17 Factors That Can Affect Sleep
It’s no secret that energy, efficiency, health, and even daily mood directly depend on the quality and duration of sleep. If a person does not get enough sleep or, worse, suffers from insomnia, he becomes lethargic, and his health seriously deteriorates.
Alas, it is far from always possible to easily identify the causes of sleep disturbances, because different factors affect its quality.
Which Factors Affect Our Sleep?
Below are the factors which are affecting your sleep:
1. Using Modern Gadgets
You should not use any devices before bed, even watching TV can negatively affect the human body, depriving it of a state of rest. Scientifically, it has been found that the use of such gadgets interferes with the production of the hormone responsible for sleep.
Accordingly, if you want to fall asleep quickly, without looking at the ceiling and tossing and turning in your bed, stop using any gadgets at least an hour before bedtime.
2. Alcohol Consumption
Many consider alcoholic drinks to be good sleeping pills, but hangovers and feeling unwell are almost obligatory companions of this “sleeping pill”. Moreover, the body, busy with the adaptation of alcohol, sleeps much less.
Too much alcohol consumption can easily lead to many health issues including sleep disorders. If at any point it seems difficult to stop oneself from alcohol consumption you can get help from an alcohol treatment center near your residence.
3. Age
As a person matures, the parts of the brain that work to regulate sleep, in fact, slowly decompose. This causes a decrease in useful slow-wave sleep. Such changes in sleep can begin for you and your loved ones earlier than you think.
4. Genetics
If you tend to fall asleep late, a mutation in your genes may be to blame. A gene called “CRY1”. It helps control our circadian rhythms and determines how tired we feel. People who are prone to CRY1 changes have a longer circadian cycle than others, so they stay alert for a long time.
5. Gender
Research has shown that women need to stay longer in the Morpheus kingdom than men, due to the more complex processes that occur in their brains during sleep. Women, as a rule, sleep 15-20 minutes more than the opposite sex, especially when it comes to girls under 45.
6. Profession
What affects a person’s sleep? – Of course, a profession. There are professions in some industries that you would not expect to experience sleep problems but are more prone to sleep disorders than others for example communications, logistics, and railroad workers are at the top risk group for disturbed sleep.
7. Your Body
Problems with the body, ranging from allergies to muscle pain, from heartburn to low blood sugar, from hunger to frequent trips to the toilet, troubles you even at night. But there are always options for improving the situation. To help you sleep more soundly, you can do things like:
- Replace the mattress to relieve back pain.
- Use a special seat to lift your stomach and reduce reflux.
- Eat a tablespoon of honey half an hour before bed to suppress hunger.
8. Taking Medicines
It is known that some medications can affect sleep, not sedatives, but those that cause sleep disturbance as a side effect. You need to carefully read the instructions for the medication, and if you cannot exclude it, sleep problems are listed among the possible side effects.
It is recommended to discuss this issue with your doctor and replace the medication with any other suitable substitute. Or maybe try taking the medicine in the morning so that the level of its action decreases towards the night.
9. Tea and Coffee
Tea and coffee are drinks containing a large amount of caffeine, which affects the tone and vitality of a person. Caffeine can remain in the human body for about 12 hours. In case of sleep disturbances, it is worth either abandoning these drinks or reducing their consumption, indulging yourself with a cup only in the morning.
10. Chocolate
The main product for making chocolate is cocoa, which also contains caffeine. Overuse of chocolate leads to an increase in heart rate, in which a person is unlikely to be able to fall asleep.
11. Getting Active Before Bed
Active sports, dancing, and other activities before bed do not favor easy falling asleep. The thing is that the body must prepare for sleep and it cannot switch instantly.
12. Room Temperature
It is known that stuffiness is contraindicated for healthy sleep – the best sleep, according to scientists, a person has when the room is moderately cool, that is, approximately 16 degrees. Therefore, it is important to ventilate the room before bed.
13. Hygiene and water treatments
Hygiene is important for health, but everyone has their rhythm of life, so if you are used to taking a shower in the morning, an evening shower can disrupt sleep. Also, do not take refreshing, cool water procedures before bed; it is best if the shower is pleasantly warm.
14. Quarrels and conflicts
Any worries, conflicts, and clarification of relationships in the evenings not only prevent later from falling asleep, they negatively affect the entire human system. Wandering thoughts, boiling emotions, and resentment will not allow you to fall asleep.
We need sleep, but to sleep well and feel wonderful in the morning, it is important to heed and follow the helpful advice.
15. Closed or Open Window
You may think that a closed-door prevents outside noise from entering the bedroom and keeps your sleep from being disturbed. But in fact, it turns out that opening a window and a door can help us.
It has been found that opening windows and doors in the bedroom before bed can reduce the level of carbon dioxide in the room, which negatively affects the quality of sleep.
Final Words
Good sleep means good health and happy mode, whatever it is that may be affecting your sleep the key is to stay positive and try all that you can. If nothing is working out for you, one can easily get help from a specialist.
Call Alaska Sleep Clinic today to speak with one of our board-certified sleep specialists. Improve your sleep. Improve Your Life.