What factors contribute to being a light or heavy sleeper. How can light sleepers improve their sleep quality. What are the different stages of sleep and their importance. How do age and lifestyle choices affect sleep patterns. What role do genetics and brain activity play in sleep depth.

Understanding Light and Heavy Sleepers: The Science Behind Sleep Sensitivity

Sleep patterns vary significantly among individuals, with some people easily awakened by the slightest noise, while others remain undisturbed even by loud disturbances. This difference in sleep sensitivity has led to the common categorization of “light” and “heavy” sleepers. But what exactly determines whether someone falls into one category or the other?

Research suggests that multiple factors contribute to an individual’s sleep sensitivity, including:

• Genetics
• Lifestyle choices
• Undiagnosed sleep disorders
• Brain wave activity during sleep

Despite these general observations, the precise mechanisms behind light and heavy sleeping remain somewhat mysterious to researchers. However, understanding these differences is crucial, as both the quantity and quality of sleep play vital roles in overall health and well-being.

The Role of Sleep Spindles in Sleep Sensitivity

One intriguing area of research focuses on sleep spindles, which are brief bursts of brain activity that occur during certain stages of sleep. Studies have shown a correlation between the frequency of these sleep spindles and an individual’s ability to sleep through noise disturbances. Those with higher levels of sleep spindle activity tend to be less easily awakened by external stimuli, potentially classifying them as “heavy” sleepers.

Are sleep spindles the key to becoming a heavier sleeper? While more research is needed to confirm this relationship, understanding the role of brain activity in sleep depth could lead to innovative strategies for improving sleep quality in light sleepers.

The Sleep Cycle: Navigating Light and Deep Sleep Stages

To truly understand the differences between light and heavy sleepers, it’s essential to explore the various stages of sleep that everyone experiences throughout the night. Sleep is not a uniform state but rather a cyclical process consisting of different phases, each serving unique purposes for physical and mental restoration.

The Four Stages of Sleep

A typical sleep cycle consists of four main stages:

1. NREM Stage 1 (Light Sleep)
2. NREM Stage 2 (Intermediate Sleep)
3. NREM Stage 3 (Deep Sleep or Slow-Wave Sleep)
4. REM (Rapid Eye Movement) Sleep

These stages repeat approximately every 90 minutes throughout the night, with each cycle playing a crucial role in overall sleep quality and restoration.

The Importance of Deep Sleep

Deep sleep, also known as slow-wave sleep, is particularly important for physical restoration. During this stage, the body experiences:

• Slower breathing
• Reduced heart rate
• Muscle relaxation
• Tissue growth and repair

How much deep sleep do we need? While the exact amount varies by individual, experts generally agree that spending 15-25% of total sleep time in deep sleep is optimal for most adults. However, as we age, the amount of time spent in deep sleep naturally decreases, which may contribute to feelings of being a lighter sleeper in older adults.

Age-Related Changes in Sleep Patterns: Why Older Adults May Feel Like Lighter Sleepers

As we age, our sleep architecture undergoes significant changes. These alterations can lead many older adults to perceive themselves as lighter sleepers compared to their younger years. But what exactly happens to our sleep as we get older?

Shifts in Sleep Stage Distribution

Research has shown that aging is associated with:

• Decreased time spent in slow-wave (deep) sleep
• Reduced REM sleep duration
• Increased time in lighter sleep stages

These changes can result in more frequent awakenings during the night and a general feeling of lighter, less restful sleep. However, it’s important to note that these alterations are a normal part of the aging process and don’t necessarily indicate a sleep disorder.

How can older adults compensate for these natural changes in sleep architecture? While we can’t reverse the aging process, adopting good sleep hygiene practices and maintaining a consistent sleep schedule can help maximize the quality of sleep at any age.

Lifestyle Factors Affecting Sleep Depth: Making Changes for Better Rest

While some aspects of sleep sensitivity may be genetically determined, various lifestyle factors can significantly impact sleep depth and quality. By addressing these factors, even self-proclaimed light sleepers may be able to achieve more restful nights.

Alcohol Consumption and Sleep Quality

One common misconception is that alcohol helps promote better sleep. In reality, consuming alcohol close to bedtime can disrupt healthy sleep cycles. How does alcohol affect sleep?

• It can suppress REM sleep, particularly in the first half of the night
• It may increase sleep disruptions in the latter half of the night
• It can exacerbate symptoms of sleep disorders like sleep apnea

To improve sleep quality, it’s advisable to limit alcohol consumption, especially in the hours leading up to bedtime. If you do choose to drink, aim to finish your last alcoholic beverage at least 3-4 hours before going to sleep.

The Impact of Inconsistent Sleep Schedules

Maintaining a consistent sleep schedule is crucial for optimizing sleep quality and depth. Irregular sleep patterns can disrupt your body’s internal clock, making it harder to achieve deep, restorative sleep.

How can you establish a consistent sleep schedule?

• Set a fixed bedtime and wake-up time, even on weekends
• Create a relaxing bedtime routine to signal to your body that it’s time to sleep
• Avoid exposure to blue light from electronic devices in the hour before bed
• Make your bedroom conducive to sleep by keeping it dark, quiet, and cool

By adhering to a regular sleep schedule, you can help regulate your body’s circadian rhythm, potentially leading to deeper and more restful sleep.

