Factors that Influence Sleep

There are many factors that impact your sleep. It is important to note that people have individual sleep needs. Some people can thrive off of four hours of sleep, while others need an average of nine hours a night. What is suitable for you may not be suitable for someone else.

Light has a huge influence on sleep cycles. According to Healthy Sleep, a website used by Harvard Medicine School, the retinas in our eyes react to the natural or synthetic light around us. They tell our brains whether it is daytime or nighttime. This is what helps our bodies know when to sleep. It impacts our internal clock by telling us when to fall asleep and when to wake up. Dream Essentials says that synthetic light can cause issues when trying to fall asleep, specifically cell phones. The popularity of cell phones continues to rise, but they become an issue when trying to go to sleep. The light being emitted from your cell phone is telling your brain to stay awake. This is why there is such pressure to not use cell phones before bed.

Sleep environment is very important to the quantity and quality of your sleep. It is important for your sleeping environment to be dark and quiet. This will allow you to reach a very deep sleep, which is important for your body. Temperature is also an important factor for sleep. According to Healthy Sleep, if you are too hot or too cold during sleep it can increase the frequency of waking up during the night. Extreme temperatures tend to disrupt sleep, which is why it is so important to find a comfortable environment. Mattress quality is also a huge factor for sleep comfort. Old mattresses tend to cause issues with hygiene and comfort. A mattress that is 10 years or older tends to have major problems with hygiene because people don’t usually realize that a mattress can soak up sweat and other things over the years. It is also important to change your sheets regularly. Hygiene can have an impact on the way you sleep, so the quality of your mattress and pillows are important.

Factors that influence sleep are very important to recognize. People usually don’t realize how little things around them impact their sleep. Sleeping environments are important to take note of before going to bed. Since sleep is so important and restorative to the body, it is vital that people learn how to properly go about their sleeping schedules and routines.