Prioritizing Sleep

All too often in our society, sleep tends to be placed on the back-burner. We all like the idea of sleeping and letting our bodies rest after a long day. However, we don’t always make getting to bed a necessity. We all know what going on little sleep feels like, so why don’t we try to make sleep as routine as our mornings? It’s not always that easy. Sometimes it’s work that keeps us from getting enough sleep. Other times we have to be at some event that goes well into the night. These things are largely out of our control. However, there are also times when we are the root of our lack of sleep. Maybe it’s the time you're out late with friends. Or it might just be that night that you can’t seem to put your phone down. Either way, most of us aren’t getting enough sleep.

According to the Sleep Cycle app, which tracks sleeping patterns of millions of users nationwide, Americans spend an average of 7 hours and 18 minutes in bed each night, with an average bedtime of 11:39 pm. For reference, The National Sleep Foundation says adults should get 7-9 hours of sleep each night and teenagers should get 8-10 hours. While some may still be barely reaching these recommendations, the fact of the matter is that Americans aren’t feeling rested when they wake up the next morning, with the average wake up mood score only being a 57 on a scale of 100. This leads to the conclusion that many of us aren’t happy with our sleep.  

So how do we fix this? The same study also looked into the habits of those who said they regularly experience good sleep. They found that the most common factor in getting enough sleep was regular exercise. In fact, those who exercised on a daily basis were actually the ones who were getting to bed around 10:45 pm, almost an hour earlier than the average American! This means that many of those Americans were getting more than 8 hours of sleep per night, ultimately resulting in more positive sleep quality scores. 

So while we often associate exercise with weight loss, muscle gain, and overall physical well-being, it’s important to know that it will also help you to feel more refreshed when you wake up in the morning. However, exercise isn’t the only way to get better sleep. Another effective method can be limiting screen time before bed. Try to avoid looking at a phone or tablet at least an hour before you sleep. This will help your mind to settle down and your body to relax before you doze off. Instead, you could try reading a book, going for a nightly walk, or even just talking with someone, such as your friend, sibling, spouse, etc., before you sleep. Some also find breathing exercises to be effective in helping them relax before heading to bed. Even something as simple as having a fan on or making the temperature of your room warmer or cooler can drastically improve your sleep.

While all of these methods should help you to sleep much better, remember that having a set bedtime is also crucial. Like those in the study who experienced good sleep, aim to get at least 8 hours of sleep each night, meaning if you have to wake up at 7:00 am, you should try to go to bed before 11:00 pm. If you can turn this into a habit, it should only improve your mood and help you feel more energized to take on your day-to-day activities. With that being said, do the best you can to take control of your sleep schedule. You may not be able to hit your exact bedtime every single day. But if you make an effort to follow these points and prioritize your sleep, you may just find yourself getting more sleep and feeling far less tired during the day. 

References:

Brandon Peters, M. (2020, January 22). How to choose the perfect time to go to bed. Retrieved July 12, 2021, from https://www.verywellhealth.com/what-time-should-you-go-to-sleep-4588298 

Report: What We Know About America's Best Sleepers: Sleep Cycle. (2021, January 07). Retrieved July 12, 2021, from https://www.sleepcycle.com/sleep-science/what-we-know-about-americas-healthiest-happiest-best-rested/ 

Challenges/Points:

• Sleep is very important to overall well-being, but many Americans don’t get enough.

• Exercise, avoiding screens before bed, and breathing are all ways to improve sleep quality.

• Having an effective sleep routine will result in improved quality of sleep.

Questions:

• On average, how much sleep do you get each night?

• What obstacles keep you from getting more sleep?

• Think about your daily schedule. What is a reasonable bedtime that you could reach each night?

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