Undiagnosed Sleep Disorders: When Light Sleep May Indicate a Deeper Problem

For some individuals, persistent light sleep or frequent night-time awakenings may be symptoms of an underlying sleep disorder. Recognizing these issues is crucial for receiving proper treatment and improving overall sleep quality.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Common Culprit of Disrupted Sleep

One of the most prevalent sleep disorders that can contribute to light sleep is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). This condition is characterized by repeated pauses in breathing during sleep, often accompanied by loud snoring.

How does sleep apnea affect sleep quality?

• It can cause frequent, brief awakenings throughout the night
• It may prevent the sufferer from reaching deeper stages of sleep
• It can lead to excessive daytime sleepiness and other health complications

If you suspect you may have sleep apnea, it’s essential to consult with a healthcare professional. They may recommend a sleep study to diagnose the condition and determine the most appropriate treatment options.

Other Sleep Disorders That May Contribute to Light Sleep

While sleep apnea is a common cause of sleep disruptions, other sleep disorders can also lead to light or fragmented sleep. These may include:

• Insomnia
• Restless Leg Syndrome
• Periodic Limb Movement Disorder
• Narcolepsy

If you consistently experience difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or feeling refreshed upon waking, it may be worth discussing your symptoms with a sleep specialist. They can help determine if an underlying sleep disorder is contributing to your light sleep and recommend appropriate treatments.

The Role of Brain Activity in Sleep Depth: Insights from Sleep Spindles

Recent research has shed light on the fascinating relationship between brain activity and sleep depth, particularly focusing on sleep spindles. These brief bursts of oscillatory brain activity occur primarily during stage 2 of non-REM sleep and may play a crucial role in determining an individual’s sensitivity to external stimuli during sleep.

Understanding Sleep Spindles

Sleep spindles are characterized by their distinct pattern on an electroencephalogram (EEG), appearing as short bursts of activity in the 12-14 Hz range. But what exactly do these spindles do?

• They may help protect sleep by suppressing the processing of external stimuli
• They play a role in memory consolidation and learning
• They could be indicative of overall sleep quality and brain health

Research has suggested that individuals with higher frequencies of sleep spindles may be more resistant to external noise and disturbances during sleep, potentially classifying them as “heavier” sleepers.

Can We Influence Sleep Spindle Activity?

Given the potential benefits of increased sleep spindle activity, an intriguing question arises: is it possible to enhance or stimulate sleep spindles to promote deeper, more resistant sleep?

While research in this area is still in its early stages, some promising avenues are being explored:

• Auditory stimulation during sleep to enhance spindle activity
• Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to induce sleep spindles
• Pharmacological interventions to increase spindle density

Although these approaches are not yet ready for widespread clinical use, they offer exciting possibilities for future sleep enhancement strategies, particularly for those who struggle with light sleep.

Strategies for Light Sleepers: Practical Tips to Enhance Sleep Quality

If you identify as a light sleeper, you’re not alone. Many individuals struggle with easily disrupted sleep, but there are numerous strategies you can employ to improve your sleep quality and potentially achieve deeper, more restorative rest.

Creating an Optimal Sleep Environment

One of the most effective ways to promote deeper sleep is by optimizing your sleep environment. Consider the following tips:

• Use blackout curtains or an eye mask to block out light
• Invest in a white noise machine or earplugs to mask disruptive sounds
• Maintain a cool bedroom temperature, ideally between 60-67°F (15-19°C)
• Choose a comfortable, supportive mattress and pillows

By creating a sleep sanctuary that minimizes external disturbances, you may find it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep throughout the night.

Developing a Relaxing Bedtime Routine

Establishing a consistent pre-sleep routine can signal to your body that it’s time to wind down and prepare for rest. Some effective relaxation techniques include:

• Practicing mindfulness meditation or deep breathing exercises
• Taking a warm bath or shower before bed
• Reading a book or listening to calming music
• Engaging in gentle stretching or yoga

How long should your bedtime routine last? Aim for at least 30 minutes of relaxing activities before your intended sleep time. This can help reduce stress and anxiety, making it easier to transition into deeper sleep stages.

Managing Stress and Anxiety

For many light sleepers, racing thoughts and worries can contribute to difficulty falling or staying asleep. Implementing stress management techniques can be beneficial:

• Practice journaling to process thoughts and concerns before bed
• Try progressive muscle relaxation to release physical tension
• Consider cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) if sleep issues persist
• Limit exposure to stressful news or social media before bedtime

By addressing the underlying causes of stress and anxiety, you may find that your sleep becomes naturally deeper and more restorative.

Timing Your Sleep Right

Understanding your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle can help you optimize your sleep schedule. Consider these tips:

• Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends
• Aim to align your sleep schedule with your body’s natural circadian rhythm
• Avoid naps late in the day, as they can interfere with nighttime sleep
• Expose yourself to natural daylight early in the day to help regulate your sleep-wake cycle

By respecting your body’s internal clock, you may find it easier to achieve deeper, more satisfying sleep.

