I shouldn’t need to remind you this, but sleep is crucial for our well-being. However, many people don’t realize that getting high-quality sleep is just as important as getting enough sleep.
Sleep quality is often determined by how restful and restorative your sleep is, and getting eight hours’ worth of sleep doesn’t mean much if you keep waking up in the middle of the night!
High-quality sleep is linked to improved cognitive function.
An individual goes through five stages of sleep in a typical night’s slumber. While all stages are important, scientists believe that the second and third sleep is what helps with mental recovery and learning.
Quality sleep is also needed for muscle recovery and strengthening your immune response!
If you’re trying to make progress in your studies, career, or entrepreneurial ventures, it’s crucial that you strive for quality sleep. In this article, we’ll take a look at how one can improve their sleep quality.
Pay Attention to Your Lights
Artificial lights can interfere with your sleep pattern.
In our most primitive form, our body responds and adjusts to the amount of light and darkness we are exposed to. This is called the circadian rhythm and makes up our body’s internal clock.
Blue light is especially harmful in the sense that it suppresses melatonin – a hormone that prepares your body for sleep.
This means that you have to be mindful of the lights in your room. A circadian LED bulb can imitate the seasonal day/night changes in our rooms and prep our body to how it’s supposed to naturally function.
Since most of our digital devices such as smartphones and laptops emit blue light, you should have a blue light filter or night mode on.
Experiment
I hate to break it to you, but the 8-hour rule for a good night’s sleep is a myth. The truth is that everyone is biologically unique. While some people can function well during the day on just five hours, some may require nine.
It’s a matter of trial and error, and a good way to figure out how much you need is to take note of how you feel on an afternoon during the regular working day. If you’re tired and constantly need a caffeine boost, you are probably lacking in sleep and need to adjust it.
Personally, I found that sleeping without an alarm and letting my body wake up when it wants to really improve my energy levels during the day. This is especially true when I meditate before sleeping. After two weeks of practicing this, I learned that I worked optimally on 7.5 hours of sleep!
Optimize Your Bedroom for Sleep
Don’t undermine your body’s ability to take cues from your environment.
If light from the streetlamp is penetrating your curtains at night, invest in blackout blinds.
Cool your room to 60-67 degrees F (15-19 degrees Celsius) before you sleep, as this temperature range is shown to be best for deep sleep.
If you want to take it a step further, make sure your room smells just as good too. The smell of lavender has been shown to have a relaxing effect on people and help them sleep.
I take it to the extremes of not going anywhere near my bed during the day, so when I do at night, I’m encouraging my body for deep sleep. And honestly, it works!
Do More During the Day
If none of the above steps work, then you’re probably not tired enough. Try getting more physical activity during the day. Go for jogs, hit the gym, and do whatever you can to push yourself to your limits.
If you’re physically active but not mentally engaged, find a passion project that makes your mind absorb new things like a sponge such as learning how to code, playing a new instrument, or even just reading a new book!
About the Author
Sarilaya Cada is a freelance content writer. She is interested in a wide range of fields, from project management, to education, to engineering.
