What is poor sleep quality?
Poor sleep quality refers to sleep that is interrupted, light, or restless. This results in you not getting enough deep, restorative sleep and leaving you feeling tired the next day. Some key signs of poor sleep quality include:
- Frequent awakenings during the night: Waking up multiple times or for long periods during the night prevents you from reaching the deep stages of sleep your body needs.
- Difficulty falling asleep: Tossing and turning for more than 30 minutes before falling asleep makes it harder to feel well-rested.
- Waking up early: Waking up much earlier than desired and being unable to fall back asleep cuts your sleep short.
- Not feeling rested: Still feeling exhausted after waking up despite getting enough total hours of sleep indicates your sleep was disrupted or light.
What causes poor sleep quality? There are many potential reasons:
- Stress
- Underlying health conditions - sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, etc.
- Environmental factors - noise, light, uncomfortable room temperature
- Using electronic devices before bed
- Inconsistent sleep routine
- Consuming caffeine, alcohol, heavy foods, or exercising late in the day
Poor sleep quality negatively impacts both physical and mental health:
- Impairs immune system functioning, increasing risk of illness
- Raises risk of obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes
- Reduces cognitive performance and focus
- Worsens mood - can contribute to anxiety or depression
- Lowers work performance and increases errors or accidents
How can you improve poor sleep quality?
- Stick to a regular sleep-wake schedule: Going to bed and waking up at consistent times helps regulate your body clock.
- Make your bedroom restful: Block out light and noise, keep at a comfortable temperature. Reserve bed for sleep/sex only.
- Limit electronics before bed: Stop using phones/TV several hours before bedtime.
- Avoid stimulants in the late afternoon/evening: Cut back caffeine, nicotine, heavy foods.
- Relax: Practice activities like light yoga, meditation or reading to wind down before bed.
- Consider cognitive behavioral therapy: CBT helps address some root causes of sleep issues.
In summary, poor sleep quality like frequent awakenings or feeling unrested stems from factors like disruptions and inability to reach deep, restorative stages of sleep. It negatively impacts physical and mental health. Improving sleep hygiene by controlling light, noise and habits can help treat the issue. Visit Revive Wellness for professional assistance with sleep-related issues.