Sleep is important – you already know, but do you actually get enough sleep to wake up refreshed every day? Our sleep is made up of three stages with the first stage being the stage of light sleep, which happens right after you go to sleep. Any sudden noises can wake you up.
The second stage, also known as the delta phase, is the stage of deep sleep, which is where you sleep most deeply. The last stage is known as REM, which is where you dream and your eyes dart back and forth. During this stage, the muscles also shut down, preventing you from acting out your dreams.
After the third stage, you re-enter the first stage, and the cycle repeats.
Why Do You Wake Up Groggy?
You might have wondered why there are days when you feel refreshed after waking up despite having slept only for four hours. But – there are days when you have slept for at least seven hours, but you wake up groggy.
The thing is that one sleep cycle lasts for about ninety minutes, and you wake up refreshed when you wake up after the cycle completes. However, if you wake up in the middle of the cycle, you feel groggy. So, if you want to feel fresh, you should know when you want to be awake and then count backward in ninety-minutes blocks.
So, for instance, if you have to wake up at seven in the morning, you should ideally fall asleep near 11.30 pm.
Use an Eye Mask
Now that you know everything related to sleep cycles, you might wonder how you can get those extra hours of sleep. A simple trick is to use an eye mask when you begin to toss and turn in your bed in the morning.
During the night, you don’t need to use an eye mask as the night is dark and your room is dark as well. So, leave the eye mask near your bedside so that once you initially wake up from the sunrise coming into your room, you can pop your eye mask on and get that extra hour of good-quality sleep in the morning.
Stop Drinking Beverages before Bedtime
You can also control the amount of beverages that you drink before going to bed. According to research, alcohol is particularly damaging to your sleep. Still, you will also want to be mindful about any other beverages that you might be taking and damaging your sleep pattern.
Ideally, you will want to stop eating and drinking at least two hours before bedtime so that you don’t have to get up and go to the bathroom in the middle of the night.
Adjust the Temperature
You can control the temperature of your room for better sleep. Now, this can be a bit challenging when you are sharing your bed with your partner – but having enough blankets and placing a fan on your side of the bed can help to keep both people comfortable during the night.
Never Drive when You Are Tired and Fatigued
Tiredness and fatigue are killers on roads. Countless rollover crashes and head-on collisions are caused by drivers falling asleep. As a trucker, you must catch up on your sleep so that you feel refreshed when hauling cargo from point A to point B. The thing is that truck accidents are catastrophic, which is why you must drive with the utmost precautions and ensure that you are mentally alert.
Some signs that you are experiencing driver’s tiredness include that you are struggling to keep your eyes open, yawning frequently, and experiencing a slow reaction time. It is also common for a tired driver to wander across the center line and drift across other lanes.
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Tiredness can also cause you to follow other vehicles too closely. You might experience trouble remembering the last few kilometers. So, you should never put yourself at risk of getting behind the wheel when you are tired. If you feel tired, your best option is to stop and rest.
It is important to mention here that there are no quick fixes, such as coffee, energy drinks, and sugar. The best thing to do is to simply rest because your body simply needs to rest. Most adults need a minimum of six hours of sleep per night. When you fail to get enough sleep, your brain cells do not communicate effectively due to sleep deprivation.
Consequently, lack of sleep tends to impact your visual perception, physical reflexes, and memory. The best thing you can do for your own safety is to start your driving journey refreshed and well-rested. Also, to remain focused and alert, you can mindfully plan your journey and your rest stops.
After every two hours behind the steering wheel, make sure to find a safe spot so you can take a break from driving. When you stop, drink some water and stretch so you can refresh your body and mind before continuing your journey.
Avoid Screens
Another thing that you will want to be mindful of if you are struggling with getting enough sleep is to avoid looking at screens within one hour of bedtime. Now, this is also the rule that most people break the most as they are constantly glued to their phones and in the habit of falling asleep while scrolling their social media.
Instead of the phone, you might want to indulge in a peaceful nighttime routine, such as having min tea and reading a book – a solid book – not an e-book, before bedtime. The idea is that you don’t want to stimulate your eyes and mind through screen time.
Some people watch their favorite shoes before bed as a distraction to help turn off their brains and get to sleep. However, this isn’t the best and healthiest nighttime routine, as looking at screens before bed can have a negative impact on your sleep schedule.
So, ditch the screen and do something else instead, such as taking a relaxing bath, playing some relaxing music, and reading a book.
