Quality of Sleep
What is Sleep Quality?
Sleep quality is the measure of the restorative and restful state of sleep. This is different than that of sleep satisfaction. Sleep satisfaction is a subjective view and feeling of how you believe that you have been recently sleeping. Sleep quality also differs from sleep quantity. There are different factors such as preferences, goals, and age differences. When talking about sleep quality, it is mainly spoken about how well you slept through the night. While taking naps and adding up those hours is great for additional rest if needed, sleep quality and sleep quantity are not the same.
If you’re curious, this is how you can calculate it
Many of those who suffer from poor sleep quality will also experience one or more of these occurrences: taking 30 or more minutes to fall asleep, wake up multiple times throughout the night, have trouble falling back asleep, spend more than 10% of the time in bed laying awake, daytime somnolence, trouble focusing and concentrating, drinking multiple cups of caffeine, breakouts/acne, heightened mental sensitivity, frequent hunger, weight gain, or insomnia.
Another cause could be sleep apnea that causes issues with the quality of your sleep. Sleep apnea occurs when the structural muscles supporting the airway relax, causing a blockage in the airway. This causes the brain to wake the person up momentarily, making them gasp for air or choke until their airways are open. A person may or may not wake up and remember when they have an apneic episode. Some common symptoms of someone suffering from sleep apnea is snoring, daytime fatigue, high blood pressure, cardiovascular conditions, irregular breathing patterns, choking or gasping sounds, or weight gain.
Getting an irregular amount of sleep is more common than you may believe. Around 50-70 million Americans suffer from some form of a sleep condition/disorder. Approximately over 35% of adults feel as though they’re getting less than the necessary amount of sleep.
Wondering how much sleep you should be getting?
High-quality sleep has a couple of factors:
Sleep Onset Latency is how fast and how easy it is that a person falls asleep after laying down to go to sleep. People are commonly able to fall asleep within 20 minutes of laying down with the proper sleep hygiene.
Sleep Continuity is staying asleep once falling asleep. Continuous sleep without interruptions allows the body to go through all of the sleep cycles that the body needs to be well rested and rejuvenated.
Sleep Efficiency is the amount of time asleep versus the amount of time attempting to fall asleep. At least 85% of the total time in bed should be spent asleep.
Sleep Timing is when you chose to sleep during a period of 24 hours. The circadian rhythm as seen above allows the internal clock to be alert during the day and fall asleep at night. The circadian rhythm is important when it comes to the quality of sleep. If you begin to feel tired earlier in the night, your body is sending signals that it wants to be rejuvenated. The is similar to a low battery notification on your phone when it is needing charged. Your body wants stability when it comes to rejuvenation. Falling asleep and waking up around the same time everyday, even on weekends, will keep that rhythm in check.
Daytime Alertness is a great indicator of quality of sleep is the ability to stay awake during the day, as well as staying awake and being productive mentally and physically.
Sleep Satisfaction is when you feel well rested throughout the entire day.
Many health conditions can mess with the quality, quantity, and the regenerative amount of sleep that you are able to get each night. Other symptoms such as chronic pain, indigestion, frequent urination, and other medical conditions can cause sleep deprivation and effect the way you sleep at night. Struggling with loss of sleep can quickly turn into a constant cycle that is hard to break, but with the right sleep hygiene getting your quality of sleep back is just one step away.
How Often Do You Wake up During Sleep? For How Long?
If you wake up on the middle of the night, and it takes you 20 minutes or more to fall asleep you may have a quality of sleep issue. For quality sleep, consider a couple of questions about the day:
Is it difficult to get out of bed in the morning?
Am I struggling with focusing or concentrating at work?
Am I taking naps more often than I was?
Is it hard for me to stay awake during the day without caffeine?
Some find it helpful to journal about their nighttime routine and struggles that may occur before starting/during their bedtime routine. This can help discover the clues as to why you are struggling with sleep. If you notice a trend of things occurring leading to a rough night of sleeplessness. You can also consult your doctor for the best health journey fit for you!
What Are the Harms of Poor Quality Sleep?
Poor sleep quality can affect your life and increase your risk of memory, trouble focusing/concentrating, stress, anxiety, depression, irritability, high blood pressure, heart-related conditions, stroke, gaining weight, immune disorders, resistance to medication, and other medical conditions.
Having to struggle to get sleep at night is never fun. However, there are various ways to improve your sleeping habits! Getting back to healthier habits can be just one step away.
What can I do?
There are an abundance of variables that can cause sleep deficiencies. Here is a list of things that may be causing a lower quality of sleep. Some reasons may be caused by a lack of routine or activities that cause your brain and body to be more alert!
Watching the length and amount of naps that are taken can also aid in the quality of sleep that you get. If you take too many naps, you won’t be as tired when it is time to sleep at night. The same goes for the length. Your body will be rested and not feel as though it needs additional rest.
It’s all about a nice and relaxing bedtime routine! Some things that you can do is fall asleep and wakeup around the same time even on the weekends, take a melatonin vitamin, create a comfy atmosphere for bedtime (i.e., temperature, dim lights, fresh and clean bedding, low volume on sounds, etc.).
Increasing the bright light exposure during the day and reducing the use of smart devices in the evening can trigger certain parts of your brain to follow the body’s natural circadian rhythm. Also by exercising regularly during the day will help you feel more tired when it’s time to fall asleep.
Avoiding certain foods and beverages can also help with gaining quality of sleep. Some things to avoid later in the evening are alcohol a few hours before going to bed, drinking liquids before you plan on going to sleep, avoid eating late at night, and limit your caffeine intake through the day. Later in the day, by caffeinating yourself, you won’t be as tired as you probably ought to be.
Talk to your doctor about possible sleeping disorders if you are struggling to gain a better quality of sleep to find the best health plan for you!
More Information
Determining Poor Sleep Quality - www.sleepfoundation.org
Calculating Sleep Quality - www.sleepfoundation.org
Sleep Quality - www.thensf.org
Tips to Sleep Better - www.healthline.com
Sleep Quality vs. Quantity - www.sleep.org