Since we spend a third of our entire lives doing it, sleep is something we should pay closer attention to than we probably do. So many people don’t get enough sleep. That may seem unimportant, but a good night’s sleep is vital to overall good health. As this government medical website study contends, even partial sleep loss on a regular basis can “increase the risk of obesity and weight gain.” In adolescents, the loss of sleep can contribute to greater risk- taking, one of the last things young people who already think they’re invincible need.
There are several things you can do to ensure a good night’s sleep, barring sleep disorder problems requiring special medical attention. The use of caffeine too late in the day can interfere with getting to sleep. Avoiding caffeinated beverages (and even dark chocolate which contains a good amount of caffeine) for 6-7 hours before going to bed is a wise decision. Don’t take any daytime naps for longer than a half hour. Longer naps can disturb your body’s natural wake-sleep rhythm and cause problems. Getting in the habit of going to bed and rising on or at about the same time every night can also improve sleep function over time. Believe it or not, but your bedroom environment has a good deal to do with getting to sleep and the quality of that sleep.
Try to make your bedroom is as quiet a place as possible. Turn off cell phones. If you have a landline phone in the bedroom, either turn the ringer off or set it to its lowest volume. Your mattress is another very important factor contributing to sleep or the lack thereof. Reduce as much light as possible. The temperature of your room and mattress is also well worth consideration. According to this study “new bedding systems can significantly improve selected sleep variables and that continuous sleep quality may be dependent on timely replacement of bedding systems.” If your mattress is over 7 years old or if you are at any time experiencing shoulder or back pain, your mattress may be the culprit.
A list of the 10 best mattresses you can buy online can be found here. Just reading about their comfort and coziness can relax you, but reclining on one of these luxury mattresses can make all the difference in falling asleep and staying asleep throughout the night. There is no mattress made that is a one-mattress-fits-all deal. The only problem with the very wide selection range here is that you might have a difficult choice if you only want one mattress. You’re sure to find more than one or two that fit your specific needs.