When to Seek Professional Help: Recognizing the Need for Sleep Evaluation

While many light sleepers can improve their sleep quality through lifestyle changes and sleep hygiene practices, persistent sleep issues may warrant professional attention. But how do you know when it’s time to consult a sleep specialist?

Signs That Indicate a Need for Professional Evaluation

Consider seeking professional help if you experience any of the following:

• Chronic difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
• Excessive daytime sleepiness or fatigue
• Loud snoring accompanied by gasping or choking sounds
• Persistent feelings of unrefreshing sleep, even after a full night’s rest
• Sleep issues that interfere with daily functioning or quality of life

A sleep specialist can conduct a comprehensive evaluation, which may include a sleep study, to identify any underlying sleep disorders or issues contributing to your light sleep.

What to Expect During a Sleep Evaluation

If you decide to undergo a professional sleep evaluation, the process typically involves:

1. A detailed medical history and sleep questionnaire
2. Physical examination
3. Possibly a sleep study (polysomnography) either in a sleep lab or at home
4. Analysis of results and discussion of treatment options

Based on the findings, your sleep specialist may recommend various treatments, ranging from cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy for sleep apnea.

Remember, seeking professional help doesn’t mean you’ve failed at managing your sleep. Instead, it’s a proactive step towards improving your sleep quality and overall health. With the right diagnosis and treatment plan, even chronic light sleepers can achieve more restful, restorative sleep.

What Makes Someone a Light or Heavy Sleeper?

For some people, the slightest noise awakens them at night. For others, the wailing siren of a passing fire truck doesn’t disturb their slumber. Just why, though, remains a bit of a mystery.

Although many people are self-proclaimed light sleepers or heavy sleepers, researchers have found that little is actually known about why people react differently to noises and other stimuli during sleep.

Genetics, lifestyle choices, and undiagnosed sleep disorders may all play a role. In addition, some studies suggest that differences in brain wave activity during sleep may also make someone a light or heavy sleeper.

But whichever category you’re in, one thing is certain: The quantity and quality of the sleep you get both play an important role in your health.

Everyone Should Cycle Through Light and Deep Sleep Each Night

During sleep, you alternate between cycles of REM (rapid eye movement) and NREM (non–rapid eye movement) that repeat about every 90 minutes. NREM sleep consists of three stages, the first being the lightest stage, during which you’re most likely to be woken up, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Stage one, or the phase between being awake and asleep, is considered light sleep. Deeper sleep begins in stage two, as your breathing and heart rate become slower and your body temperature drops.

Stage three is the deepest and most restorative stage of sleep (it’s also called “slow-wave sleep”), in which breathing further slows, muscles relax, and tissue growth and repair occurs.

Next is REM sleep, which is characterized by your eyes moving rapidly from side to side, as well as brain activity, heart rate, and blood pressure that actually look more similar to being awake than asleep, according to the Sleep Foundation. This is the stage of sleep when the most dreaming occurs, as well as important parts of the memory consolidation process.

In general, as people age, they spend less time in the slow-wave and REM stages of sleep and more time in the lighter stages, according to a review article published in March 2018 in Sleep Medicine Clinics.

But it’s also important to note that how much time someone spends in light or deep sleep over the course of a night can vary significantly from person to person and night to night. Also, the amount of deep sleep someone gets isn’t necessarily correlated to the amount of total sleep they get. Someone who gets eight hours of sleep a night, for instance, may not experience as much slow-wave, deep sleep as someone else who gets just six hours a night.

“There may be some overlap between what people subjectively feel about the depth of their sleep and what we find in the lab when measuring the different sleep stages,” says David Neubauer, MD, an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and associate director of the Johns Hopkins Sleep Disorders Center in Baltimore. “But it’s not necessarily the same thing.”

So, What Does Make Someone a Restless Sleeper?

Previous research suggests that differences in how sleeping people respond to noise may be related to levels of brain activity called sleep spindles. The researchers found that people whose brains produced the most of these high-frequency sleep spindles were more likely to sleep through loud noises. But more research is needed to confirm the results.

If someone is not feeling rested and thinks it’s because they are sleeping lightly, they should look at the factors that might be contributing to their inability to achieve a deep sleep, says Dr. Neubauer. Things like drinking alcohol too close to bedtime or in large quantities can disrupt healthy and consistent sleep cycles, as can keeping an inconsistent sleep schedule, according to the Sleep Foundation. A doctor can recommend a sleep study in a sleep lab or an at-home sleep test to see if a sleep disorder could be to blame, Neubauer says.

Some sleep disorders, such as obstructive sleep apnea, may contribute to light sleep by causing awakenings throughout the night, due to breathing irregularities.

But it’s worth noting that just because you feel like you’re a light sleeper or that you awaken easily during the night due to outside noise or other disturbances doesn’t mean that you’re not actually getting the sleep you need. What’s more important is that you wake up feeling rested, which is a good indication that you’re getting the deep sleep you need, says Eric Landsness, MD, PhD, an assistant professor of neurology and sleep medicine at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

Neubauer adds that it’s hard to generalize about what makes some people light sleepers and others heavy sleepers. “It might be some sort of genetics, or it might be that some people have a greater degree of arousal over a 24-hour cycle,” he says.

