to accumulate as extremely late nights are more of an occurrence while feeling tired and fatigued during the day and choosing to pull “all-nighters” more and more. The severity feels that at some point I could develop a mild case of insomnia.
The average adults requires 7-8 hours of sleep per night. (Image via health.com)
This blog is focused on three topics in how to better improve sleep patterns, by limiting visual stimulants, and sleep aids prior to sleeping. They are methods or a simple checklist to better improve a nights sleep.
As a student, it is very common to be on the computer before sleeping, finishing off a daily assignment or studying. The use of electronic devices before sleeping greatly suppresses the production of melatonin, the bodies hormone for enabling sleep. It is well known that the use of electronic devices should be stopped one hour before sleeping to allow the body to begin producing melatonin and be able to have a full nights sleep. This however seems unlikely for many students , and in the world of social media might find it very difficult to shut down all devices for one hour before sleeping.
The use of electronics before sleeping hinders the quality of sleep. (Image via dailymail.co.uk)
Melatonin is the hormone produced by the body to enable us to sleep, melatonin is available in pill and spray form to help our body stimulate the hormones and assist in production. This allows us to fall asleep sooner and having a better sleep. There are side effects to having external melatonin such as dizziness and fatigue in the daytime.
Melatonin is available over the counter at any drug store. (Image via latimes.com)
Tips on how to have a better sleep is endless, there are many methods to improving sleep. The best way to having a better sleep is maintaining a healthy lifestyle both physically and emotionally. The sleep foundation has many more tips on how to get a better nights sleep on their website here.
Dr. Joseph Mercola recommends with his many tips that a person should go to sleep around 9-10, meanwhile I’m going to bed around 4-5.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwwe5Zis6VI[/youtube]
Guan Qun Zhao
