Sleep health: 6 essential tips and how CPAP can help improve sleep quality

Sleep is very important to how we function as human beings.

But if you are not getting your recommended seven to nine hours of shut eye every night it could quickly start to become a problem.

Chronic sleep deprivation has been linked with all manner of health issues, including heart or kidney disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, depression, obesity and stroke.

These conditions can be aggravated if you are suffering from sleep apnea.

So, what can you do to get better sleep?

In this post, we'll outline seven essential tips you should embrace, including how CPAP can help you.

If you're experiencing sleep deprivation due to conditions like sleep apnea, it's important to consult a healthcare professional.

In many cases, they might recommend CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) therapy.

CPAP therapy involves using a device that delivers a steady stream of air to prevent your airways from collapsing, a common issue for those with sleep apnea.

This constant air pressure helps ensure that more oxygen can flow through your airways and deeper into your throat.

You can follow this link for more information.

Putting on a humidifier is another good way to stave off sleep apnea and is particularly useful for sufferers of blocked noses, sore throats and dry mouth.

Some CPAP devices have a humidifier built into them.

However, if you don't need to wear a mask, they are still a good option to help you sleep better. Just remember to clean them on a regular basis and use clean water every day.

If you are one of the many Australians not enjoying good sleep, one of the best ways to do so is to train your body to go to bed and try and wake up at the same time every day.

By creating and sticking to a sleep schedule, you will give your body cues that it is time for a deep slumber.

Just before bed, it is a good idea to engage in relaxing activities such as taking a warm bath, reading and listening to soft music that can best prepare you for getting some shut eye.

When it is time to close your eyes, make sure you have the room temperature to your liking, and that noise and light levels are just how you like them.

Research has shown that the more active you are the better quality of sleep you enjoy and for longer.

If you can, try to engage in at least half an hour of moderate physical activity such as walking every day. Additionally, at least once a week it is good to do a more intense workout such as running or a gym session.

It is not a good idea to exercise immediately before you try to sleep because the adrenaline coursing through your veins might keep you awake for a while.

That said, the more regularly you exercise the more chance it will give you of getting a good night's sleep - which in turn should improve your health significantly.

Perhaps one of the reasons you can't sleep is due to stress.

In our lives, all of us have to deal with stress, whether that be as a result of our work, home life, personal relationships, health or money worries.

However, it is important that you manage your stress levels enough to enable you to sleep properly.

If you are chronically stressed, it could significantly affect your ability to sleep.

For this reason, you should try and practice stress-reduction techniques such as yoga, meditation, practicing mindfulness and progressive muscle relaxation before you go to bed.

Doing this can be a very effective way to reduce your levels of anxiety and feel more relaxed overall.

Lastly, if you want to improve your chances of getting good sleep, you should pay attention to what you eat and drink.

Several studies have shown how important diet is to getting good sleep.

It is a good idea to not eat large or heavy meals too close to bedtime as this can result in you suffering from discomfort, reflux or indigestion, which makes sleep much harder.

At the same time, you should also limit your intake of caffeine and alcohol, as both are proven to be negative influences.

Alcohol, in particular, is a depressant of the nervous system that, despite inducing relaxation, has also been proven to disrupt a person's sleep cycle and severely decrease their quality of sleep.

This information is of a general nature only and should not be regarded as specific to any particular situation. Readers are encouraged to speak with their GP and seek appropriate medical advice based on their personal circumstances.