In most cases, factors under your own control affect the quality of sleep you get. “There are lots of issues related to lifestyle, medications, alcohol, and caffeine that can lighten sleep,” Neubauer says. “People might also not be getting enough sleep because they’re not spending enough time in bed due to the choices they make.”

How to Get More Deep Sleep Whether You’re a Light or Heavy Sleeper

If you feel groggy during the day or find yourself falling asleep — or if you feel irritable, experience memory problems, or have a decrease in your attention span — you might not be getting enough sleep, or more specifically, enough quality sleep. To get to the root of the problem, try these remedies to help reset your sleep schedule, or talk to your doctor or consult a sleep expert if these tactics are still not helping.

To improve the quality of your sleep, the following may help:

• Have a set bedtime and a set wake time. Also, try to avoid staying up late and sleeping in on weekends, says Rajkumar Dasgupta, MD, assistant professor of clinical medicine at the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine in Los Angeles and a spokesperson for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Staying up on weekends makes it difficult to go to sleep early on Sunday night, which then leads to fatigue the next day.
• Manage stress all day long. Higher levels of stress are associated with sleeping less, according to the American Psychological Association. And research suggests that there may be an underlying biological explanation as to why stress is more likely to disturb some people’s sleep, according to a review published in December 2018 in the Journal of Sleep Research.
• Avoid alcohol close to bedtime. It may do a good job of knocking you out in the short term, but it interferes with deep sleep, says Dr. Dasgupta. That’s because drinking before bedtime may cause disruptions to your sleep cycle as your liver enzymes metabolize alcohol, according to the Sleep Foundation.
• Turn off the TV and keep electronic devices away from the bedroom. “Keep your cell phone out of the room, so a text won’t wake you up, especially if you’re a light sleeper,” Dr. Landsness says.
• Avoid screen time at least 30 minutes before bedtime. Unplugging an hour or more before your head hits the pillow is even better. The light from screens messes with sleep by discouraging the body from releasing melatonin, which is the hormone that signals to the body that it’s time to fall asleep. And engaging with tech devices, even if just to answer a couple of emails or watch a TV show, is more energizing than relaxing, and it leads to cognitive arousal.
• Wear an eye mask. This will block light that may be seeping into the room from the edges of your curtains. “Light sleepers are prone to light contamination. That tiny bit of light emanating from the streetlight outside could affect your sleep,” Landsness says. Studies suggest that wearing an eye mask can help people sustain longer periods of REM sleep, and that it encourages elevated levels of melatonin.
• Use earplugs or noise-canceling earbuds. This will help drown out ambient noise, especially if your bedroom is facing a window that picks up traffic sounds from outside, Landsness says. You can also try a fan or a white-noise machine that can play soothing sounds to help you fall asleep. A study published in December 2017 in Frontiers in Neurology found that the gentle hum of these kinds of devices can help some people fall asleep faster.
• Watch what you eat close to bedtime. Try to avoid snacks packed with sugar, which could cause a sugar spike. Also avoid caffeine and nicotine, both of which are stimulants. And spicy, acidic foods may cause heartburn or acid reflux that can interfere with sleep, according to the Sleep Foundation.

Additional reporting by Katherine Lee and Carmen Chai.

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What It Means and What to Do About It

It’s common to refer to people who can sleep through noise and other disruptions as heavy sleepers. Those who are more likely to wake up are often called light sleepers.

Researchers haven’t definitively pinned down why people respond differently to possible disturbances while sleeping, but probable causes might include:

• undiagnosed sleep disorders
• lifestyle choices
• genetics
• sleeping brain wave activity

Researchers do agree that the quality and quantity of sleep is important to your health. Sleep affects almost every system in your body, from your metabolism to immune function.

When sleeping, you alternate between two basic types of sleep, rapid eye movement (REM) and non-REM sleep.

REM sleep

Typically, REM sleep takes place about 90 minutes after you fall asleep. This stage is when most of your dreams happen. During REM sleep your:

• eyes move rapidly from side to side
• breathing is fast and irregular
• heart rate increases
• blood pressure increases

Non-REM sleep

The difference between a light sleeper and a heavy sleeper might be the amount of time each spends in the deep sleep stage of their sleep cycle. Here’s a breakdown of the non-REM stages:

• Stage 1. As you go from awake to sleeping, your breathing slows as well as your heartbeat, eye movement, and brain wave activity. Your muscles begin to relax.
• Stage 2. Your breathing, heartbeat, and brain wave activity continue to slow. Eye movements stop. Your muscles relax more.
• Stage 3. You’re now in deep, restorative sleep. Everything slows further.

A small 2010 study found it’s possible to predict a person’s ability to stay asleep during noise by measuring sleep spindles on an EEG test.

Sleep spindles are a type of brain wave. Researchers believe they may be able to dilute the effects of noise in the brain.

The study found people who are able to generate more sleep spindles can sleep through noise better than people who can’t.

These findings set the stage for studies focused on increasing spindle production so people can stay asleep through noisy interruptions.

Getting enough sleep is crucial for keeping your body and mind healthy. Sleep needs vary according to age. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends the following sleep guidelines:

• Adults need 7 to 8 hours.
• Teens need 8 to 10 hours.
• School-aged children need 9 to 12 hours.
• Preschoolers need 10 to 13 hours (including naps).
• Toddlers need 11 to 14 hours (including naps).
• Babies need 12 to 16 hours (including naps).

