Low energy levels negatively affect your productivity. Also, they may lead to headaches, dizziness, and other issues. Hence, figuring out how to boost your overall energy levels is crucial. One of the ways is getting enough sleep.
This blog outlines what you need to know about energy levels and sleep quality. You’ll learn the relationship between sleep and energy levels, the factors affecting energy levels, and how to maximize them throughout the day.
Sleep And Energy Levels
Getting enough restful sleep is just as essential as other fundamental functions like breathing or eating. Adequate slumber not only replenishes your energy levels, but it also helps regulate your emotions and supports immune and tissue repair processes in your body.
It’s crucial to go through the sleep types to know how they may influence your energy levels. Sleep is categorized into two cycles: rapid eye movement (REM) or dreaming sleep and non-REM or quiet sleep. There’s a distinct difference between the two and how they might influence the body’s functions.
Quiet sleep involves three stages. At the deep sleep stage, your body will have the ability to make adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the primary energy-carrying molecule. Also, less blood will flow to your brain at this stage, allowing it to cool and restore itself.
Additionally, the immune system will prepare itself to defend the body against infections, which could affect your energy levels. Thus, a person with restricted deep sleep will likely feel less refreshed after waking up.
Conversely, the REM stage of sleep may play a crucial role in enhancing your cognitive abilities. During this stage, your mind selectively filters and discards any irrelevant information, facilitating a more peaceful and uninterrupted sleep.
Factors Affecting Sleep Quality
Getting quality sleep can be challenging despite its potential to improve energy levels. Here are some factors that might influence your sleep quality:
- Internal Factors
Many internal factors can make it hard for you to fall asleep. They include:
- Stress
Several things can stress you in this modern world, from high living costs to job-related issues. This makes it hard to relax and eventually fall asleep, creating a cyclical pattern.
Simply put, stress makes it hard to sleep, leading to sleep deprivation, which in turn increases your stress levels. How does this happen? Sleeplessness triggers the production of a stress hormone, cortisol. The body will produce more adrenaline to counter the stress hormone. Combining the two increases blood pressure and heart rate, making it hard for the body to ease up.
Fortunately, there are supplements available to help improve sleep quality. Learn more about a sleep supplement that has disrupted the market and is a great alternative to melatonin supplements. However, ensure you conduct enough background checks to guarantee you’re purchasing from a compliant vendor.
- Pain
This is another internal factor that may influence your sleep quality. If you have any discomfort, it’ll take time before you fall asleep. Common physical pain includes back, neck, and arthritis issues.
- External Factors
Many external issues may impact your sleep. They include:
- Medications
You might be using a drug to treat a health issue, such as chronic pain. However, the side effect of that particular drug might be insomnia. For instance, an antidepressant drug might reduce REM sleep, affecting your overall sleep quality. Other drugs might encourage sleep disturbances, such as nightmares and wakefulness.
- Poor Sleep Environment
The bedroom environment hugely influences how fast you’ll fall asleep. If you’re living near a major motorway, the sound of passing vehicles may impair your ability to fall asleep soundly throughout the night.
Also, it might be challenging to doze off when you’re in a too-hot or cold room. Another factor that may influence your bedroom environment is the lighting. It affects the circadian cycle, which controls your alertness. When there’s a lot of light, the internal clock signals the body it’s time to be awake and vice versa.
How To Boost Your Energy Levels Throughout The Day
- Mental Health Management
As mentioned above, mental issues such as stress may influence sleep quality, eventually affecting your energy levels. Hence, it’s crucial to understand how you can take care of your mental health. You can sign up for meditation classes to help you unwind after a tiring day.
You can also visit your physician, who will recommend the right course of action. Avoid over-the-counter drugs, which may lead to dependence and addiction. Additionally, ask about the potential side effects of any medication or therapy you’ll undergo, as they may affect sleep quality.
- Healthy Lifestyle
Your day-to-day activities influence how easily you’ll fall asleep. Here are some healthy practices which might boost your sleep quality:
- Exercise – After working out, you’re likely to sleep more soundly. The cells have used most of your energy, and the body wants to relax and recharge. Also, exercising encourages the production of happy hormones, such as dopamine, reducing stress levels.
- Stay Hydrated – Water plays a massive role in boosting your body’s functions. When you’re dehydrated, you’ll experience fatigue and tiredness. This is because the heart must work extra hard to support blood flow. Hence, it’s crucial to ensure you drink at least eight glasses of water each day. However, the exact amount you have to consume will depend on your body size, exercise, and food type.
- Proper Sleep Routine – Creating a sleep routine will ensure you get the right amount of sleep each day.
- Put Your Electronic Devices Away – The light from devices makes it hard to fall asleep. Put your phone or other electronic devices away thirty minutes before you retire to bed. If you enjoy reading a book before sleeping, opt for printed copies.
- Reduce Caffeine Intake Before Bed – Caffeine is a stimulant and will leave you energized, making it harder to fall asleep. Instead of drinking coffee, drink water to stay hydrated and boost your energy levels throughout the day.
Bottom Line
As discussed above, sleep hugely influences your energy levels. However, it might be challenging to get some peaceful sleep, even after a tiring day. Thus, it’s important to implement measures, such as stress management and a proper sleep routine, for you to enjoy uninterrupted sleep at night, ultimately boosting your energy levels.