Sleep plays such an important role in our overall wellness. How you sleep can affect not only your physical and mental health, but also the quality of your days. Since we know many Americans don’t get the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep each night, we’ve compiled some of our top tips for better sleep.

Getting enough sleep every night can: 

Give you more energy
Extend your lifespan
Strengthen your immune system
Help your appetite
Improve your memory
Help you think more clearly 
Decrease your risk of contracting diseases

Unfortunately, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about one third of adults in the United States usually get less than the recommended amount of sleep. Insufficient sleep can take a serious toll on your productivity, concentration, energy, emotions, and even your weight. Making your sleep a priority is vital to supporting your health and wellbeing. 

Here are some of the negative effects you can suffer from not getting enough sleep:

Lack of alertness
Excessive daytime sleepiness
Moodiness
Poor performance at work or school
Relationship stress
Greater risk of automotive accidents
Weakened immunity
High blood pressure
Weight gain & metabolic issues
Risk of heart disease
Low sex drive
Memory issues 

The bad news is, it’s impossible to “catch up on” sleep. The good news is, getting a good night’s rest consistently is possible. Just follow our top tips for better sleep and schedule a visit with our team so we can help you identify your issues. 

Life factors such as demanding jobs, new babies in the house, or other temporary issues. Interrupted sleep for even a short period of time can lead to chronic sleep deprivation.

Aging. People over 65 sometimes have trouble sleeping due to aging or other health factors.

Illness. Sleep deprivation is a common side effect of depression, cancer, schizophrenia, chronic pain syndrome, and some medications.

Sleep disorders. If you have undiagnosed insomnia, sleep apnea, narcolepsy, or restless leg syndrome, you’re likely not getting enough sleep. 

Sleep deprivation can happen to anyone, but these are some of the top reasons people tend to struggle with sleep. You may not be sure what’s contributing to your sleep issues, but the experts at Julian Center for Sleep can help you find clarity and solutions.

If you’ve been having trouble sleeping, you may be feeling frustrated, exhausted, and overwhelmed. Explore our top tips for better sleep:

Try to go to sleep and wake up at consistent times, even on the weekends.
Avoid excessive caffeine, and don’t drink caffeinated beverages late in the day.
Reduce blue light exposure from electronics in the evenings.
Avoid long naps during the day. Short “power naps” can be beneficial, but long naps will confuse your internal clock.
Optimize your bedroom environment with proper temperature, noise, and external light.
Avoid alcohol.
Try taking a warm, relaxing bath or shower before bed.
Exercise regularly, but not too close to bedtime.
Try a relaxing meditation in the evenings.

These tips for better sleep can be very beneficial and widely applicable. But if you have a sleep disorder, you may need more help getting your sleep back on track. That’s where we come in.