How can a high sleep efficiency make you better?

What is sleep efficiency? This is the ratio of the amount of actual total time spent sleeping to the time one spends in bed. For instance, if one spends 10 hours in bed and in those 10 hours he actually sleeps for five hours, then his sleep efficiency for the night in question is 50%. So people who actually sleep most of the time they spend in bed are sleep efficient. As for those with insomnia or those who have trouble going back to sleep or spend most of the time in bed awake are not sleep efficient.

So how important is it to be efficient in sleep? Read on...

Find your soulmate on LatinoLicious

Join Free

It is very important to have a deep sleep with fewer interruptions.  And the reason is very simple. One will wake up well rested hence feeling more energetic. On the other hand, those who don't sleep well wake up feeling restless and tired. The percentage that is considered normal is 85 percent and above. Anything lower than that is regarded as poor. Below are some more reasons why sleep efficiency can better your health and your life in general.

A good night's sleep can help your weight loss efforts

Research has shown that if you can't sleep well every night, you can sabotage your weight loss goals by up 55%. Sleep is considered much better than any weight loss products in the market. One thing that is tied to better sleep is breaking some sweat at night. Come up with a simple night workout regiment and stick to it. Once you are done and hit the shower, you that you will sleep like those babies who actually sleep (lol). People who workout just before their bedtime, sleep much better.

Sleep efficient people are more productive

Sleep equals to high performance and productivity. More productivity doesn't come from less sleep. If you don't sleep well, eventually, the lack of sleep will catch up with you. Your mind and body will eventually cave in. Then you will find yourself having wasted a whole day or more trying to catch up on the sleep that you denied your body in the first place. You might even think you are ill. But the simple reason is that you are fatigued. If you want to have optimal productivity at all times, being sleep efficient is key. Less sleep is a productivity killer.

Better sleep, better health

You might not know this but sleep deprivation can affect one's health in the long run. This is because the effects are mental, emotional and physical. When a person loses sleep, it even affects the process of repairing and restoring tissues and muscles. So your muscles ache more with less sleep. You tire easily. Later in life, diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and most serious illnesses are linked to lack of enough sleep.

Lack of efficient sleep can make you broke

People usually think that denying themselves enough rest means they can be more hardworking. Unfortunately, the opposite is true. The thing with lack of sleep is that a person ends up losing more work hours just because they have to compensate for the sleep hours that the body is craving to function properly. At the same time, sleep-deprived people tend to get ill easily. So one ends up going to work less or ends up being less productive. This translates to a loss of wages that would otherwise have been earned if one was productive.

Tips on how to sleep better at night naturally

Luckily there are several tips you can follow that can help increase your sleep efficiency. Here are some of the tricks besides a night workout routine that you can employ:

Don't carry that cellphone or iPad to bed with you

You have had those gadgets with you the whole damn day. Why would you want them with you at bedtime? The thing is, with people living in different parts of the world, there is a time difference to consider. So with those things under your pillow, there will always be some notification from someone in that group that you are in. So don't ask why can't I sleep when you constantly have some notification interrupting your sleep. Respect your bedtime. Let the bedroom be your sleep sanctuary only. No gadgets allowed!

The TV belongs in the living room

Just like those electronic gadgets, TVs shouldn't be in the bedroom. If you want to have a great night, try sleeping in total darkness. Keep those bright screens out of your bedroom. The thing is, the light from those screens are very disruptive. Plus with your TV on, chances are there will be some variations in the volume that will keep interrupting your sleep. So if you want to sleep better, let the TV stay where it belongs: in the living room.

Let the bed be associated with sleep only ... Oops! And sex!

It is important to condition your mind this way. That way, whenever you get in bed, you fall asleep immediately. Stop watching TV, reading in bed or any other activities that are not sleeping or sex-related (and sex gets a pass because its one of the activities that make a person sleep better).

Get off the bed if you can' t sleep

One way you can improve your sleep efficiency is to get up if you have no sleep. Instead of racking your brain asking why can't I sleep, get up! Don't stay more than 20 minutes in bed if you are already up. The recommendation is to leave the bedroom and find something relaxing that can bring back your sleep again.

Ditch salty foods before bedtime

If you are looking for food for good sleep, ditch the salty foods before bed. Yes, we all love Chinese food. However, if you plan on sleeping better, then these are the foods to avoid at night because they leave you blotted hence making sleep time uncomfortable. How about sticking to some lean protein and veggies that have got less salt?

For more health tips, read our articles on Date Who You Want.

• Tips on Giving Compliments That Build on Relationships
• Building Financial Understanding and Harmony in Relationships
• What to Keep in Mind When Dating Outside Your Race
• Navigating the Dating World with Disabilities: A Fresh Perspective
• Love But Not In Love: How To Deal With A Mismatch Of Feelings