A good night’s sleep can be described as:

• falling asleep easily
• not fully awakening during the night
• waking up when expected (not earlier)
• feeling refreshed in the morning

If you’re a light sleeper, there are some habits you can develop to ensure the best possible sleep every night. Try the following:

• Follow a schedule. Try going to sleep and getting up at the same time every day, including your days off from work.
• Develop a consistent bedtime routine. Take a warm bath or read a book.
• Make your bedroom relaxing, quiet, and dark.
• Keep all screens, including televisions, computers, and cell phones, out of the bedroom.
• Keep your bedroom cool.
• Avoid late afternoon or evening naps.
• Exercise at regular times every day and make sure to stop at least three hours before bedtime.
• Avoid caffeine late in the day, including caffeine found in foods like chocolate.
• Avoid eating large meals close to bedtime.
• Avoid drinking alcoholic beverages close to bedtime.

If trouble sleeping has you feeling tired and affects your ability to do your daily activities for more than a few weeks, talk to your doctor. They may have some suggestions on getting a better night’s sleep. Your doctor might also recommend testing for a potential sleep disorder.

For more sleep support, check out our sleep shop.

If you consider yourself a light sleeper and it’s interfering with your ability to get a good, refreshing night’s sleep, there are some lifestyle changes you can make to encourage better sleep habits.

If poor sleep is interfering with your daily activities, consider a visit with your doctor. They may have thoughts on how you can improve your sleep, or they might suggest testing for a possible sleep disorder.

Secrets of sound and healthy sleep

“Lift my eyelids!” – and I want to say to everyone around me, when once again, right in the middle of the day, drowsiness rolls in. Eyes close, concentration drops, and a bad night’s sleep is to blame. You dream about how you will come home, lie down in your favorite bed and forget yourself in a sound sleep… And as a result, once again look at the ceiling. T&P has put together over 20 tips to help you wake up refreshed, stay that way throughout the day, and enjoy a sound, healthy sleep every night.

Sleep patterns

Wake up at the same time every day

Many of us use weekends and vacations to catch up, but this habit is ineffective and even harmful. The effect of an extra hour of sleep on Saturday is pleasant, but usually temporary and leads to not so pleasant consequences in the evening when it is time for bed.

The body of each person is equipped with an internal clock, this is the so-called circadian rhythm, which determines when we are sleepy and when we are awake. This clock is directly related to sunlight: during the day we feel alert, and when darkness falls, our bodies release melatonin and send signals that it’s time to go to bed.

When we sleep on our days off, we reset our internal clock — as a result, falling asleep on the coming night becomes more difficult, and waking up fresh the next morning is almost impossible. The feeling that we are constantly not getting enough sleep turns into an endless cycle. Over time, sleep deprivation coupled with catching up leads to an increased risk of health problems, including obesity, cardiovascular disease, and even type 2 diabetes.

What to do? Wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends. And don’t think that getting up early on a day off will be difficult: a couple of weeks – and it will become a habit, and you will feel better and really rested.

Reduce your overall need for sleep

Lack of time is a serious problem for many people. Just imagine what you could achieve if you had two extra productive hours a day! The most obvious thing to take off your schedule to gain extra time is sleep. The problem is that if we don’t get enough sleep, this “bonus time” is unlikely to be productive.

But what if we could sleep less but have enough energy to do more? To achieve this result, gradually reduce the number of hours of your sleep: every day, from week to week, push back the time when you go to bed, or get up a little earlier.

Let’s say you want to switch to six hours of sleep instead of eight. Don’t set your alarm two hours earlier: it won’t work. Instead, use small intervals – 15 to 30 minutes in the first week – gradually increasing them. By the third week, you can easily reduce your sleep time by 60-90 minutes.

Keep a sleep journal

Keeping a diary and a journal in general helps you form good habits and easily identify which activities you are doing are successful and which may need tweaking. This principle also works in the case of sleep. Get a spreadsheet or buy a special diary – how and what variables you track is ultimately up to you. However, here are a few things to start with:

• Time you went to bed

• The time you woke up

• Did you wake up in the middle of the night

• How many times have you snooze your alarm since morning

• Did you take a nap during the day and how long did you sleep

• Did you drink alcohol or drinks with caffeine

• What did you eat

• How do you rate the quality of sleep

• How do you rate your morning well-being

• How comfortable did you sleep

Over time, you will be able to notice patterns and improve habits (or introduce new ones) to improve the quality of your sleep.

Avoid daytime naps

Of course, with careful planning, napping can help you feel more rested and alert. However, if you suffer from insomnia, avoid daytime naps at all costs. Studies show that people who suffer from insomnia and choose to “take a little nap” have much more trouble falling asleep.

If you still want to take a nap during the day to increase your productivity, do it wisely. Most importantly, do not sleep for more than 25-30 minutes: this is the so-called energy sleep, which is ideal for those cases when you did not get enough sleep last night and you need to cheer up a little. If you think you need more time, choose a full 90-minute sleep cycle. Anything in between or longer will not lead to anything good, but will reward you with a feeling of lethargy and prevent you from sleeping at night.

