This post was sponsored by the National Sleep Foundation as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central. All opinions expressed in my post are my own.
I'm not sure when it started, or what prompted it, but I've been having trouble falling and staying asleep for some time now. Bedtime has become a viscous cycle for me because I truly want to rest, but for whatever reason my mind wanders and I toss and turn for what feels like hours on end. The worst is when I do fall asleep and then wake up minutes later— it's seriously frustrating!
I know I'm not alone in this because I've discussed my insomnia woes with friends who've shared the same sleep issues. Perhaps it has to do with getting older, or simply stressors from everyday life, but getting a solid 8+ hours of sleep seems to be a rarity for women in my age group.
The National Sleep Foundation realizes the need for a good night's sleep and has put together an amazing resource for people who are suffering from sleep health issues, including insomnia, narcolepsy, cataplexy.
Here are a few tips I found on sleepfoundation.org that I'm implementing into my life to help achieve better sleep quality.
Tips for Beating Insomnia
- Stick to a sleep schedule — even on weekends. This helps to regulate your body's clock and could help you fall asleep and stay asleep for the night.
- Practice a relaxing bedtime ritual. A relaxing, routine activity right before bedtime conducted away from bright lights helps separate your sleep time from activities that can cause excitement, stress or anxiety which can make it more difficult to fall asleep, get sound and deep sleep or remain asleep.
- Exercise daily. Vigorous exercise is best, but even light exercise is better than no activity.
- Evaluate your room. Design your sleep environment to establish the conditions you need for sleep. Your bedroom should be cool – between 60 and 67 degrees. Your bedroom should also be free from any noise that can disturb your sleep. Finally, your bedroom should be free from any light. Check your room for noises or other distractions. This includes a bed partner's sleep disruptions such as snoring. Consider using blackout curtains, eye shades, ear plugs, "white noise" machines, humidifiers, fans and other devices.
- Sleep on a comfortable mattress and pillows. Make sure your mattress is comfortable and supportive. The one you have been using for years may have exceeded its life expectancy – about 9 or 10 years for most good quality mattresses. Have comfortable pillows and make the room attractive and inviting for sleep but also free of allergens that might affect you.
I've also learned that sleep quality is directly affected by what we eat and drink (caffeine!!). The more healthy habits that we put into practice, the better our sleep will be!
Beyondtired.org is a great resource for people who suffer from insomnia— just take a look at some of the stories of insomnia sufferers from across the country! It's important to know that we're not alone, and there's a lot to learn from others who are dealing with (and overcoming!) sleep issues.
Visit www.sleepfoundation.org and www.sleep.org for more information. Be sure to talk to your doctor if you're experiencing ongoing sleep issues.
Additional Resources:
- National Sleep Foundation Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/nationalsleepfoundation/
- National Sleep Foundation Twitter Page: https://twitter.com/sleepfoundation
National Sleep Foundation Giveaway Giveaway!
- Prize: Five (5) $100 Amazon e-gift cards and one (1) Grand Prize $250 Amazon e-gift card
- Dates: October 25 – November 23, 2016
I-C will randomly select winners from all program entries and will facilitate fulfillment of the winning prizes (6 winners).
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