sleeping

As days become more jam-packed, many adults are finding that there isn’t enough time to get the sleep they need. In fact, more people are waking up earlier and going to bed considerably later than they are used to. But before you accept the fact that you are sleeping less, you need to understand that your body needs adequate sleep.

Sleep deficiency causes more than just an overall tired feeling. Oftentimes, a lack of sleep can cause aggressive behavior and diminish your concentration and ability to perform simple tasks. In time, you may eat more and get sick more often as your immune system is weakened.

Experts tend to agree that you can’t quickly make up lost sleep. Each hour that you aren’t sleeping overnight requires at least a 24-hour period of good sleep to make up. To fight this problem, you need to keep your sleeping schedule as regular as possible. This means going to bed at the same time every night and ensuring you wake up around the same time, including the weekends.

From here, you will want to avoid naps, even if they are short. The problem is when you start to focus on napping, you can actually cause yourself to become groggy and lose more sleep in the long run.

Sleep positions and environment are also important to good quality sleep. You need a comfortable position that will help you to stay asleep, while having a room that remains dark and has minimal noise. This will help you to avoid experiencing stimulation from lights and sounds that can disrupt your sleeping at night.

Also, be sure to keep in mind that the bed is only for sleeping—leave your cell phone and laptop in another room. While many of us bring our technology to bed to unwind, this stimulation can make it more difficult to fall asleep.

Getting a solid night’s sleep is important for your health. Be sure you keep all these facts in mind and start productively making any necessary changes.