A bad night’s sleep can be ruinous for your working day, but what if you can’t figure out what’s keeping you from nodding off?
Problems with sleep are worryingly ubiquitous. According to the Sleep Council, close to half of us are getting six hours’ sleep or less a night, falling short of the seven to nine hours recommended for adults.
The prevalence of digital technology has likely only worsened the issue. We’re still in the nascent stages of determining the effects of blue light on the eyes, but it is already well established that staring at screens late at night can have deleterious effects due to how they suppress melatonin production and keep the brain alert.
Frustration with sleep issues is often compounded by how it affects your working life. Despite best intentions, if you go to work without adequate rest, you can expect a marked decrease in your productivity, focus and attention. It will make it exceedingly difficult to bring your best self to the workplace, and the resulting stress will probably only exacerbate existing issues.
Luckily, there are plenty of practical steps you can take towards addressing insomnia and issues of that ilk, and the first could be to check whether you’re falling into any sleep-disturbing traps, such as the ones laid out by Pounds to Pocket in the infographic below.
It’s pretty common knowledge that making sure your bed is nicely made and furnished with good sheets will help you sleep, but did you know that the state of your room as a whole could be having an impact? Even if you aren’t consciously entertaining it, a mess will automatically make you think about the task of cleaning it up, which will create added stress.
While prolonged screen time itself is proven to have negative effects, what you watch before bed could be affecting your sleep. In particular, if you watch excessive amounts of news or other traumatic material, you could be leaving yourself susceptible to bad dreams.
For more information about the possible sleep mistakes you’re making, check out the infographic below.
Image: Pounds to Pocket
