We’ve all heard that a normal human being requires a minimum of 8 hours of sleep for our minds and bodies to refresh and recharge for the new day. Although most of us dismiss this notion and continue to follow our same old bad sleeping routines, there really is science behind this statement and we really should consider the effects of it. Not getting enough sleep can take a toll on you, both mentally and physically. It can eventually affect every aspect of your life like your safety, school and work performance, relationships, weight and thinking capacity.

Conditions like insomnia, restless legs syndrome, narcolepsy and sleep apnea are all sleeping disorders that many of us face in our lives but they go unrecognized much too often. Sleeping disorders impair your sleep and prevent you from getting enough sound sleep - this might result in causing daytime sleepiness, lethargy and many other symptoms.

Disturbed sleep once in a blue moon is acceptable – we all go through those restless nights from time to time. But if it becomes a regular affair, it’s something to be worried about and must be addressed at the earliest, much like any other ailment.

 How to recognize whether you have a sleep disorder:

• Regular disturbance in sleeping
• You often feel tired during the daytime, even if you slept well the previous night
• Your regular daytime activities are getting affected.

 

In case you’ve noticed any of the above symptoms, here are some ways in which you can rectify or improve the quality of your sleep:

• Try keeping your sleep time in sync with your body – fix a routine to sleep at the same time every night.
• Avoid sleeping in on weekends as our activities differ on weekdays and on weekends. If you’ve had a late night, rather than waking up late, it’s a better idea to take an afternoon nap instead.
• Starting your day with a heathy breakfast helps you stay energetic throughout the day. If you skip breakfast, it can delay your blood sugar rhythm.
• If you feel sleepy after getting done with dinner, DO NOT FIGHT YOUR SLEEP! Instead, try sleeping then itself and if you wake up during the night, try avoiding using your phone and get back to sleep.
• Avoid using bright screens 1-2 hours before bedtime - it helps relax your nerves and eye muscles before sleeping.
• Avoid reading with blacklit devices like tablets - they are more disruptive than e-readers that don’t have their own light source.
• Keep the room dark, quiet and cool when it’s time to go to bed.
• Keep track of your meals & drinks - if you don’t maintain your eating pattern, your sleep pattern is more likely to be disturbed.
• Try doing some muscle relaxing exercises before going to bed.

Maintaining a peaceful bedtime routine sends your brain a signal that it’s time to wind up and release the day’s stress. Making these small changes in your daily routine can help you overcome your sleep disturbances, which makes for a healthy you inside out!