As we get older a lot changes in our bodies and some of those changes can affect the way we sleep, causing us to sleep less deeply and for shorter amounts of time. It might even mean that we wake more during the night. In the morning, we won’t feel as rested as we would have done in the past, even if, on the surface, we slept for seven or eight hours. Things like chronic pain, stress, and other medical conditions, as well as mental health issues, can all affect the way we sleep.
Read on to find out what can be done to improve your sleep as you get older rather than ignoring the problem and constantly feeling tired.
Make A Sleep Schedule
A sleep schedule is a good idea to help you maintain a better quality of sleep, no matter what else might be going on around you. If you can fall asleep (and wake up) at the same time every night and morning, whatever you have going on that day, your body will soon fall into a rhythm and it will become much easier to sleep when you need to.
Even on weekends or on vacation it’s a good idea to stick to this same routine. The body’s circadian rhythm is a fragile thing, and it doesn’t take much to knock it out of sync and when that happens, you’ll find you’re having trouble sleeping again.
Try To Give Up Caffeine
If the idea of giving up caffeine fills you with foreboding, you won’t be the only one. The majority of adults do have an addiction to caffeine, usually expressed by drinking coffee, tea, or soda containing the chemical. The problem is that caffeine boosts your metabolism, and too much of it will keep you awake since your body will be working hard and not know that it’s time to rest.
Giving up caffeine might not be something everyone is comfortable doing, even though drinking water first thing in the morning (and throughout the day) is a much better option for you with regards to your health. However, if you prefer to continue consuming caffeine, try to stop at least four hours before bed; this will give your body a chance to remove it from your system and sleep should come more easily.
Get A New Bed
If you have had your bed frame and mattress for some time, it might be time to exchange it for new – a mattress should be changed around every seven years, for example, so if it has been longer than that, or if you feel that you’re just not comfortable in bed, either because of the mattress or because the bed is too small, too big, makes a lot of noise, and so on, then investing in a new one is a great idea; it can make a huge amount of difference when you’re trying to sleep better.
The mattress is the most important element, and today’s mattresses are made using the most advanced technology that means they support the human body in exactly the way that promotes the best night’s sleep, positioning you in the right way and relieving pressure on muscles and joints. To find a good mattress, you should look at reviews and recommendations online, like these Puffy reviews. In this way, you can see just what people liked and disliked, and work out which mattress is going to suit your needs best. Don’t skimp when it comes to the cost of a new mattress or bed; you’ll be spending a lot of time there, and it pays to spend as much as you can.
Create A Bedtime Routine
When you were little and, if you have children, when they were little, you would have had a bedtime routine in place. It might have involved a warm bath, a hot drink, a bedtime story, and then sleep, for example. As an adult, there is nothing wrong with having your own bedtime routine; in fact, it’s conducive to a good night’s sleep and is therefore recommended.
It doesn’t have to be the same as that of a small child’s (although if that’s what is going to relax you, then there is no reason why this shouldn’t be the case), and you can choose to do whatever makes you feel relaxed and sleepy. The only thing you do need to remember is that it will need to be the same every night – again, this helps your circadian rhythm falls into place.
No matter what else you do, though, you should stop using your screens at least an hour and preferably more before bed; they emit a blue light that confuses the circadian rhythm and makes it hard to sleep. If you turn off all your devices, have a bath, listen to some music, read a book, and then snuggle down to sleep, for example, you’ll definitely notice the difference.