Everything we do, everything that controls, everything that can determine all revolves around sleep and how much we get. But some people find it very hard to get good, quality sleep. So how do you begin to get better sleep? Well, first things first, you have to know what you’re doing wrong and how to fix it. After that, there are some things you can do that promote better sleep.

To start out, we have to figure out what the stages of sleep are. There are 4 stages, 1, 2, 3, and REM. Stage 1 being the lightest, REM being the heaviest sleep (“Stages”). The reason we have the feeling of tiredness and fatigue, according to Carol DerSarkissian, is “When you're repeatedly interrupted and can't cycle normally through these types and stages of sleep,” (DerSarkissian). Interrupting a sleep cycle is pretty easy to do unfortunately. Basically, your body just wakes up, but not entirely. You aren’t aware of this, as your brain isn’t functioning the way it usually does. Interrupted sleep is also having a hard time falling asleep. One of the easiest things you can do to fall asleep easier is to lower the room temperature. According to  Arlene Semeco, “Your body temperature changes as you fall asleep. Core temperature decreases, while the temperature of your hands and feet increases” (Semeco). If your body changes temperature while you sleep, that could be a possible interruption. Semeco also writes, “It is normal to wake up in the middle of the night. However, the inability to fall back asleep can ruin a good night’s rest. People who wake up in the middle of the night often tend to watch the clock and obsess about the fact that they cannot fall back asleep” (Semeco). I know that I am one of those people that watch the clock, and I do often find it hard to sleep. This seems like it would be a great fix. It is also recommended that you put away all devices before going to bed, as being on social media, or playing video games, or other things can make falling asleep more difficult (Semeco). There are still numerous more ways to get to sleep quicker, but some people just can't do that. If that’s the case, we have another issue to worry about.

If you find yourself trying all of these different things and are still unable to get good sleep, then it might be time to turn to the medical side of things. Some of the most common sleep disorders are insomnia, sleep apnea, Willis-Ekbom Disease, and narcolepsy (“Sleep Disorders”). Insomniacs find it difficult to fall asleep, but once they are asleep, find it difficult to stay that way.  That seems pretty standard, but before you call yourself an insomniac, you have to fit these symptoms as well. Insomniacs tend to wake up too early in the morning, and are still tired, regardless of how much they slept. They could also potentially be suffering from other non sleep related illnesses (Ambardekar). Sleep apnea is a disease that is often misconstrued. Snoring is a common symptom, but not everyone who snores has sleep apnea. People with sleep apnea also get unrefreshing sleep, wake up a lot to go to the bathroom, have memory loss, morning headaches, decreased sexual desire, and daytime sleepiness (“Sleep Apnea”). These are some pretty serious conditions, but just because you have one or two of these symptoms doesn’t mean you have sleep apnea. Willis-Ekbom Disease, otherwise known as restless legs syndrome, is a disease in which you are constantly moving your legs, or have a constant urge to move your legs while trying to fall asleep (“Sleep Disorders”). This is not quite as common as the rest, but still a possibility. Finally, narcolepsy is a disease in which one has trouble sleeping at night, and trouble staying awake during the day. Some people suffering from narcolepsy have also reported hallucinations that induce feelings of fear or dread. Another symptom is sleep paralysis, a terrifying feeling of paralysis for a temporary time after waking up. You are still able to breathe however, and often at times, one will see a person in the room with them, but it is just a trick of the eyes and brain. A big sign of narcolepsy is memory loss. If you think you could possibly have any of these diseases, you should contact a doctor as soon as possible; treatments are available to help rid of the symptoms and help you get better sleep.

Sleep is what controls our day to day life, and the amount of sleep we get can determine the quality of our day right then and there. Make sure you are getting plenty of sleep by using tips from this article along with others like this one. Always remember to work hard, but sleep harder. Dream on folks.

Works Cited

Ambardekar, Nayana. “Insomnia (Acute & Chronic): Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment.” WebMD, WebMD, 6 Feb. 2019, www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/guide/insomnia-symptoms-and-causes#1.

DerSarkissian, Carol. “Sleep Disorders & Problems: 10 Types and Causes of Each.” WebMD, WebMD, 30 July 2018, www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/guide/understanding-sleep-problems-basics#1.

“Narcolepsy - Symptoms.” Sleep Education, 2019, sleepeducation.org/essentials-in-sleep/narcolepsy/symptoms.

Semeco, Arlene. “20 Simple Ways to Fall As Fast As Possible.” Healthline.com, 30 Oct. 2017, www.healthline.com/nutrition/ways-to-fall-asleep.

“Sleep Apnea - Symptoms & Risk Factors.” Sleep Education, 22 June 2016, sleepeducation.org/essentials-in-sleep/sleep-apnea/symptoms-risk-factors.

“Sleep Disorders.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 10 Aug. 2019, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/sleep-disorders/symptoms-causes/syc-20354018.

“Stages of Sleep - Non-REM and REM Sleep Cycles.” Tuck Sleep, www.tuck.com/stages/.