Making Napping A Habit To Combat Sleep Deprivation

Over the years, sleep deprivation has grown to become a common chronic problem, affecting around 50 to 70 million Americans alone annually. This is worrying for a lot of reasons since sleep is actually a crucial part of one’s wellbeing. 

It is a well-known fact that getting a good night’s sleep is one of the most important things one can do for their body and overall health. According to medical researches and various health sites, sleep deprivation can impact your brain.

The brain will not properly function, it will fog – making it difficult to make decisions. Unable to concentrate and the fogginess will automatically cause more accidents and injuries. Not only this but lack of sleep will also lead to obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes.

Other Results of Sleep Deprivation

Apart from the obvious health problems, sleep deprivation can also result in hallucinations, impulsive behavior, anxiety, depression, paranoia, and suicidal thoughts. If you are already suffering from these problems, they will automatically worsen, making you lose your mind.

Sleep deprivation will make you more vulnerable to infections such as the flu. However, if you are already suffering from a cold, it can worsen and cause chronic lung illness.

Better sleep has the power to regulate your mood. It improves your energy and productivity, and even increase your heart health over the years. Thankfully, good and healthy sleep hygiene is possible to accomplish with enough planning and practice. 

The most obvious way to combat sleep deprivation is by investing in the right sleep habit. That includes ensuring you have the best mattress for the job, cultivating a nightly routine that encourages you to fall asleep quickly, and maintaining a sleep schedule with naps that you’re able to sustain for a long time. 

Here’s everything you need to know to ensure you’re fighting off sleep deprivation the right way: 

Sleep Schedules & Napping

When used correctly, power naps can be a great way to bolster your rest levels. Your body’s internal clock plays a large role in dictating the way you experience various energy levels. You need to ensure you go to bed at the same time and wake up at the same time throughout the week can play a significant role in regulating your sleep and combatting any sleep deprivation you experience. 

If you’re a night owl or a shift worker, you’re far more likely to experience what is known as ‘sleep debt’, that is – you’re playing constant catch up to the number of hours your body actually requires in a day. Napping for an hour or two at the time you’re most exhausted in the afternoon. It can allow your body to regulate your sleep cycle and allow you to feel a lot more rested after a night of little sleep.

Power naps can also help give you a little boost of energy throughout the day. Though it may seem counterintuitive, the best way to do this is to actually drink a hot cup of coffee right before your nap. Caffeine usually takes about twenty minutes on average to kick in. So you’re likely to wake up feeling restored, energized, and ready to take on whatever the day has left to bring. 

Getting The Most Out Of Your Sleep

One of the most obvious ways to combat sleep deprivation is to invest in the tools that help you accomplish better sleep. This includes finding the best mattress you can for your rest. Your mattress shapes your sleep cycle in more ways than you think. Finding the best mattress for your sleep positions won’t just help you feel a sense of comfort and support as you sleep, it will allow you to experience deeper sleep, with fewer interruptions, as you get through the night. 

The best mattress for your sleep will depend on what exactly you’re after. Mattresses that rank the best mattress lists everyone’s always after tends to be made of memory foam, which has risen in popularity over the years because of their versatility. Memory foam mattresses are both the best mattress for a wide range of sleepers. And an investment you know you can reliably get some return out of since the best mattresses made of memory foam tend to offer a quality guarantee and warranty that allows you to find what really works for you.

Other accessories might also be useful in your quest for deeper, more high-quality sleep. Using cozy blankets in your bedroom can increase how comfortable you feel as you tuck yourself to bed. Weighted blankets in particular have been shown to be particularly effective for those who struggle with sleep anxiety in the nighttime. 

Other Hygiene Practices That Enable Better Sleep

Combatting sleep deprivation takes a lot more than finding the best mattress possible for your bedroom. Finding the right combination of habits that work for you and ultimately grant you a more restful and easeful sleep. It is a really important part of getting back on track despite your sleep deprivation. 

Here are a few examples of sleep hygiene habits that can help with your trouble sleeping:

Take a warm shower before you go to sleep.

Not only does this help regulate your body temperature before you go to bed, ensuring you experience deeper sleep, but the process of taking a warm shower can also be a soothing and relaxing activity you can use to unwind after a long day. 

Use essential oils and candles to create a calming ambiance.

Certain scents, such as lavender or bergamot, have been shown to encourage feelings of peacefulness. It gives rest within people who struggle with sleep deprivation. The ritual of lighting a candle or two in your room an hour before bedtime might encourage you to fall asleep quicker than you have before.

Avoid screens an hour or two before going to bed.

The blue light present in your phones and laptops can disrupt your body’s natural circadian rhythm. This makes it impossible to get into a natural, organic sleep cycle. Keep your phones away and make a practice of entertaining yourself in other ways before going to bed. Even the best mattress won’t be able to help your sleep if you’re sleeping beside your laptop. 

When it comes to nailing down your sleep schedule, knowing when the best time to take a nap might be, and discovering the nightly routine practices that work for you, consistent practice makes perfect. 

Your trouble sleeping might arise from a number of different factors. It can be – stress at home or work, a genetic predisposition for insomnia, or a bedroom that hasn’t been optimized for the best night’s sleep. 

By investing in the top-rated mattress you can, putting positive sleep hygiene habits into practice, and having a more disciplined approach when it comes to prioritizing your sleep, you’ll soon come to learn the benefits of getting your eight hours a night. Say goodbye to sleep deprivation, and hello to a happier, healthier, and ultimately more balanced version of yourself.