The Ultimate Guide to Sleeping Through the Night and deal with sleep apnea
It's the middle of the night. You're alone in bed, but you can't sleep. Your mind is racing with thoughts like: "I'll never get enough sleep!" or "Why am I still awake?!" or "This is just horrible!" Don't beat yourself up if you have trouble getting to sleep, because more than a third of people have insomnia at some point in their lives. Although it's not exactly helpful to blame your sleeplessness on your parents (although there may actually be a genetic component), lack of quality ZZZs can definitely feel like a curse sometimes. If you've been staring at the clock in the dark for what feels like hours, though, don't worry: There are things you can do to help yourself drift off into dreamland faster and stay asleep longer — even if you've tried everything else.
Go to bed earlier
The best way to ensure a good night's sleep is to go to bed at the same time every night and wake up at the same time every morning, even on weekends. A regular sleep schedule will help you maintain your circadian rhythm—your body’s internal clock that regulates your sleep cycle and other biological functions. Make sure you keep your bedroom dark and quiet, as this will promote relaxation and make it easier for you to fall asleep once you're in bed. Turn off all electronics in the hour leading up to bedtime; try reading instead! Avoid caffeine (such as coffee) after lunchtime; limit alcohol intake; don't eat heavy foods before going to bed; avoid napping during the day; practice deep breathing exercises for 5 minutes before going to sleep each night; try not eating spicy foods—they can disrupt digestion which can affect quality of rest
Reward yourself with a nightly ritual
There are a number of great reasons to start a ritual. For one, it's an easy way to get into a routine and make sure you're doing everything you need to do before bed. It also makes going to sleep easier because the ritual itself can become relaxing, which will help calm your mind and body down. Finally, the reward at the end of the ritual can be really powerful in helping you stick with it—you'll feel better while making progress toward getting better sleep!
A good example of this is taking a bath or shower before bedtime. These are relaxing activities that help you unwind physically as well as mentally, which means they're great for calming down after an active day. Plus, when paired with other strategies like progressive muscle relaxation (see below), taking time for yourself before bed could become part of your regular nightly routine so that it's easier for you to fall asleep each night!
Do something relaxing before bed
Do something relaxing before bed. A bedtime routine can help you wind down and get ready for sleep. It can also improve your quality of sleep by teaching your body when it’s time to rest.
Try some of these options:
Listen to music that helps you relax, like nature sounds or soft classical music.
Read a book of short stories or poetry (but not an exciting novel).
Practice meditation or yoga stretches.
Spend time with your partner, pet, friend, or family member—a great way to unwind after a long day!
Figure out what time you need to be up in the morning and work backward
Figure out what time you need to be up in the morning and work backward.
Work backward from your target wake-up time by using a sleep calculator. You can use these online tools, such as this one from the National Sleep Foundation: https://www.sleepfoundation.org/resources/how-sleep-calculator
Once you have this information, set an alarm for when you need to go to bed so that all of your alarms will go off at about the same time as each other on days when they need to (e.g., Monday through Friday).
Get up at the same time every day — even on weekends
Consistency is key when it comes to sleeping through the night. It’s so important that you get up at the same time every day, even on weekends and holidays.
For example: If you need to be at work at 8 a.m., get up around 6 a.m. every morning — this will help you feel more alert throughout your day, which will make it easier for you to fall asleep at night.
If you want to go out with friends after work, but need eight hours of sleep in order for your body not to feel tired during the next day’s activities, try going out earlier or later than usual (if possible). Your body will still have enough time between social engagements so that it can rest properly without needing any extra sleep after going out with friends or family members before heading into work again in the morning!
If there are no parties planned during weekends...better late than never! You should still try getting up at 6am or 7am each weekend morning so that by Monday morning everything feels normal again without having too much time off from school/work/etcetera."
Go outside as soon as you wake up
This is a great way to start the day, and is especially helpful if you are not someone who enjoys working out in the morning. You will get some exercise, and can then go back inside to shower and get ready for the day.
You might also want to consider going outside for a walk or jog at night, as this will help get your body used to sleeping through the night and waking up at a regular time each day.
Reset your internal clock if you've been sleep-deprived for too long
If you've been sleep-deprived for too long, your internal clock can be off. This means that if you go to bed at 10 p.m., it's possible that your body will still think it's 8 p.m.—and when the alarm goes off in the morning, you'll feel like you haven't slept at all. To reset your internal clock:
Don't use an alarm to wake up in the morning. Your body needs time to adjust to a new schedule; if you hit snooze repeatedly (or use one of those motion-detecting alarms), it won't have time to adjust and get used to waking up at a different time than usual.
