Going to work for an 8-9 hour day after a restless night’s sleep is never fun. So how can you improve your sleep quality and get a better night’s rest? Check out Dr. Schreiber’s tips to sleep better starting tonight!

We might not fully understand how sleep rejuvenates the mind and body, but we do know it’s essential for proper function. A 2013 Gallup poll showed that 40 percent of American adults get six hours or less of sleep each night, and a 2014 Sleep in America Poll found that 58 percent of teens average seven hours of sleep or less per night. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has even called lack of sleep a public health epidemic, linking it to a decline in health.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, most Americans are sleep-deprived, but many don’t realize how critical good sleep habits are for their health.

When you’re sleep-deprived, your body can’t function efficiently. Over time, this can lead to chronic diseases. Without giving your brain time to rest, recharge, and form new connections, your body will start to break down.

The first signs of sleep deprivation are excessive yawning and sluggishness. If the lack of sleep continues, it impacts your concentration and learning. Memory problems follow, along with emotional outbursts like irritation and mood swings. Severe sleep deprivation can lead to hallucinations, impulsive behavior, depression, paranoia, and even suicidal thoughts.

Your body will attempt to catch up on sleep by getting microsleeps, where the mind and body briefly rest without you being fully aware. This can be dangerous, especially when driving or operating heavy machinery. Numerous studies have shown a link between sleep deprivation and increased accident risk.

During sleep, your immune system strengthens by creating new immune cells. When you’re sleep-deprived, your immune system doesn’t build up its defenses effectively, making you more prone to illness and prolonging infections. Sleep deprivation can also worsen existing chronic conditions.

Lack of sleep can lead to weight gain, increasing your risk for diabetes and heart disease, which in turn raises your blood pressure. If you already have high blood pressure, insufficient sleep can make it worse.

While the ideal amount of sleep varies from person to person, most adults need seven to nine hours per night to function well. Some people can manage with as little as six hours, while others need around ten. Quality sleep is just as important as quantity. Uninterrupted, restful sleep is crucial for feeling well and living healthily.

The National Sleep Foundation offers these recommendations:
– Put down the electronics! Studies show electromagnetic radiation from electronics can interfere with sleep. Light from TVs, devices, and clocks can also affect melatonin production, the hormone that regulates sleep. Turn off electronics at night and keep them at least three feet away from your body.
– Avoid watching TV an hour before bed.
– Sleep in darkness to enhance melatonin production.
– Establish a sleep routine by going to bed at the same time each night to regulate your circadian rhythm.
– Exercise regularly; it improves sleep quality but avoid working out right before bed.
– Limit caffeine intake as its effects can last six to eight hours. Avoid liquids shortly before bed to prevent waking up for bathroom trips.

There are many sleep supplements available, but it’s best to use them under the care of a healthcare provider as they can interact with medications and cause side effects. Melatonin, taken about thirty minutes before bed, can help you fall asleep and stay asleep. Valerian root, passionflower, and skullcap have calming effects and can help when your mind is racing. 5-HTP and tryptophan are precursors to melatonin and serotonin, which are involved in the sleep cycle.

Combining various supplements might be beneficial but should be done under medical guidance. Surprisingly, humans are the only mammals that willingly delay sleep.

At higher altitudes, sleep disturbances increase, usually at altitudes of 13,200 feet or more due to lower oxygen levels and changes in respiration. Most people adjust within two to three weeks.

Regular exercise generally helps with better sleep, though sporadic workouts or exercising right before bed can make it harder to fall asleep. Divorced, widowed, and separated individuals report more insomnia. Six in ten healthcare professionals say they don’t have enough time to discuss insomnia with patients during regular visits, and more than eight out of ten people believe prescription sleep aids are often misused.

Caffeine is widely consumed globally in coffee, tea, cocoa, chocolate, some fizzy drinks, and medications. While most adults need seven to nine hours of sleep, some manage well with just six hours while others need ten.

It’s natural to feel tired around 2:00 AM and 2:00 PM due to a dip in alertness, which is why many experience a post-lunch slump. Sleep is crucial, just like diet and exercise.

Shift workers are at higher risk for chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular and gastrointestinal diseases. Newborns sleep 14 to 17 hours a day on an irregular schedule. Putting babies to bed drowsy but awake helps them become “self-soothers,” enabling them to fall asleep and stay asleep independently.

Eighty-two percent of healthcare professionals believe it’s the responsibility of both the patient and the healthcare professional to discuss insomnia. The body never fully adapts to shift work.

The need for naps varies among individuals. Many teenagers nap in the afternoon because they aren’t getting enough sleep at night. Snoring is a common cause of sleep disruption for about 90 million American adults, 37 million on a regular basis. While we still don’t know if animals dream during REM sleep, some studies show melatonin can help reduce the time it takes to fall asleep and decrease awakenings, although it may not alter total sleep time.

According to a 2008 poll, 36 percent of Americans drive drowsy or fall asleep while driving. People who don’t get enough sleep tend to have bigger appetites because their leptin levels, which help regulate appetite, fall, increasing hunger.

Insomnia rates increase with age but often stem from other medical conditions. Most of us face occasional sleep problems, but with these tips, you can finally get some restful sleep and feel better.