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During the rainy season and summer, it can be difficult to adjust your sleep environment, and many people probably suffer from restless nights.
This article introduces ways to get a good night's sleep and recommended items, even on hot and restless nights.
Causes of Restless Nights
There are roughly two types of human body temperature.
One is skin temperature, which is the temperature of the body's surface, and is the general body temperature you find when measuring your armpit or oral temperature.
The other is core body temperature, which is the temperature of internal organs, including the brain, and is about 1°C higher than skin temperature for the purpose of maintaining life. Humans naturally feel sleepy when their core body temperature drops due to heat radiation from their hands and feet, and the difference with skin temperature narrows.
Additionally, by lowering body temperature, the brain can switch to relaxation mode, so lowering core body temperature is important for good quality sleep. However, in summer, it is difficult for the core body temperature to drop due to high temperatures and humidity, so many people find it difficult to fall asleep and experience restless nights.
Factors that further accelerate restlessness
From late spring to early autumn, people often feel restless due to the heat and humidity at night, but in addition to room temperature and humidity, there are other factors that accelerate restlessness.
1: Mental and physical stress
Normally, stress makes the sympathetic nervous system dominant, which makes it difficult to fall asleep and lowers sleep quality. People with a nervous and serious personality are said to be more susceptible to insomnia because they feel stress more strongly.
Stress is not only caused by negative emotions such as relationship problems or work pressure, but also when there are enjoyable plans the next day, such as a trip or a date.
Additionally, changes in living environment due to job changes or moving can also cause stress.
2: Disruption of lifestyle (body clock)
The human body is equipped with a body clock that regulates physiological functions and behaviors in a 24-hour and 12-minute rhythm, but if the body clock is disrupted due to irregular sleep habits or lifestyle, it becomes impossible to sleep at the appropriate time at night.
Also, shallow sleep can prevent you from feeling rested even after sleeping for a sufficient amount of time. People who often stay up late or who work day and night shifts need to be careful. This can lead to a persistent feeling of fatigue, sluggishness, headaches, irritability, and loss of appetite.
3: Actions before sleep
The quality of sleep changes depending on actions taken before sleep.
For example, caffeine promotes wakefulness, so drinking it after evening can make it difficult to fall asleep. Consuming large amounts of alcohol can lead to shallow sleep or wake you up due to its diuretic effect, so caution is advised.
Also, bright light promotes wakefulness, so for an hour before going to bed, switch to indirect lighting and refrain from using computers and smartphones.
4: Sleep environment not optimized
If the indoor and bedding environment is not optimized for sleep, the quality of sleep will deteriorate.
For example, you cannot get deep sleep in a sleep environment where the bedroom temperature and humidity are high and uncomfortable, the lighting is bright, or the noise is loud.
Also, if you use a pillow or mattress that does not suit your body, such as one that is uncomfortable or makes it difficult to turn over smoothly, you may not feel rested the next morning or may experience body pain, so it is important to be particular about your bedding.
In particular, if you experience discomfort such as stiff shoulders or back pain, it is possible that the bedding you are currently using is not suitable for you.
Ways to change restless nights
Here are ways to transform restless nights into comfortable sleep.
1: Change your pre-sleep habits
By being mindful of your pre-sleep habits, you can regulate your lifestyle and body clock. It is also important to maintain the same rhythm on weekdays and weekends as much as possible.
Food and drink
After eating, the internal organs work to digest food, so eating immediately before sleep can lead to shallow sleep. Therefore, finish your meal 3 hours before going to bed. Alcohol can also lead to shallow sleep or wake you up due to its diuretic effect, so finish drinking it 3 hours before going to bed.
Switch to sleep mode
Taking a slightly lukewarm bath (around 40°C) about 1 to 2 hours before going to bed not only increases the parasympathetic nervous system due to its relaxing effect, but also helps induce sleep as the body temperature drops.
However, be careful not to take a hot bath above 42°C immediately before going to bed, as this can heighten the sympathetic nervous system. Light stretching is also recommended, as it can moderately tire your body and naturally induce sleep, making it easier to fall asleep.
2: Optimize your sleep environment
Sleep onset and quality can be negatively affected by the sleep environment, including room temperature and humidity, bed temperature, bedroom lighting before bed, noise during sleep, and ill-fitting bedding.
Room temperature and humidity
The ideal bedroom temperature is said to be around 25-27°C in summer and 15-18°C in winter, with humidity at 50-60% year-round. The ideal bed temperature is around 30°C, with humidity around 50%.
In summer, there are hot tropical nights as well as cooler rainy days, so adjust the air conditioning to around 26-28°C to optimize the indoor environment.
Also, to facilitate falling asleep, it is important to cool down the bedroom beforehand. At this time, if you pull back the duvet, the inside of the futon will also cool down, allowing you to sleep smoothly.
Lighting
Melatonin, a hormone that promotes sleep, has its secretion suppressed when exposed to high-intensity light, which wakes up the brain and hinders smooth sleep onset. Therefore, an hour before going to bed, switch to indirect lighting and avoid strong light by refraining from using computers and smartphones.
Also, color temperature is important; before going to bed, warm-colored lights closer to orange with a low color temperature are recommended over cool-colored lights such as white or blue with a high color temperature. Relax with soft, reddish light that is not too bright.
Sound
It is said that even noise levels from everyday appliances like ventilation fans, televisions, and opening/closing doors can disrupt sleep for half of all people, so try to sleep in a quiet room.
While listening to relaxing music before bed is considered beneficial, leaving the TV or radio on while sleeping can promote wakefulness and degrade sleep quality. Therefore, when sleeping, block out external noise and turn off the TV and radio.
If small sounds from electronic devices bother you and prevent you from sleeping, it is recommended to play healing music for sleep and set a timer for it to turn off.
Bedding
Choose a pillow and mattress that suit your body type and sleep concerns, and choose a duvet that is soft, light, and warm. Furthermore, by choosing bedding with excellent moisture absorption and release properties, you can avoid accumulating moisture and achieve high-quality sleep.
Also, instead of wearing everyday T-shirts or sweatpants, wear pajamas that promote better sleep. Pajamas have no unnecessary decorations or tight areas, making it easier to turn over.
Say Goodbye to Restless Nights
From the rainy season to summer and early autumn, temperatures and humidity are high, leading to more restless nights.
Reduced sleep quality affects daytime performance, so improve restlessness by being mindful of pre-sleep habits and optimizing your sleep environment.
