Everyone experiences trouble sleeping from time to time. Sleep is a complex, active process of restoration for the body. Sleep is critical to a healthy immune system function, yet the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that one third of Americans don’t get enough sleep every night. Long term sleep disturbances or insomnia, could be caused by current health conditions or could lead to other health concerns down the road.
Good sleep hygiene involves developing routines that help facilitate the body’s natural rhythm and reduce surrounding stressors that could be affecting sleep. A good night’s sleep begins with what you do during the day such as; exercise and light exposure, and consistent dinner times can be an important cue for your circadian rhythm or your natural sleep-wake cycle. Eating dinner 2-3 hours before bedtime is ideal so that food is fully digested before going to sleep. Alcohol and heavy meals consumed directly before bedtime can disrupt restorative sleep. For most adults seven to nine hours of sleep per night is the goal. Bedtime routines and time to wind down before getting into bed are a must.
Using smart technology and sleep devices may be beneficial to improve sleep and may improve sleep challenges. There are different types of sleep trackers offering a broad range of features. These wearable and “nearable” tech devices can measures your heart rate, breathing patterns, the ability of the body to recover from the days stressors, body movement to provide feedback that may improve your sleep. Depending on the device, there are wrist devices, or a device worn on a finger or place it on the nightstand.
Some trackers can also monitor sleep duration, sleep quality, sleep phases, a change in body temperature and environmental factors like room temperature and light exposure. Many of these devise or applications give a “sleep score”, with each one sharing different types of sleep data that make up the score. Consider this; the total score can be high-level view of how well you slept, so think about the healthy sleep behaviors you did (or didn’t) use before you went to sleep and got that score.
Sleep headbands and other headphone devices are another way to improve sleep by generating audio tones, light or photon therapy, and frequencies that can enhance sleep by stimulating the proper brain waves.
Long term inability to get to sleep or difficulty staying asleep can be valid reason to find interventions and schedule a consultation to discuss options.