Don't use any kind of visual or auditory stimulus near bedtime—no clocks, no phones or tablets (set them on airplane mode), no TV or radio stations set on talk shows so people can talk all night long without realizing just how late they're staying up! If there are lights coming from outside through windows while trying to fall asleep, turn out those lights too by covering them with curtains or blinds so all light is blocked out before going into bed for good!
Don’t wear anything around your wrist during sleep: watches tend not only keep track of time but also provide vibrations whenever someone calls/texts us back; these vibrations don’t stop even once we fall asleep! So take these items off before heading upstairs into bed after curfew hour."
Make sure bright light isn't affecting your sleep
If you're having trouble sleeping, it's important to make sure that the environment where you sleep is free of potential light interference.
According to a study on the effects of blue light on sleep patterns and melatonin production, "blue light emitted by electronic devices suppresses melatonin production, leading to delayed circadian phase shifts." In other words: If you want to get good sleep at night and wake up refreshed in the morning, don't use any electronic devices before bedtime! Instead, read an actual book or magazine that doesn't emit blue light (like this one!) before going to sleep. It'll help your body naturally adjust its internal clock so that it can fall asleep when it's supposed to—and stay asleep until morning without interruption.
Try drinking less coffee, or none at all
If you’re having trouble sleeping, it might be time to cut out caffeine from your diet. Caffeine can stay in your system for up to 10 hours, making it harder for you to fall asleep at night and stay asleep during the night. Drinking too much coffee during the day can also cause you to wake up feeling jittery and anxious later on at night when you should be sleeping.
Limit use of blue-light-emitting devices closer to bedtime
If you're trying to get better sleep, it's important to know how blue light affects your body. Blue light can disrupt the normal sleep cycle and make it harder for you to fall asleep. If you look at a digital screen right before bedtime, this may affect your circadian rhythm by disrupting your body's internal clock and making it harder for you to fall asleep.
Sleep apnea is caused when the soft palate or tongue falls back into the throat as you sleep—this makes breathing difficult or impossible (and loud!), which causes oxygen deprivation that wakes up smokers with sleep apnea multiple times during their sleep cycle.
The American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery recommends using a nasal device that has been shown effective in treating apnea symptoms if other therapies have failed; these devices won't cure apnea but can limit its effects on quality of life by reducing snoring and frequent waking during the night."
Don't drink alcohol right before bed
Alcohol is a depressant, and it’s no secret that booze can disrupt sleep. Alcohol causes your body to produce more of the hormone cortisol, which increases alertness and keeps you from falling asleep.
In addition to disrupting your natural sleep cycle, when consumed in excess alcohol is a diuretic that makes you wake up frequently throughout the night to urinate. This can cause chronic poor quality of sleep overall—and make it harder for you to fall back asleep after these interruptions occur.
If you’re trying to get good sleep each night but find yourself waking up during the night or even early in the morning after drinking alcohol close to bedtime, try waiting at least three hours before going to bed after having drinks with friends or family members.
There are lots of ways to get a better night's sleep
There are lots of ways to get a better night's sleep!
Don't drink alcohol right before bed. Alcohol has a sedative effect, which makes it easy to think you're getting drowsy and fall asleep quickly, but it can actually disrupt the quality of your sleep.
Don't use blue-light-emitting devices closer to bedtime. Your body associates light with daytime, so it may make you less sleepy if you use these kinds of devices close to bedtime—and that could delay or prevent falling asleep altogether. If you need help avoiding this trap, consider installing software on your computer/phone/tablet that blocks out blue light during certain hours (such as f.lux). Or just avoid staring at screens an hour or two before going to bed!
Don't eat a large meal right before bed. Eating late at night can cause heartburn and indigestion that keep you up all night long—and if eating late makes me bloated, imagine how uncomfortable my poor dog feels when he eats his food in the middle of the night!
Conclusion
The best way to get more sleep is to make it a priority. Make sure your bedtime works for you and that you block out all distractions before heading to bed. The quality of your sleep will be better if you stick to the same daily schedule, including weekends, and set up a relaxing nightly ritual. In this guide, we’ve covered everything from the basics of good sleep hygiene to more complex issues such as addressing different kinds of sleeping disorders. By following these tips, you’ll be on your way to falling asleep faster, staying asleep longer and waking up feeling refreshed in no time!