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Causes Of Interrupted Sleep

Sleep is a necessity, not a luxury. It determines the quality of our waking life. According to sleep experts, 80% of the population is sleep deprived. We're not spending enough quality time in the important stages of sleep. These stages are essential to heal and repair the human body, as well as the mind, for peak performance the next day. The barrier to achieving quality sleep is interrupted sleep.

5 Major Causes of Interrupted Sleep:

Poor sleep environment
Mental stress
Physical stress
Improper diet and lack of exercise
Tossing and turning

Tips for better Quality, Uninterrupted Sleep:

Poor Sleep Environment

The bedroom is your refuge. Although people can get used to almost anything, the bedroom environment does make a difference in how well you sleep. For fully restorative sleep, you must properly set the stage.
Keep your bedroom quiet. Noises such as dripping faucets, noisy radiators, ambulance, fire and plicie sirens, barking dogs, etc. will disturb your sleep. Sounds should be low levels and consistent.
Too much light can contribute to sleeplessness. Using dark fabric to block windows or the rim of a door can significantly reduce the amount of light into the bedroom from hallways, streets, and early-morning sunlight.
The ideal temperature for sleeping is about 65°. If it gets too hot or too cold your sleep time may be reduced.
Some people prefer fresh air, but it is not a prerequisite for a good night's sleep. An ideal relative hunidity level for the bedroom is between 60 and 70 percent.
Hide illuminated clocks from view to avoid clock-watching during the night, which can lead to anxiety over sleeplessness.

Mental Stress

Good sleep at night is strongly influenced by what happens during the day. For everyone except infants and elderly, one of the most common reasons for insomnia is stress. Try this exercise before you go to bed:
Sit quietly in a comfortable position.
Close your eyes and relax all your muscles, beginning with your feet and progressing to your face. Stay relaxed.
Breathe in easily through your nose. As you exhale, silently say a word, like "one." Continue for ten to twenty minutes.
When finished, sit quietly with your eyes closed for a few minutes, then open your eyes for a few minutes before standing up. Practice once or twice daily.
Avoid exercise within two hours of eating, since digestion of food might interfere with relaxation.

Another exercise to help ease you into bed involvesjotting down a "laundry list" of your daytime worries. By capturing your worries on paper, you'll send a signal to your brain that they'll be there for you in the morning. That way, your brain can relax for the rest of the night.

Physical Stress

80% of the adult population will see a doctor for back pain. A lot of this can be caused by not properly supporting your spine while you sleep. Sleeping with your spine properly aligned is critical for reducing stress and enhancing rejuvenating sleep. Make sure your sleep system is designed with the correct five-zone anatomical configuration for both comfort and support. The design that provides extra support under the lower back and thighs, so there are fewer burdens on your spine.

Improper Diet And Lack of Exercise.

Excercise increases heart and lung fitness and reduces stress, anxiety, and insomnia. Exercise also raises your endorphin level, which reduces pain, relaxes muscles, suppresses your appetite, and produces feelings of general well being. As a result, sleep will be deeper, more efficient, and more restful.
The best time to exercise is in the late afternoon or at noontime. Morning exercise has little effect on your quality of sleep that night. If you must exercise in the morning, do not do so at the expense of needed sleep.
Eat fruits and vegetables, whole grain cereals and breads, rice, pasta, fish, and poultry. Limit your intake of fat.
You should eat a basic healthy breakfast, a substantial lunch, and a light dinner.
Eating proteins at dinner, such as fish, chicken, or certain vegetables will prevent hunger pains at night.
If you are hungry at bedtime a light snack high in carbohydrates and low in protein will settle your stomach and help you sleep.

Tossing And Turning

The average person changes position 40 to 60 times a night, which can cause your partner to move too. Studies show that partner movement can reduce your time spent in quality deep sleep by 20%. Make sure you are sleeping on a mattress designed to minimize movement from one sleeping partner to the other, i.e. Simmons Beautyrest, and large enough to provide comfort and support for two if you sleep with a partner.

*Sleep tips provided by Dr. James B. Maas, author of " Power Sleep: The Revolutionary Program That Prepares Your Mind for Peak Performance"

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