Difficulty falling or staying asleep
Frequent awakenings throughout the night
Feeling unrested upon waking up
Excessive daytime sleepiness or fatigue
Cognitive issues like trouble concentrating
What causes poor sleep? Contributing factors can include:
- Stress
- Underlying health conditions
- Medications
- Poor sleep habits
- Environmental factors like light and noise
Consequences are also significant. Poor sleep is tied to:
- Weakened immune function
- Increased inflammation
- Higher risk for chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes
- Impaired brain function and mental health issues
- More accidents/errors
- Reduced productivity and performance
Fortunately, with some discipline, we can enjoy higher quality sleep through healthy sleep hygiene habits:
- Sticking to consistent bed/wake times
- Making the bedroom cool, dark and quiet
- Avoiding late-night large meals
- Cutting back on evening stimulants like caffeine and alcohol
- Getting regular physical activity
- Managing stress through yoga, meditation, etc.
- Seeing a sleep doctor if problems persist