Sleep – It’s a Valuable Skill!

Whether you are working or retired,
everyone needs sleep. Your mind and body
need to rest and recuperate from the day
before so that you can function well the next
day. But chances are, you have experienced
sleepless nights in your life from many
different reasons and factors.
If you have trouble sleeping, you could be
changing a few things in your daily habits so
that you can get better sleep. According to
W. Chris Winter, M.D., sleeping is a skill that
can be improved if you are not satisfied with
the quality of your sleep. Here are the most
common aspects of your life that could be
affecting your sleep every night, according to
an article written by Paula Spencer Scott:

  1. Too Much Stress — You could be
    causing unnecessary stress and
    anxiety to yourself by thinking too
    much about things that happened
    that day or anticipating what will
    happen the next day. Try to accept
    the fact that instead of worrying,
    you can try to get a good night’s
    sleep and deal with your problems
    the next day.
  2. Being Random — Your body will
    have a hard time keeping up if you
    don’t have a normal sleeping
    schedule. Instead of sleeping and
    waking up at different times every
    day, try to stick with a sleeping
    schedule that you’re comfortable
    with. The article states that adults
    need about seven to nine hours of
    sleep every night, and you probably
    already know if your body prefers
    more or less hours in that range.
    The key is to be consistent.
  3. Not Comfortable Enough — How
    many years have you had your
    mattress or pillows? How about
    your sheets and blankets? What are
    you wearing to sleep? Maybe it’s
    time to explore how comfortable
    you are with your arrangements.
  4. Pet Disturbance — Sometimes our
    beloved animal companions can be
    a little too disturbing at night. The
    author of the article reminds us
    that dogs have different sleeping
    cycles than humans, so they are
    likely to move around while you’re
    sleeping.
  5. Too Much Light — You probably
    already turn off your lights when
    you go to sleep, but do you turn off
    all your technology? There could be
    light coming from the television,
    computer, phone, printer, etc.,
    which can ultimately bother your
    sleep. In addition, close your blinds
    or curtains if you have strong
    moonlight coming through your
    window.
  6. Overthinking — I’m sure we have
    all done this: thinking about not
    getting enough sleep. The article
    states that this is a problem that
    builds upon itself. Thinking too
    much about whether you will fall
    asleep or get enough hours adds to
    your stress and anxiety. Do yourself
    a favor and think pleasant
    thoughts, and remind yourself that
    simply resting in bed is beneficial
    to your body.