If you’re like most people, then chances are you have some trouble sleeping at night. What many don’t know is that a proper night’s sleep is just as important to maintain health and wellness as eating a healthy diet and getting in regular exercise each day. Scientists have proven that not sleeping well can cause a host of issues with your brain function, overall daily performance, and it even can throw off your hormones. Moreover, lack of sleep can cause weight gain and put both adults and children at risk for various diseases.
According to the American Sleep Association, sleep has a large impact on our daily functioning as well as our mental and physical health in ways that scientists are just starting to understand. In fact, both sleep and wakefulness are strongly influenced by various brain neurotransmitters, and foods and medicines can alter the delicate balance of these neurotransmitters. This leads to feelings of drowsiness, overstimulation, and sleep issues. For example, drinking too much caffeine can cause insomnia or nighttime restlessness. Additionally, heavy smokers often don’t experience restful REM sleep because nicotine causes them to sleep lightly and wake frequently. The good news is that there are things you can do to help yourself get a restful and refreshing night’s sleep.
How Much Sleep Do You Need Each Night?
When you think about how much sleep you should be getting, you need to understand that everyone is different, and that the amount of sleep someone needs depends on lots of different factors, with age being one of them. For instance, infants need around 16 hours of sleep, while teenagers need around nine hours. Still, most healthy adults need about seven to eight hours of restful sleep a night. However, some people are able to function properly on as little as five hours of sleep and as much as 10 hours of sleep a night. Sleep patterns also change with age. Interestingly, older adults typically need about the same amount of sleep that they used to get when they were young adults.
As people get older, they also sleep for shorter periods as well as sleep a lot lighter. Sometimes, older adults suffer from issues such as insomnia and/or lack of deep sleep stages. While this change may be attributed to normal aging, it can also stem from various health issues. The number of hours of sleep a person needs can also go up if they are sleep deprived. When you don’t get enough sleep, your body goes into a sleep deficit. You will eventually be able to catch up on those lost hours, but it will take some time. Sleep deprivation is a serious issue because it causes our reaction time, judgment, and other functions to become impaired.
Why is Sleep Important?
Sleep is important for many different reasons. Some of the main reasons why we need to achieve restful and restorative sleep are:
- We need sleep to help us survive and thrive — Studies in lab rats have shown that rats who were severely sleep deprived had abnormally low body temperatures and a shorter lifespan.
- Sleep helps to keep our nervous system functioning properly — Lack of sleep causes lack of concentration, impaired memory, loss of physical performance, and, in severe cases of sleep deprivation, hallucinations and mood swings.
- Sleep helps with growth — Deep sleep enables the release of growth hormone in children and young adults.
What are Some Ways You Can Have a Better Night’s Sleep?
There are a host of things you can do to set yourself up for a successful night’s sleep. Some simple things you can do to achieve restful and restorative sleep are:
- Seek Out More Sunlight During the Day. The body has a circadian rhythm that’s basically a natural clock. The circadian rhythm helps you to stay awake and also tells your body when you should head to bed. Soaking up the sun during the day helps to promote a healthy circadian rhythm. This will also naturally increase your energy during the day and your quality and duration of sleep at night. If you’re unable to get outside, then you might want to consider purchasing an artificial bright light device.
- Cut Down on Your Exposure to Blue Light. When you’re exposed to artificial light at night, it can negatively impact your circadian rhythm. Blue light from televisions, cell phones, and other devices tricks your brain into thinking it’s still daytime. This ultimately decreases your melatonin levels. Melatonin is important because it helps us relax and achieve a deep sleep at night. In order to cut down on blue light, you should turn off your television and devices about two hours before bedtime. There are also apps that you can download onto your cell phone and laptop that can help to block blue light.
- Cut Down on Late Day Caffeine Intake. When caffeine is consumed later in the day, it can worsen your overall quality of sleep. Caffeine can remain in your bloodstream for six to eight hours, so drinking a caffeinated drink late in the day can cause you to have trouble sleeping at night.
