As the years go on, it often becomes more and more obvious how important quality sleep is to your life. It has a major effect on both your physical and mental health, making sleep problems frustrating to deal with. In this blog, we’re giving you tips on how you can prepare for bedtime, fall asleep faster and stay asleep as well as further testing options so you can get your sleep schedule back on track.
Preparing for Sleep
Believe it or not, night isn’t the only time that affects your sleep. Decisions you make during the day can have an impact on your sleep schedule, how easily you can fall asleep, the quality of rest you get and more. Here are some things to do during the day that can prepare you for a better night of rest:
- Avoid blue light from electronic devices later at night
- Cut out some of those daytime naps
- Stay consistent with your sleep schedule
- Exercise during the day
- Expose yourself to brighter light, like natural sunlight, during the day
- Avoid caffeine later in the day, preferably 6 hours before bedtime
Falling Asleep
Now’s the often-tricky part—falling asleep. If you’re looking for ways to fall asleep quicker, try out these tips:
- Try different breathing methods, like the “4-7-8 method”
- Relieve yourself of stress by meditating or doing yoga before bed
- Find the temperature that works best for you—the ideal sleeping temperature for most people ranges between 60-67°F (15.6-19.4°C)
- Listen to relaxing and soothing music
- Invest in a comfortable, high-quality mattress and pillow
Staying Asleep & Sleeping Well
If you’ve checked everything off the nighttime routine list and can fall asleep but are struggling to stay asleep, it may be caused by small factors you haven’t thought about.
- Put your clocks and phone out of sight to avoid checking your phone or clock-watching when you wake up throughout the night
- Make sure you don’t have a bladder issue that causes you to wake up multiple times throughout the night
- If you find yourself waking up frequently in pain from a condition you have, talk to your doctor about switching up the medication
- After about 15-20 minutes of waking up and not being able to fall back asleep, get out of bed and do a calming activity like reading until you feel sleepy again
When to Seek Help
There comes a point when your sleep problems are too severe for you to handle on your own, which is where sleep testing comes into play. At Advanced Respiratory Care Network, we offer sleep testing and personal sleep consultations. These sleep diagnostics are tailored towards individuals with obstructive sleep apnea, navigating patients through an education process for effective treatment. If you think you have sleep apnea signs and want to talk to a professional about it, now’s a good time to book a consultation.
There are various causes for having trouble falling asleep and staying asleep, making the solution often difficult to find. The fix might be as minor as adjusting your nighttime routine or as extensive as undergoing a sleep study. Either way, we’re here to help you find the solution that works for you. Contact us to learn more about how we can help.