And one more thing: whatever you do, don’t sleep after four in the afternoon, otherwise you will ruin your night’s sleep and won’t be able to fall asleep for a long time. If you’re feeling out of sorts, it’s best to try taking a walk outside. Fresh air and sunlight can rejuvenate and negate the need for daytime sleep.

Environment

Sleep in the dark

Back to circadian rhythms, any light that enters your bedroom can disrupt sleep and negatively affect its quality.

When we fall asleep, our bodies rely on the production of melatonin and serotonin in the pineal gland to enable us to sleep soundly and restfully. However, the gland is extremely sensitive to any type of light, including LEDs from alarm clocks and computers, and even more so to the glow of a phone or TV display. Exposure to light slows down the production of melatonin and prevents sleep.

If you can’t get rid of all the lights in your bedroom, try wearing a sleep mask over your eyes. Be sure to use a blue light filter on your phone, and even better, stop using gadgets or watching TV shows one and a half to two hours before bedtime. By the way, if you get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, it’s also better to do it with the lights off. Well, in order not to stumble, use low-light nightlights.

Sleep in a cool room

Our ancestors weren’t familiar with the benefits of central heating, so sleeping the way nature intended might be the best solution. Nighttime temperatures tend to drop, which, like darkness, is another biological signal that it’s time for bed. So when we keep the bedroom warm, we upset the natural balance.

Of course, you don’t need to sleep in an uncomfortable cold room: if you feel uncomfortable, you are unlikely to get enough sleep. However, the optimal temperature for quality sleep is between 15 and 20 degrees Celsius. Temperatures above 24 degrees and below 12 can seriously disrupt your sleep.

Sleep in silence

Pretty obvious point: noisy neighbors, snoring partner and traffic outside the window interfere with sleep, wake up during the night and do not let you get enough sleep. Unfortunately, we are not able to eliminate all extraneous sounds in our bedrooms, so we have to look for options.

A good solution may be to use special noise-canceling headphones that are light and comfortable for sleeping. Those who like more classic solutions can use regular earplugs. However, we advise you to buy more ergonomic options so that during sleep your ears do not get tired and do not hurt in the morning.

Avoid bright colors in your bedroom

The colors in your bedroom can have a big impact on sleep. According to recent studies, people whose bedrooms are painted blue sleep the most: on average, they sleep 7 hours and 52 minutes, which is significantly more than the owners of bedrooms of other colors.

Perhaps this is due to the fact that blue is the predominant color in nature: it is the color of the sky and the ocean, which also evoke a sense of calm. Other colors that promote sound sleep include earthy tones: muted shades of green, yellow, orange, grey, coral and beige. So better avoid the temptation to paint your bedroom in bright colors.

Sleeping accessories

Sleep on a good quality mattress

A good quality mattress is the key to a good night’s sleep. The wrong mattress can cause a lot of problems that will ruin your sleep, such as allergies, sweating, and back pain. If you’re experiencing any of these inconveniences, it’s probably time to invest in a new mattress.

Remember that the quality of a mattress is subjective and a high price is not always an indicator. Some prefer soft “plush” mattresses, while others want something firmer. Although, of course, it is optimal to choose something in between.

By the way, good sheets and bedding in general are just as important for the quality of sleep as a mattress. Choose fabrics that are comfortable for you (linen, cotton), but do not blindly follow fashion if you are uncomfortable sleeping, for example, on silk sheets. Some choose flannel sheets in the winter and satin sheets in the summer to help regulate the temperature, which is also a good option.

Use the right pillow

Finding the right pillow, just like with a mattress, is a very personal choice based on your preferences. However, when choosing a pillow, you should follow a few universal rules and build on how you sleep.

Back sleepers need a pillow that supports the natural curve of the spine: a low profile pillow that provides adequate support for the head, neck and shoulders. You can also use another pillow under your knees to prevent back strain.

Side sleepers may want to consider thicker head and neck pillows to keep their spine in a natural line. A pillow between your knees will also help keep your spine in a neutral position.

Well, for those who sleep on their stomachs, a flat pillow is useful, which will help avoid excessive stress on the back and neck. If you sleep on your stomach, a high pillow is not your friend. You can also use a second flat pillow under your belly or pelvis to keep your lower back in line.

Pillow filling is best chosen based on personal experience and preferences, as well as taking into account possible allergies.

Use a sleep mask

Sleep masks are the best way to sleep in complete darkness, the importance of which we discussed above. If your bedroom has any type of lighting (even an alarm LED), it can affect how well you sleep and even interfere with melatonin production.

Sleep masks are effective at blocking out all light, but it is important to find a mask that does not allow light to enter from under the bottom edge. Comfort is also important, as you don’t want anything heavy on your face or restricting your movements when you’re trying to sleep.

Another factor is the material. If you have sensitive skin that is prone to breakouts, you should look for a mask made from natural fibers such as cotton or silk.

Diet and nutrition

Eat breakfast every morning

Eating has a function similar to that of light or darkness, signaling that it is time to wake up or rest.

It is ideal to have breakfast shortly after waking up, it really is the most important meal of the day! After eating in the morning, you give a signal to the body: now you have enough energy to get through the day. For the same reason, it is better to avoid eating before bed, because the night is a time of rest, you do not need extra energy.

