We are all aware of the fact that we should be getting a good night’s sleep, every night. However, are you aware of the reasons why? There have been many proven reasons why we should be eager to catch more zzz’s, and yet most of us take this for granted. Here’s an in depth look at why sleep is so important for you, and the benefits associated with getting a good rest at night.

The importance of sleep

Poor sleep, and even sleep deprivation has been associated with issues such as an impaired mental capacity, cardiovascular diseases as well as poor motor coordination. There is also a strong relationship between sleep and the proper functioning of your immune system. In cases of sleep disorders, the conditions in which are necessary for good sleep are often overlooked. We explore these basic conditions in more detail below.

Just as eating healthy and exercising is good for your body, so is a great night’s sleep. While it is recommended that you should try and get between 7 – 8 hours of sleep every day, research has actually shown that sleeping for more than 9 hours could do you more harm than good. It’s been found that people who sleep for longer hours had more calcium buildup in their heart arteries and less flexible leg arteries too. So although we recommend having a good rest, let’s not overdo it.

Let’s explore the factors that could be negatively influencing your sleeping patterns.

Basic conditions for better sleep

So often people label their bad sleeping patterns as having a kind of sleeping disease, and instantly turn to all sorts of medication to assist. However, the following factors could be affecting the way you fall asleep and influencing the type of sleep you are experiencing every night. These critical changes could make all the difference, without having to use any medications.

Make sure your room (and house) is well ventilated

When we breath, we inhale oxygen, and exhale carbon dioxide (CO2). When your bedroom is not well ventilated, a CO2 buildup could occur, thus affecting your thinking, general coordination and even your sleep. In poor conditions, where CO2 levels reach 2'000 ppm or above, this could result in you experiencing headaches, poor concentration, increased heart rate, and nausea. Make sure to air out your bedroom (and home) regularly to avoid this.

Pay attention to temperature and humidity

When you are in a state of thermoneutrality (the temperature at which it does not need to regulate), your body recognises this as an ideal sleeping condition. Warm blankets in summer, or cold feet in winter could actually hinder your falling asleep and making it harder for you to sleep through. Likewise, the humidity of the air can also have a huge impact.  Low humidity can dry out and inflame your respiratory tract, and high humidity will increase the frequency at which you wake up in the middle of your sleep. Creating a balance between the two is vitally important.

Switch off - properly

Even when you think that you’ve become accustomed to certain sounds within your environment, your mind still takes in these sounds and reacts accordingly, without you even realising it. And just as with sound, light can also play a huge role. Your eyes are trained to feed the brain into knowing that light means being alert, and darkness means a state of sleepiness. When you are sleeping and your eyes detect even the slightest bit of light within your environment, your sleep is affected. Even culprits like your cellphone, a TV or computer screen in the corner of the room, or that unsuspicious night light could all be affecting your sleep. Switch it off, and your mind will too.

You are what you eat

Although there is a lot of information pertaining to your diet and the influence this may have on your sleep, the following are the most agreed upon aspects:

1. Avoid alcohol. Prevents a deep sleep, making you feel more tired.

2. Avoid sugary snacks and drinks. These increase your energy levels, wreaking havoc on your body and mind, especially if you’re trying to fall asleep.

3. Foods high in amino acids (like broccoli, walnuts, pumpkin and beans) actually help you in getting a better sleep. So if you’re battling to sleep, try to have some before you go to bed!

Check your meds

Often overlooked, but the medication that you are taking may be affecting your sleep. Check the leaflet provided with your medication or speak to your health care professional if you suspect this.

Exercise

We know the importance of exercise in our daily lives, however you should not be exercising directly before bed. Doing so overstimulates the body making it difficult to fall asleep. Changing up your routine to exercise in the morning will increase the quality, as well as the duration of your sleep.

Destress

We all experience stress on a daily basis, but as difficult as it may seem, you need to destress and clear your mind before going to bed. Try some meditation in order to put your mind in rest mode and forget the negatives of the day.

Check your “before bed” routine

Although this may be hard to accomplish, you should try to go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day. Habits like this have been proven to assist sleep quality and reduce the time in which it takes you to fall asleep every night. Also things such as watching TV before bed, can cause your mind to wonder and it’s been recommended that you switch off the set at least 30 minutes prior to going to bed.

Electrosensitivity

Whilst still very controversial, some people strongly believe that electrically charged objects such as your cellphone and Wi-Fi could lead to difficulties in sleep. Research has shown that this is not the case, but it does still make a person wonder.

Other Factors

It’s wise to take the following into consideration if you are having issues catching some zzz’s. Items such as your mattress, pillows, bedding and even your partners loud snoring could all be having an effect of the quality if your sleep. And while there are of course other obvious factors like caffeine, it is important to remember that each person is different and if none of the above tips help, perhaps you should speak with your health care provider.