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Ways You Are Inadvertently Sabotaging Your Sleep Quality

snoring partner sleep deprivation Middle Class Dad woman sleeping

A good night’s sleep can serve you well across a number of fronts. From tending to family obligations to plugging away at the office, the quality of one’s slumber stands to make or break the type of day they’ll have. That being the case, maintaining a consistently high sleep quality should be among everyone’s foremost priorities. Unfortunately, without even realizing it, many of us are actively sabotaging the quality of our nightly respite.

So, if you’ve recently found yourself beset by sleep troubles, take care to avoid the following behaviors.

Sleeping on an Uncomfortable Mattress

Your mattress is arguably the most important tool in your sleep arsenal. If your mattress is of inferior quality, the same can likely be said for your nightly respite.

Unfortunately, many of us tend to hang on to mattresses that are years past their prime for the purpose of saving money. Given how expensive high-quality mattresses can be, there’s little wonder as to why people want to make them last as long as possible. However, while continuing to use a well-worn mattress may save you some money, it can also be a tremendous hindrance to the quality of your rest.

Most people require a certain level of comfort in order to fall asleep, and a hard, lumpy mattress is unlikely to deliver on this front.

As such, if your current mattress is causing you nightly distress, you’d do well to replace it. Additionally, when shopping around for a new one, don’t limit yourself to the cheapest possible options, as these are unlikely to provide the comfort you require. This isn’t to say that every expensive mattress is automatically good, but a dependable luxury mattress is an investment that’s worth making.

You should also consider complementing this purchase with a affordable organic pillow.

Engaging in Stimulating Activities Before Bed

A calm, clear mind is highly conducive to falling asleep and staying asleep. On the flip side, a mind that refuses to be quieted is liable to keep you up for hours.

That being the case, you should actively avoid engaging in stimulating activities right before bedtime. Playing video games, fervently surfing the web and other activities that involve screen time should be stopped at least 30 minutes before you climb into bed. In our screen-obsessed society, this may seem like an arduous undertaking, but the more you practice, the more naturally shutting off your devices in the lead-up to bedtime will come.

To help pave the way for a relaxing night’s sleep, engage in calming activities like reading, meditation and deep breathing exercises before turning in for the night.

Using the Same Bedding Year-Round

As creatures of habit, we have a tendency to use the same sheets and comforters regardless of the season.

While only having to keep track of one set of bedding may seem convenient, it can wreak havoc on your overnight comfort levels. If you live in an area known for bitterly cold winters and/or brutally hot summers, using bedding that’s ill-suited to seasonal weather conditions can result in many uncomfortable nights.

To ensure that you’re able to maintain maximum comfort all year long, use warm, heat-retentive bedding throughout the winter and breathable, moisture-wicking bedding throughout the summer.

Not Blocking Out Sunlight

Some of us enjoy getting up with the sun. The earlier we rise, the more invigorated we feel.

However, if you’re not an early morning person, excessive sunlight can be a huge hindrance to your sleep quality. This is particularly true for people whose bedrooms are located in areas that receive copious amounts of sunlight. Luckily, this problem is easy to fix. Outfitting your bedroom windows with specially-designed sun-blocking curtains and/or stick-on blackout screens is a simple and cost-effective way to prevent sunlight from interfering with your designated downtime.

Proper sleep is essential to functioning in the waking world.

That being the case, if your quality of slumber has recently taken a nosedive, it behooves you to get on top of the situation posthaste. Once you get around to tackling the problem in earnest, you may ultimately discover that when it comes to sleep, you are your own worst enemy.

Fortunately, recognizing a problem is the first step to solving it. If you find that you exhibit any of the behaviors discussed above, you can start taking active measures to regain your former sleep quality.

 

Jeff Campbell