Keep cortisol in check

Breakfast also helps regulate hormones, including cortisol, which in excess keeps us awake and disrupts sleep.

Cortisol is the stress hormone that gives us energy throughout the day. In the morning and throughout the day, it should be at a high level: this helps to wake up and move. However, over time, it should gradually decrease and reach its lowest point in the evening, when it is time to sleep.

Cortisol and melatonin are inversely related, that is, the more cortisol in our system, the less melatonin, and vice versa. Since we need melatonin to sleep, excessive, steady production of cortisol throughout the day will make it difficult to fall asleep at night.

Tension, deadlines, arguments and chronic stress increase cortisol levels. To control it, try the following:

• Engage in moderate exercise (light exercise raises cortisol levels in the short term but decreases them at night).

• Be mindful of your thoughts and minimize negative and stressful thinking.

• Try relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, yoga and massage.

• Do things that make you feel joyful and happy more often, such as your favorite hobby.

• Maintain healthy relationships and spend time with those you love.

• Consider getting a pet: they reduce stress.

• Watch your diet and eat foods that reduce cortisol levels (dark chocolate, bananas, pears, green tea, probiotics), drink water.

Avoid caffeine, alcohol and excessive drinking in the evening

Caffeine is a well-known stimulant that makes it difficult to fall asleep and should be avoided at least six hours before bedtime. Remember that caffeine is found, for example, in chocolate.

As for alcohol, although it can make you sleepy and help you fall asleep faster, it should still be avoided in the evenings. According to a recent study, drinking alcohol reduces the deep phase of sleep, which leads to feeling sleepy the next day and makes it difficult to feel rested upon waking.

Well, reducing the amount of water will save you from having to get up in the middle of the night to use the toilet – this greatly interferes with good sleep. On the other hand, since water is essential for the normal functioning of the body, make sure you drink enough during the day and stop drinking about two hours before bedtime.

Eat light meals in the evenings

Large amounts of heavy meals before bed stimulate digestion and interfere with comfortable sleep. It takes a huge amount of energy to process food, and the body directs blood flow to the digestive system, not to the brain. As a result, since it is the brain that controls the sleep process, a lack of blood in it means a lack of energy for quality sleep.

Of course, you don’t have to go to bed feeling hungry – this is unlikely to lead to a comfortable sleep. If you want to eat before bed, opt for something very light (less than 150 calories). Carbohydrate-rich snacks like toast or cereal increase blood levels of tryptophan, an amino acid that helps induce sleep.

Habits and lifestyle

Stop smoking

Nicotine is a stimulant that will keep you awake, and smokers are more prone to sleep apnea and wake up more often in the middle of the night.

Avoid stress

It’s hard to relax and fall asleep when thoughts of the day are endlessly spinning in your head or anxiety is overwhelmed. A small amount of stress does help keep you alert and energized, but too much stress can cause anxiety and can lead to insomnia.

If you’ve had a busy day, try to relax and unwind in the evening. Enjoy a hobby, spend time with your loved ones, go for a walk with your dog. Think about what triggers your stress reactions and try to minimize them. If you’re used to checking your work email before bed, it might be time to break that habit.

Another cause of stress is thinking about what needs to be done the next day. In order not to think about it too much, plan the next day in detail before you go to bed.

Don’t read right before bed

Bad news for many, and especially for those who are used to using reading as a way to fall asleep faster.

First, reading requires light, which we know interferes with sleep and melatonin production. Secondly, reading before bed breaks the right patterns and changes our subconscious idea of ​​why a bed is needed. Use it only for sleep and sex, and you will train your body to fall asleep automatically as soon as it is in bed. If you use it for reading, watching TV, or even snacking, it will not end well. Your body will simply stop perceiving the bed and being in it as the time when it’s time to go to sleep.

Exercise regularly

Exercise has many health benefits, and better sleep is just one of many benefits. People who exercise 3-4 times a week have a more developed cardiovascular system, lower heart rate and regular blood pressure. Exercise also helps relieve stress, take your mind off problems, and get off the couch, all of which help us sleep.

It is better to train in the morning, in the afternoon or in the early afternoon – so that a surge of cortisol in the blood does not violate plans for an evening rest. In addition, after a workout, you will probably need to replenish your strength with food – and eating before bed, as we said, is a bad idea.

Try meditation

Meditation is good for clearing the mind of the stress of the day and preparing it for sleep. Just don’t meditate in bed – find a separate place where you can sit comfortably from 15 minutes to an hour. It could be a chair in a quiet room or just the floor. For meditation, you can use special applications, find videos on YouTube, another option is to listen to relaxing music, or nothing at all. In general, do what is convenient for you.

Listen to soothing music before bed

Sleeping in a noisy environment is bad, but listening to calm music for 45 minutes before bed is good. Calm melodic sounds have a relaxing effect on the body, slow down the heart rate and breathing, lower blood pressure and even relax the muscles.

If you make listening to soothing music before bed a regular practice, the effects will multiply. Over time, the habit of listening to relaxing music will tell your body that it’s time for sleep, and you will fall asleep even faster, almost reflexively.

