What is Your Sleep Stealer?
by Journey to Health Program Director, Becky Anderson
Several times I have discussed how important sleep is to overall wellness. What I haven’t outlined is what keeps some of us from getting the appropriate amount of sleep for our individual needs.
“Sleep stealers” is a real thing, and each person knows what keeps them from getting their best rest.
What is hard is breaking habits to maximize our quality of sleep.
The #1 culprit is our smart devices. We are constantly plugged in. I recommend putting these devices away for an hour before you want to go to bed. That goes for the TV too.
Maybe your mind is racing a lot when you’re trying to get to sleep. A lot of times this is due to caffeinated drinks too close to bedtime. Play around with this a little and set your own “caffeine curfew.” Typically 2-4 hours before bedtime is a good range to eliminate caffeine.
You feel like you just ate dinner. Similar to caffeine, most of us have to set a time that we don’t eat anything after. This typically is also 2-4 hours before bedtime. If you stick with this “food curfew,” it’ll help you digest and not feel like you’re trying to sleep on a full stomach.
Stress is a common sleep stealer. A good way to battle this is to have a solid bedtime routine. Shut off all of the “noise” such as the internet, TV, and even heavy conversation. Take a bath, read a book, meditate, journal, or whatever helps you relax.
If you are concerned of a sleep disorder, make sure to discuss this with your medical provider. Some testing can be done to determine if this is the case with your sleeping issues. Some medical intervention may be necessary to help you get the rest you need.
