3 Ways to Improve Your Sleep

Sleep is one of the pillars of optimal health, yet often is one of the most neglected. We tend to be perfectly fine with sacrificing our sleep for extra work, scrolling social media, watching a movie, or spending time with friends. However, sleep deprivation and sleep deficiency are serious issues that can lead to many health and mental struggles. So let’s dive into what these are and give you three ways to improve your sleep: 

Sleep Deprivation vs Sleep Deficiency

Sleep Deprivation

This is simply when you don’t get enough sleep. It just refers to getting less than the necessary amount of sleep to function properly. Not sleeping enough can lead to slowed thinking, reduced attention span, worsened memory, poor decision-making, lack of energy, and mood changes. When we don’t get enough sleep, we don’t function as our best selves the next day. 

Sleep Deficiency

This is a little more chronic and serious than sleep deprivation. Sleep deficiency is when you don’t sleep enough, you sleep at the wrong time of day, you don’t sleep well, and/or you have a sleep disorder. Unfortunately, sleep deficiency is linked to chronic health issues including heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, obesity, and depression. So it goes a bit farther beyond mere sleep deprivation. Both, however, are serious—sleep is what keeps us alert, energized, and functioning how we’re supposed to. 

Now that we have a better understanding of sleep deprivation vs sleep deficiency, let’s talk about three ways you can improve your sleep.

1. Exercise

Whether you’re a morning workout person or an afternoon workout person, moving your body during the day can help you relax at bedtime. One study showed that, for one group of adults who previously spent most of their time sitting, getting aerobic exercise four times per week took their sleep quality from poor to good. They also reported fewer symptoms of depression, more vitality, and less sleepiness during the day. So get up, get your body moving, and get the blood flowing! (Just remember to wrap it up several hours before bed so you’re not too wound up).

2. Avoid Caffeine

Don’t worry, coffee lovers, we’re not saying all together—just too late in the afternoon. Drinking too much caffeine can inhibit your sleep. For most people, stopping 4-6 hours before bed is best. This is about how long it takes the body to metabolize half of its caffeine intake. So if you go to bed at 10 PM, for example, you should stop drinking caffeine between 4 and 6 PM. Being mindful of your afternoon caffeine intake can help you sleep better. And pay attention to what you’re consuming—caffeine isn’t just found in coffee. It can also be found in tea, energy drinks, soda, chocolate, and even some supplements. So just make sure you’re checking those ingredients first!

3. Put Down the Screens

Spending time on screens is just a norm in today’s society, but did you know it can make sleeping more difficult? Blue light—the light that comes from our phones, computers, gaming devices, etc—can actually reduce or delay your body from producing the necessary amount of melatonin needed to sleep. So about an hour before you’re ready to fall asleep, put those electronics aside and do something different—read a book, write a letter, do a puzzle, etc. Do your brain a favor and keep those lights low.

Sleep Tight! 

Sleep is so paramount to our health, so we must prioritize it. It’s so often the thing that falls to the wayside, when in reality, it should be one of the things we have at the top of our priority list. So to make sure you’re getting not just enough sleep but good sleep, make sure you’re moving your body, avoiding caffeine 4-6 hours before you go to bed, and putting the screens away about an hour before your head hits the pillow. Sweet dreams!