Around the world, people are suffering from sleep deprivation. Studies show that about 1 out of 3 people suffer from chronic insomnia, and up to 50% of all adults experience occasional sleeplessness. Sleep is essential for physical and mental well-being. The quality of your sleep affects your concentration, mood, weight, and more. The right tools can help you monitor the quality of your sleep while also providing solutions to improve it.
1. How to monitor your sleeping patterns
One of the most convenient ways to monitor your sleeping patterns is by wearing a sleep-tracking device around your wrist or around your neck. These devices, one of which is Whoop, are available at many different price points, each with its own features and accessories. Some sleep monitors only track the duration of deep sleep, while others also track REM sleep periods. Heart rate tracking is another useful feature that can be found in some models. Another way to monitor your sleeping patterns is by using a smartphone app such as Sleep Cycle, which monitors your movements as you sleep and wakes you up during the lightest phase of your sleep cycle, so you feel more refreshed in the morning – plus it’s free. You can also search for sleep apps that offer features like soundscapes to help you fall asleep faster. Finally, there are tests that measure electrical activity in the brain and muscles to determine whether you have been getting enough quality sleep during the night. The test, called an actigraph, is typically performed in a sleep lab, and results are recorded over several nights. The report you receive will indicate whether your brain activity is optimal for deep or REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, along with information about the quality of your sleep.
2. The importance of sleep
According to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, poor sleep could be responsible for at least 50,000 deaths each year. Sleep is a time when your body restores itself and strengthens your immunity against illness and disease. A chronic lack of sleep will weaken your immune system, which doesn’t help if you have allergies or any other medical condition that requires you to stay well-rested in order to avoid relapses. One key factor in this is an insufficient amount of sleep can unleash chemicals called cytokines on the body which markedly lower the ability of killer cells (called natural killers) to kill invading invaders, which leaves more opportunities available for diseases like pneumonia or flu to take hold. If you don’t get enough sleep, it will increase your risk of developing high blood pressure, heart attack, or stroke.
3. Improve the quality of your sleeping patterns
One of the most common mistakes people make is sleeping in a room that’s too warm. A cool bedroom can help you fall and stay asleep. Other factors to consider: take care of your sleep schedule and don’t make compromises about it unless absolutely necessary. Sleep experts from Sleep Advisor suggest avoiding smartphones, tablets or other devices within an hour of going to bed.
Blue light emitted from these screens can interfere with a good night’s rest. Keep your bedroom quiet and dark for optimal sleep, so consider using earplugs if you’re a light sleeper. Lastly, don’t drink alcohol within four hours of bedtime, as it can interfere with the quality of sleep.
Sleeping is essential to physical and mental well-being. The quality of your sleep affects your concentration, mood, weight, and more. The right tools can help you monitor the quality of your sleep while also providing solutions to improve it.