Forget the Sheep. Start Getting Some Sleep! | AFC Urgent Care Memphis

Where, oh, where did all your sleep go? According to the National Sleep Foundation, more than 45 percent of people living in the United States say that they suffer from poor sleep that hurts their quality of life at least one or more days a week.

Our team at AFC Urgent Care Memphis wants you to know it doesn’t have to be that way. We want to help you find better ways to get a good night’s sleep that don’t involve counting sheep!

Is Too Little Sleep Hurting Your Health?

In order to be your most productive self, most researchers recommend adults get between seven and nine hours of sleep each night. If you regularly sleep less than seven hours a night, you might be putting your health at risk.

For instance, sleep deprivation can put you at risk for serious health conditions, including heart disease, heart attacks, diabetes and obesity. Some studies have even linked lack of sleep to a lower pain tolerance.

Get a Better Night’s Sleep

Are you ready to start getting a better night’s sleep? Let’s take a look at some steps you can start taking tonight to get more hours of sleep.

First, you need to watch your caffeine intake throughout the day, but especially right before bedtime. Caffeine can negatively affect your sleep patterns and keep you up tossing and turning at night.

If you do drink caffeine, it is important that you do so in moderation, while also ditching any caffeinated beverages after 3 p.m.

Second, you want to make sure you turn off your technological devices at least an hour or two before bed. Smartphones, iPads, televisions and other screens can keep you up at night, since the blue light from the screens can make your brain think it’s daytime.

Turning your devices off an hour or two before bed can help you to smoothly transition your mind and body from daytime to nighttime.

Finally, you also want to make sure you are serving up the best food for sleeping. By eating a heavy meal at night, you are placing your digestive system in an uncomfortable state.

And if you suffer tummy troubles at night, it is going to be hard to get a good night’s sleep. Therefore, try to eat heavier meals earlier in the day and lighter meals at night to help get a good night’s sleep.

Are you having more bad nights than good? It’s time to see a physician who can help make sure there is not an underlying medical condition causing your sleep problems. Visit AFC Urgent Care Memphis today to learn how our professional healthcare team can help!