Nothing is more refreshing than a good night’s sleep. Getting that good night’s sleep, however, can sometimes prove to be a bit of a challenge. If you find yourself waking up more tired than when you went to bed, it’s a good idea to take a look at your sleep habits to see if there’s anything that’s ruining your sleep without you knowing it. Here are a few commonly overlooked culprits you can try.

Wrong Temperature

Most people sleep better when it’s cooler. That’s why your body temperature begins to drop as bedtime approaches and can be 1 to 2 degrees cooler than during the day. This means that if your thermostat is set to what feels like a comfortable temperature when you go to bed, it may end up being too hot or too cold for you to sleep comfortably during the night. Set an alarm for a random time throughout the night and see if you wake up to find yourself too hot or too cold. If so, and you have a programmable thermostat, you can set it to change temperature throughout the night to ensure you get a good night’s sleep.

Stress

Even though we’re not dealing with all of life’s problems while we’re sleeping, in a way, we still are. During sleep, your mind processes through the day’s activities, sorting the information to help make better sense of what has happened. So, if you’ve had a stressful day or week, these thoughts will continue to affect you as you sleep. One problem that can result from this is teeth grinding, which can lead to tooth decay, jaw pain, and neck pain. If your stress levels are frequently high, you may want to find a dentist that can fit you with a mouth guard to protect your teeth as you sleep. At any frequency, you may benefit from regular massage therapy to reduce tension in your back, neck, and shoulders. Poor sleep leads to increased stress, so ignoring it can only make things worse.

Light

To produce the melatonin that lulls us to sleep, our bodies need a dark or near-dark environment. Whether you sleep during the day or night, then, it’s crucial that your sleeping area be as dark as possible. Extra light could be waking you up partially, preventing you from entering the REM sleep your body so desperately needs. Consider utilizing black-out shades for the space to prevent outside light from interrupting your sleep.

The most important thing you can do when trying to get a good night’s sleep is to follow a consistent routine. Going to bed and getting up around the same time every day will allow your body to get into a rhythm that helps you sleep better. With these other distractions addressed, you should be well on your way to an excellent night’s sleep.

 it’s a good idea to take a look at your sleep habits to see if there’s anything that’s ruining your sleep without you knowing it.