Stop setting your alarm

Whether you snooze your alarm for five minutes or an hour, you’re not doing anything good and you’re definitely not helping yourself get enough sleep. After this, you will most likely wake up even more tired.

Every time the alarm goes off, the body thinks it’s time to get up. But then you move the time, show that the alarm is false, and your body no longer knows what to expect.

To break this habit, use the tried and true technique of placing your alarm clock or smartphone across the room so that you have to get up before the alarm goes off. Of course, nothing prevents you from going back to bed after that and crawling under the covers, but this is an aspect that you will have to fight consciously and independently.

Psychology

Use your internal alarm clock

Everyone knows the situation when you had to get up early for something important – to catch a plane, an exam or your own wedding. Remember how you woke up exactly five minutes before the alarm went off?

Our bodies have built-in internal alarm clocks that respond to the stress hormones ACTH and cortisol: we are so excited and stressed out that our brain signals the pituitary and adrenal glands to increase hormones to wake us up when the time is right.

Of course, this is not the most ideal or guaranteed way to wake up on time, but you can use this feature of the body to your advantage. To do this, mentally prepare yourself to wake up right before bed. Visualize the time when you want to wake up, look at the time on your watch or smartphone, imagine yourself getting up.

Set a Morning Reward

The carrot works better than the stick, so you can encourage the right habits by choosing the reward you give yourself if you stick to your daily sleep plan.

For example, you can reward yourself for every morning you wake up without getting an alarm. The reward can be something as simple as five extra minutes in the shower or your favorite breakfast treat. The method can also be used as a long-term reward system for achieving big goals that you note in your sleep log (remember that?). But the reward in this case should be bigger.

How to sleep soundly – 4fresh blog

There are no exact scientific data on this subject – in the modern world, of course, such studies are not carried out. But the fact that a person who sleeps little ceases to live a life full of emotions, his body switches to the mode of performing only basic functions – this has been established for sure.

It is important not just to sleep, but to sleep long enough and of good quality. Elena Muradova , founder of the BabySleep Center for Children’s Sleep and Development, member of the International Association of Professional Sleep Consultants (APSC), a certified child and family sleep consultant, director of the BabySleepConsult Sleep Consultant Training Center, tells about what a healthy sleep culture means, mother of three children.

Have you noticed that after an eventful day, you turn around in bed for a long time and just can’t fall asleep? It seems to be physically tired, but sleep “does not go.” The more tired you are, the more difficult it is to fall asleep. This is true for both children and adults.

When a person gets used to getting up and going to bed at the same time, it is easier for him to fall asleep. Our biorhythms are tuned with a constant daily routine. The main thing is not to lose the rhythm on the weekend. If you go to bed too late on Saturday and sleep too much on Sunday, it is unlikely that you will be able to fall asleep early on Sunday evening. And on Monday you have to get up early for work.

Strong fluctuations in the regime have a bad effect on our well-being and our sleep.

How much time do you need to sleep? This is individual. Some people need 6-7 hours of sleep, while others need 8-9 hours. Your well-being matters. If the mood is at zero, there is no strength in the morning, then the cause should be sought in lack of sleep.

Light destroys the “sleep hormone” melatonin. Blue-white light is especially harmful to melatonin.

Therefore, watching a series in bed before going to bed is an inappropriate option for preparing for sleep. The brain is actively working at this time, strong emotions can interfere with sleep, and the screen light will not allow the body to develop a “natural sleeping pill”.

But what will help you fall asleep easily is a relaxing ritual before bedtime.

The usual pleasant ritual before going to bed sets you up for sleep, relaxes and helps to calm down before going to bed.

What is good for such a ritual?

• relaxing bath
• aromatherapy
• cup of herbal tea
• soothing music
• massage

In the ritual before going to bed, you can include any pleasant quiet activity.

It is desirable that the bed was only a place to sleep. Viewing work mail and movies is best left for another time. If part of your ritual is already in bed, try to keep the lighting as dim as possible.

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If you have bright lights outside your window, you should hang blackout curtains. When traveling, you can take a sleep mask with you. This is not a tribute to fashion, but a useful assistant for falling asleep.

It is good if you properly ventilate the bedroom before going to bed, and in winter it is also advisable to install a humidifier. Lay beautiful, pleasant linen made from natural materials, place a pleasant aroma in the diffuser. All these seemingly insignificant actions mean a lot for good sleep.

Not all foods are good to eat before bed. Heavy food is digested for a long time, which means that instead of resting, the body will work. Strong tea, coffee, spirits, sweets excite.

It is best to organize an evening meal 1-2 hours before bedtime. Let it be easy. For example, you can eat a sandwich with whole grain bread, baked turkey, or steamed fish with a vegetable side dish. And if after dinner you want to eat something else, it can be dried fruit chips, yoghurt with granola, a baked apple, a bread with tofu pate.

Some foods help us sleep. For example, bananas contain magnesium, which improves the quality of sleep. Vitamin B3 also promotes good sleep. It is found in meat, nuts, cereals, vegetables. And tryptophan, which is necessary for the production of melatonin in the body, is found in many foods – cheese, fish, grains, meat.

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Walking, running, exercising in the gym and swimming help the body get tired enough and have a positive effect on the process of falling asleep.