5 Tips for Getting Good Quality Sleep

Did you know that the amount of sleep you get has a big impact on your health? Sleep affects nearly every tissue and system in the body, including the brain, heart, lungs, metabolism, immune function, mood, and disease resistance. Studies indicate that chronic sleep deprivation or poor-quality sleep raises the risk of various disorders, such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, depression, and obesity. Not only does the amount of sleep affect your health, but your quality of sleep plays a big role as well.

Have you ever woken up and felt as though you got plenty of sleep, but do not feel well-rested? You probably are not getting quality sleep. It can be tough to distinguish what causes us to sleep well sometimes and not other times, but we can learn about the sleep cycle and how we can be sure we are getting quality sleep.

What is the Sleep Cycle?

Our bodies undergo two main phases of sleep: rapid eye movement (REM) and non-rapid eye movement (NREM), which is divided into three stages—N1 to N3. Each phase and stage of sleep is characterized by specific changes in muscle tone, brain wave patterns, and eye movements. On average, the body cycles through all stages approximately 4 to 6 times per night, with each cycle lasting about 90 minutes.

• Stage 1: non-REM sleep is a short period of light sleep where your heartbeat, breathing, and eye movements slow, and your muscles relax. This stage only lasts for a few minutes.
• Stage 2: non-REM sleep is a period of light sleep before entering deeper sleep, characterized by further relaxation of muscles, dropping body temperature, and slowed brain wave activity with occasional bursts. You typically spend more of your repeated sleep cycles in stage 2 sleep than in other sleep stages.
• Stage 3: non-REM sleep is deep sleep necessary for feeling refreshed, occurring mostly in the first half of the night with slow brain waves, relaxed muscles, and difficulty awakening.
  REM sleep starts about 90 minutes after falling asleep. Rapid eye movements, mixed-frequency brain wave activity similar to wakefulness, faster and irregular breathing, increased heart rate and blood pressure, and temporary paralysis of arm and leg muscles define this phase of sleep. Most dreaming occurs during REM sleep, although some can occur in non-REM sleep.

5 Ways to Improve Sleep Quality

Now that we have learned about sleep and the cycle our bodies go through, we can discuss some ways to improve overall sleep.

1. Stay Consistent: Having a sleep schedule is very important so that your body expects the same thing each day and night. Research shows that 6-8 hours of sleep is recommended each night. Try going to bed at the same time each night and get up at the same time each morning, including on the weekends.
2. Avoid Electronics: Set a time to completely turn off or remove electronics from your bedroom. Try to do this at least 30 minutes before you go to bed.
3. Quiet Environment: Ensure your sleep environment is comfortable, whether that is a dark room, white noise, or adjusting the temperature. Research shows that cooler temperatures can improve sleep.
4. No Food and Drink: Avoid eating a large meal before bedtime and avoid drinking caffeine at least a few hours before you plan to sleep.
5. Exercise Regularly: Exercising during the day can help you fall asleep faster and improve your quality of sleep.

By making small adjustments to your habits and environment, you can improve the quality and duration of your sleep, leading to better physical, mental, and emotional health.

St. Mary’s Offers Wellness Centers and Nutrition Services

St. Mary’s offers Wellness Centers in Athens and Lavonia. Our centers feature a range of cardiovascular and strength-training equipment and knowledgeable and friendly staff. Join us for fun fitness classes suitable for all levels. To learn more, visit the St Mary's Athens wellness center, or our Lavonia wellness center.

St. Mary’s Nutrition Services provides a staff of registered dietitians to help patients with a wide range of conditions and needs meet their nutritional requirements.

Clinical Nutrition Services include:

• Individual nutrition assessment and counseling for all age groups
• Individualized meal plans and disease self-management strategies
• Nutrient analysis
• Assessment of calorie needs; individualized weight management plans
• Assistance with diabetes self-management classes and counseling
• If you have more questions, you can always contact St. Mary's Outpatient Nutrition Services at (706) 389-3669 or click here.