5 tips for better quality sleep
WHEN we talk about a healthy lifestyle we tend to only talk about frequent exercise and balanced nutrition. However, one cannot have a healthy lifestyle without a good night’s sleep. Missing out on sleep at night can have major negative effects on our mental and physical state and may even leave us prone to certain chronic illnesses. Lack of sleep may also have immediate negative effects on our brain function and physical stamina.
The following are just five sleep habits you may take on to help you get a better quality night’s sleep:
1) Have a sleep schedule
Having a sleep schedule will greatly benefit your sleep. This means setting a specific time or time range every night to go to bed and similarly a specific time to wake up. You may do this to fit around a work or school schedule, but experts say it is important to maintain this schedule even during the weekends when you do not have anything to wake up early for. While this may not necessarily immediately have a great benefit on your sleep, having good sleep habits, such as this, is one step in increasing your quality of sleep over time.
2) Reduce your screen time
Our devices emit something known as ‘blue light’. While blue light is not proven to be actually harmful to the eye itself, it is harmful to your body’s ‘sleep clock’. Using screens at night-time and in bed may convince your brain that it is still daytime because you are still being exposed to so much light. Installing blue light filters on your phone, wearing blue light-blocking glasses or, importantly, not using your phone or watching television at least two hours before you are getting ready for bed may help keep your body’s clock in order and not cause any confusion or disruptions to your falling and staying asleep.
3) Avoid taking naps or take shorter naps during the day
Taking naps late in the day or taking long naps during the day may affect you when it’s time for bed. Do your best, if you must nap, to take these naps earlier on in the day as well as try to keep them less than an hour with 20-30 minute naps being optimal. If you do find you cannot function throughout the day without needing a nap, you may quickly consult your physician via a telemedicine platform to explain how you may be feeling and what your sleeping habits may be like usually. Increased fatigue is a symptom of many serious illnesses and if you find that you may fall into this category, consulting your doctor on if they may consider this a bigger issue is important. Telemedicine is just one convenient way to do this if you are not so sure your case may be at the point of an emergency but are interested in learning more and discussing your concerns.
4) Watch your caffeine, alcohol and nicotine intake
Caffeine can be proven to help you maintain productivity throughout the day, however, consuming it closer to bedtime may greatly disrupt your sleep. Much like caffeine, nicotine is also a stimulant and may keep you awake and high alert after consumption. While you may feel you depend on these substances to help you have a productive day, they do not lend themselves to a productive sleep, and consuming these substances close to bedtime may keep you up. Additionally, while alcohol may make you sleepy it may disrupt your sleep later on in the night causing nightmares and/or restlessness. If you are having a hard time not depending on these substances, it would be a good idea to consult with a physician on how you may wean yourself off these substances, particularly based on how they may affect your sleeping patterns. Telemedicine offers a private and comfortable space for you to speak to your physician about issues like this. You can do this in the comfort of your home, your car or anywhere you may feel safe enough to discuss your relationship with some of these substances.
5) Make sure your sleep space is comfortable
As much as you may have control over it, the space that you go to sleep in at night must be comfortable. Ensure that your space is not cluttered or dirty and that your bed and bedding are comfortable. If you can, try and keep your room as cool as possible because hot temperatures will certainly make us uncomfortable and disrupt our sleep, particularly as we are now in the summertime. Aside from all these things listed, a quiet and dark space are also crucial parts of creating an optimal sleeping space and enhancing your overall quality of sleep.
Sleep is crucial to survival. If you do think you suffer from insomnia or you simply want some advice on how you can create better sleeping habits, telemedicine is a quick and convenient tool to do so. You can get advice from your health-care professional and determine if your sleep issues may be chronic or not. Many of the above tips may likely help the quality of your sleep, or your doctor may recommend a sleep aid for a short period to help regulate your patterns and get you back on track. You and your physician can easily monitor your sleep patterns using a telemedicine platform. However, if you do find yourself falling asleep at odd times such as while driving or find that you cannot cope or function throughout the day, you may need to go into the doctor’s office for a physical assessment. Speaking to your doctor online first may be the first step in guiding your possible treatment.
Dr Ché Bowen, a digital health entrepreneur and family physician, is the CEO & founder of MDLink, a digital health company that provides telemedicine options. Check out the company’s website at www.theMDLink.com. You can also contact him at drchebowen@themdlink.com.