Five Tips for Getting Quality Sleep

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in three Americans does not get a good night’s sleep, which is unfortunate considering how critical a good night’s sleep is to a person’s overall health and well being. People who are well-rested perform better at work, are less likely to get into an automobile accident, and have an easier time losing or maintaining a healthy weight. The health benefits to good sleep are obvious, so why don’t more people get enough of it? Perhaps they simply aren’t giving enough consideration to how they are sleeping. Following these simple tips could help you get better sleep every night when you hit the hay:

#1 Fine-Tune Your Bedtime Routine

Few things are more important than ensuring you have a relaxing and consistent bedtime ritual. Screens and bright lights are counterproductive in this regard, so set yourself up in a cool, quiet room and avoid stressful activities in the hour before you want to sleep. The more relaxed you are, and the more you are able to train your body that sleep follows a certain routine, the better you’re going to sleep at night.

#2 Avoid Naps

Everybody has at some point taken an afternoon nap that ran long, only to leave you groggy the rest of the day and keep you from falling asleep later that night. It stands to reason that the more tired you are, the easier you’ll fall asleep. Naps are counterproductive to this, so avoid them when you can.

#3 Exercise Daily

Regular exercise also helps to exhaust people enough to fall right asleep later on in the evening. While vigorous exercise is best to these ends, even light exercise is better than no activity. Keep in mind, though, that exercising too late in the evening may get your heartrate up and make it harder to fall asleep, so try to get your workouts in earlier in the day.

#4 Treat Your Sleep Apnea

As many as 22 million Americans suffer from sleep apnea, which ruins a good night’s sleep more than any other thing on this list. Here at Smile On Dental Salon & Sleep Apnea Center in Chicago, IL, we can outfit patients with an oral appliance for sleep apnea that will decrease the effects of sleep apnea and help them get a more restful night’s sleep.

#5 Use a Comfortable Mattress and Pillows

Finally, if your mattress or pillows are getting too old or maybe were just cheap and bad in the first place, you may want to consider purchasing new ones. Having the proper back and neck support is a great way to ensure that the sleep you do get is restful, and that you don’t wake up the next day feeling sore all over your body. It’s an investment, but most people spend about a third of lives in bed. If you’re going to spend money on something, your bed feels like a safe bet. Here at Smile On Dental Salon & Sleep Apnea Center, we can help you get the best sleep possible by assisting with sleep apnea. Call now to set up an appointment while also implementing these other changes to start getting better sleep today!