- Skip the Daytime Napping. Even though power naps are fantastic and can help to energize you during the day, long or broken napping during the day can have a negative impact on your night’s sleep. When you take a long snooze during the day, it can throw off your circadian rhythm, which may cause you to have a difficult time sleeping at night.
- Set Yourself Up for a Goodnight’s Sleep. Make your sleeping environment something you’ll enjoy going into each and every night. Consider updating your mattress, dimming the lights, and using softer sheets, comforters, and comfortable pillows. You can also use a sound machine to play soft music or nature sounds to help induce relaxation. Room darkening shades or blinds are a great way to darken the room and keep the light out if you need to wake up later in the morning. Think about winding yourself down about two hours before you want to head to bed.
- Go to Bed and Wake Up at the Same Time. The body’s circadian rhythm works on a loop that aligns itself with sunset and sunrise. When you’re consistent with your sleep and wake times, this can help improve sleep quality over time. If you’re struggling with sleep, try going to bed at the same time each night and waking up at the same time each morning.
- Be Careful with Alcohol Consumption. Even just having a couple of drinks at night can have a negative impact on your sleep. Alcohol can increase sleep apnea symptoms, snoring, and disrupted sleep patterns. Interestingly, it also impacts your body’s nighttime melatonin production.
- Make Sure Your Bedroom Temperature is Correct. Both body temperature and bedroom temperature can have an effect on your quality of sleep. As many people know, it’s often difficult to sleep during those hot and humid summer months. Research has shown that 70 degrees Fahrenheit appears to be a comfortable temperature for most people. Keep in mind that this temp also depends on people’s preferences and sleeping habits.
- Steer Clear of Late Night Eating. Eating too late at night negatively impacts sleep quality and your body’s natural release of melatonin and HGH. However, you should also keep in mind that the quality of the food you eat matters as well. For example, a high carb meal may help people sleep faster when eaten at least four hours before bedtime.
- Practice Relaxation. Practicing relaxation techniques before bed may help you get to sleep easier as well as also help to improve your sleep quality. If you’re looking for ways to relax, you can listen to calming music, take a warm bath, meditate, practice deep breathing, and even try visualization.
While these 10 tips are mere suggestions and starting points, there are a host of other things out there that you can try that will help you get a good night’s sleep. Overall, you have to be open to trying new things that can help improve your sleep quality. Since everyone is different, what works for one person may not work that great for another person. So be open to trying things so that you can find what works best for you.
How can FAB CBD Help You Have a Restful and Restorative Sleep?
Our CBD Sleep Gummies have been specially formulated to help encourage a restful and restorative night's rest by adding melatonin and a variety of other ingredients that are geared toward a ”winding down” experience. Things like L-Theanine, 5-HTP, Ashwagandha, and GABA are joined by 12.5 mg of CBD per gummy. In order for the CBD to be best absorbed into the body, FAB CBD has coated the gummies with CBD instead of infusing them. Now, getting in your nighttime dose of CBD has never been easier. Simply take 1-2 gummies nightly (about an hour before bedtime). These acai-flavored gummies are vegan, dairy-free, fat free, gluten free, and do not contain any artificial flavors or sweeteners. So, if you’ve been struggling with getting that shut-eye, this special formulation with its functional ingredients might be a good fit for you.
Sleep Matters More Than You Realize
Whether we realize it or not, a good night’s sleep can help your body function in a multitude of ways. Restful and restorative sleep is one of the building blocks needed for your body to work at peak performance. While there are many things that can hinder sleep, the good news is that there are also many ways that you can help your body get back into the swing of things. First and foremost, establishing a bedtime and/or a pre-bedtime routine will help you get into the mindset of wanting to rest well. Additionally, making some minor tweaks to your sleep environment can also have a positive impact. Moreover, adding in FAB CBD “Nighttime” PM Sleep Gummies can be the proverbial icing on the cake that caps your night off right. Lastly, if you’ve been struggling with a difficult sleep issue for an extended period of time and are finding that very little is helping to alleviate the problem, then you may want to schedule an appointment with your primary care doctor or medical specialist.
