Dr. Christopher Murray, a sleep doctor at Maine Medical Center, gave Mainers some tips on how to improve his sleep at night.
Maine, USA — Getting quality sleep may not be at the top of your resolution list this year, but a quality and consistent sleep cycle is important for your mental and physical health.
Dr. Christopher Murray, a sleep doctor at Maine Medical Center, gave Mainers some tips on how to improve his sleep at night.
Murray said his number one priority is establishing and maintaining a regular sleep schedule. He said he needs seven to nine hours of sleep each night to rest well.
“We need to maintain that sleep cycle, which is very important, and not have naps in between or take away the sleep pressure,” Murray explained. Doing so takes away the sleep pressure from the night.Exercising too close to bedtime takes away or makes it more difficult to fall asleep.Exercise is great overall and increases resilience. It helps me get some sleep better, but I don’t want it too close to bedtime.”
Dr. Murray said you shouldn’t have caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, or food right before bed. He also recommended turning off all lights and distractions in the bedroom.
When it comes to the temperature in your bedroom while you sleep, a cooler room is always better, says Murray.
Murray says having a consistent sleep schedule means better overall health, especially as it helps prevent diabetes, weight gain, cardiovascular events, memory loss, and more.
