Factors that affect sleep quality

Man sleeping in bed

Did you know that there are many factors that affect the quality of sleep? When you have a hard time falling asleep or you wake up constantly at night, your physical and intellectual abilities can be significantly reduced during the day.

Everyone wants their sleep to be restful and of quality, but sometimes there are obstacles that prevent it. Discover what are the factors that affect the quality of sleep and how they should be treated to be able to sleep well every night.

How many hours do you have to sleep?

Clock

According to research, the healthy thing is to sleep 7-8 hours a day. The hours of sleep are used by the body in its recovery from the physical and mental stress accumulated during the day.

If you sleep less than 7 hours at night, the repair of the body will be incomplete. But it is a mistake to think that the more, the better. Quantity is not associated with quality. In fact, if you sleep more than 8 hours a day, it is likely that the cause is poor quality sleep, which causes you to need more time to repair the body.

Is your sleep of good quality?

Fatigued person in the office

It is a good idea for everyone to get a good quality sleep, as that means that in the morning your body will be repaired. For your sleep to be considered of good quality, it must meet the following requirements:

  • You fall asleep in 30 minutes or less
  • You sleep through a fit or don't wake up more than once throughout the night
  • If you wake up, you go back to sleep in 20 minutes or less

When these requirements are not met, the quality of sleep can be improved or poor. And that has negative consequences in your daily routine, since it makes you feel physically and mentally exhausted.

What prevents you from sleeping well?

Double bed

If you can't sleep well, any of the following factors could be the cause:

Stress

Anxiety and stress are among the main causes of insomnia. If you think these factors are behind your poor quality of sleep, there are many relaxation techniques that can help alleviate the problem. The main thing is to try to take things more calmly during the day.

As bedtime approaches, you can read a little, breathe with your diaphragm, or practice a relaxation technique that has worked for you in the past.

See your doctor if anxiety and stress persist.

Light and noise

Of all the factors that affect sleep quality, light and noise are among the most important. And is that they are very bad roommates for obvious reasonsSo try to leave them out or reduce them as much as possible (feel free to use earplugs to isolate yourself from noise if necessary).

A quiet, orderly place with no distractions of any kind is the ideal environment for a restful sleep.. So if you don't sleep well, consider examining your bedroom to see if there is anything you can do to improve it in this regard.

Coffee beans

Caffeine consumption

Coffee has its advantages during the day because it stimulates the nervous system. But what makes caffeine so appealing in the morning may prevent you from reaching the relaxed state needed to fall asleep at night.

Giving up coffee entirely is tricky, but If you think that caffeine may be affecting the quality of your sleep, it is a good idea to take some measures:

  • Drink decaffeinated coffee
  • Reduce the number of cups a day
  • Limit coffee to the morning so that its effect has completely worn off by the time you go to bed
  • Replace coffee with others energetic food

Inadequate mattress

Is your lack of rest at night closely linked to shoulder and back pain? In that case, the fault of your poor quality of sleep may be the mattress. It may be too old or simply unsuitable for your needs.

Changing the mattress represents a significant expense, so it should not be done lightly. Take a good look at all the options to get the most suitable mattress for you. Updating the pillow is cheaper and sometimes it works, too. In any case, it is advisable to replace the mattress every 10 years and even less, depending on its condition.

Fast food burgers

Copious meals

Since heavy digestions do not exactly promote rest, large meals should be avoided just before going to bed. However, food is not always an enemy of sleep quality. The type of food and the timing play a key role. Certain snacks can help you fall asleep, especially if you've been hungry at dinner.

On the other hand, there is research showing that high carbohydrate meals are beneficial for falling asleep. The secret would be to let a few hours pass between dinner and bedtime.

Sleep Apnea

Poor quality of sleep can be caused by a disorder. One of the most common in sleep apnea. If you snore loudly and in the morning you don't feel as rested as you should, you may have sleep apnea. Make an appointment with your doctor if you think you have sleep apnea or another sleep disorder so that the most appropriate treatment can be started.


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