Why did nobody tell you that being an adult means you’re always tired? Gone are the days of hitting a few bars, waking up early the next day for college and still having the energy to party again the next night. Nowadays, you feel like you live in a constant state of brain fog, mainlining caffeine to get through the day.
Well, Allergy Test Australia have news for you; IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE THIS WAY.
The odds are that some of your lifestyle choices are the problem, including ‘solutions’ you’re using to manage fatigue. Make a change with our help.
Shutting your eyes for 8 hours, sorted right? WRONG.
What time you went to sleep, and what time you woke up is just a small part of the story. As our understanding of sleep develops, we’re beginning to realise the importance of “sleep hygiene”. Several things contribute to sleep hygiene.
Sleep Hygiene Action Plan
Temperature
Studies have found the ideal temperature for optimal sleep is 19-21°C. To go to sleep, you body reduces body temperature, having your room set at this temperature helps facilitate and maintain this. This is why you’re always tired in the summer. Its because your body is having to work harder to get its core temperature down.
Light
Your internal body clock was traditionally managed by natural light. In the digital age, there are a wide range of light sources of different types. Blue light, in particular, is pervasive in modern technology and, when exposed to this light after sunset, the bodies response to blue light is to suppress the release of melatonin. Increased melatonin signals to your body that it is time to sleep. So, when melatonin production is impaired, so is sleep. Limit blue light exposure after sundown to improve sleep quality.
Routine
Your body relies heavily on routine to establish good sleep hygiene. When you go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day, it allows your body to develop its routine of melatonin production and hormone management that will ensure better quality sleep.
Limit Naps
We’ve all given in to temptation at some point. Mid-afternoon, you’ve just committed carbicide, and now you’re lay upon the settee feeling all comfy. Next thing, you’re waking up bleary-eyed, two hours later, covered in drool. Now, we’re not judging, but did you know that napping for too long can have a severe impact on your sleep quality that night? Napping, however, is a useful fatigue management tool when done right. Sleeping goes in ‘sleep cycles’ when napping, you need to stay in light sleep or non-REM sleep. To do this, you want to limit your nap to no more than 20 minutes.
Diet
Eating foods that disagree with you can have severe implications for your sleep quality. If you eat a food to which you have an allergy or intolerance, it can cause inflammation of the nasal passages which limits oxygen intake during sleep. Your body uses sleep to recover and restore damage throughout the day. This includes brain cells. If your brain isn’t receiving the oxygen it needs during sleep, it is not being afforded the resources it needs to be ready for the next day. Take an allergy test to discover the foods affecting your sleep and leaving you always tired.
