How to Improve Your Sleep

People today are facing an epidemic of sleep problems. The science is conclusive as to the harmful effects of not enough sleep — people don't function at normal levels either physically or mentally, which makes them irritable, stressed, and even dangerous in situations where attention and concentration are required, like driving. Poor sleep also impacts overall health and harms everything from your immune system to your muscle strength and your cognitive abilities. There's a great deal of stress involved too, especially for people who know the importance of sleep and try to get enough but often find themselves lying awake in frustration.

So, since we know the importance of good sleep and the detrimental effects of sleep deprivation, how can we get more sleep, and high-quality at that? There are several ways to help your body and mind drift off and stay there, and many are all-natural. Of course, your sleep deprivation may be tied completely to a current situation, such as having young children or a new baby. In this case, while you may not be able to get a full eight hours, you can improve the quality of the sleep you do get.

See Your Doctor

We mention a trip to the doctor first because sleep issues are often an indicator of an undiagnosed disease. It's easy to write off sleep problems as being due to stress or a current situation, or even just assume "it's how I am" and not realize the deeper implications for your health. Poor sleep can be a symptom of potentially-lethal conditions like sleep apnea or could point to a chronic illness that may be preventing your body from getting adequate rest. You should see a doctor to make sure this isn't the case for you.

Evaluate Your Lifestyle

Although we recommend getting a doctor's viewpoint, the odds are good that you're probably just not sleeping enough as a side effect of living in a stressful, high-speed world. It often seems like everyone is in a hurry and it's easy to get caught up in that. You should sit down and try to identify what exactly is keeping you up at night because it might end up being simple. Do you always find yourself watching late-night TV even when you meant to get to bed early? Do you lie down but spend hours looking at your phone? In these cases, the most effective solution is to change your habits. This isn't always easy, but you'll feel better for it. It's especially important to avoid screens for at least an hour before bed, like computers, smartphones, and backlit e-readers due to the blue light they emit.

Stress is also a huge factor in poor sleep and general insomnia, and might also explain your smartphone or late-night TV addiction. Stressed, anxious, and depressed people often stay up late out of apprehension about tomorrow. Rather than sleeping and bringing themselves closer to morning, they stay up late in a subconscious attempt to squeeze a bit more enjoyment out of the day before they go to bed. This can be an insidious habit and hard to break, but sometimes just understanding why you do it can really help.

Your mindset is also extremely important. If you're having trouble falling asleep, don't allow yourself to stress over it. This frustration is counterproductive and keeps you up. Sleep isn't a competition or a performance issue, so don't treat it like one. Instead, focus on relaxing every muscle in your body — this goes a long way toward helping you drift off.

Routine and Supplements

If you're addicted to electronic devices, we've already addressed a big part of your routine, but there are other things you can do that will help you sleep. If you habitually drink coffee, tea, or other caffeinated beverages, avoid them (or switch to decaf) for at least six hours before bedtime. If at all possible, go to bed at the same time every night — this helps condition your body to slip into sleep when the time is right.

Exercise also helps you sleep, and we're not talking about exhausting workouts. You only need about two and a half hours per week, which is less than 22 minutes per day. If you’re already quite active, you've got this covered, but if you lead a sedentary life you'll benefit greatly from this small routine. Some people get a burst of energy from exercise, so it's better to do it in the morning.

Sleep problems can also be caused by hormonal imbalances, so you can address this problem by using an all-natural hormone booster to safely restore your body's hormones to normal levels. If you're maintaining a great sleep routine but you still have problems and your doctor has ruled out dangerous conditions like sleep apnea, a natural hormone booster should be your next stop rather than jumping straight to medication. ProBLEN hormone boosters are safe because they stimulate your body to produce hormones in the right amounts, rather than simply administering the hormone itself. If you're looking for one to aid in sleep and general quality of life, our HGH booster is a good start.

Hopefully, this article can help you get better sleep and serve as a starting point for living a more rested, fulfilling life. Please feel free to contact us with questions about the hormone boosters we recommend.