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How To Fix All Of Your Sleep Problems With Science

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Skye Gould and Rebecca Harrington

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It seems like it’s getting harder and harder to get a good night’s sleep.

Myriad distractions are in cahoots, keeping you from getting enough shut-eye.

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We’re supposed to get seven to nine hours of sleep, but many Americans don’t hit that target every night.

Sleep can provide incredible health benefits – from helping us lose weight to improving our memories, and even making us happier.

So when you’re lying in bed with one of these nine common sleep problems, here’s what the science says you should do:

Strategically placing pillows is a good way to relieve all sorts of pain. If you wake up with a sore shoulder, try hugging your pillow when you’re going to sleep.

Foto: source Skye Gould/Business Insider

Sources: Mayo Clinic, Hennepin County Medical Center

Sleeping on your stomach is probably not the best position if you have back pain, though a pillow under your legs can help. If you sleep on your side, try a pillow between your legs to relieve discomfort.

Foto: source Skye Gould/Business Insider

Source: Mayo Clinic

If your pillow doesn’t hold its shape, it’s time to get a new one.

Foto: source Skye Gould/Business Insider

Source: Journal of Pain Research

It can be tough to banish phones before bedtime, but you should. Their blue light really can wreck havoc on your REM cycle.

Foto: source Skye Gould/Business Insider

Sources: Journal of Applied Physiology, Neuroendocrinology Letters

Your body really does need to be cooler when you sleep in order to get the best rest.

Foto: source Skye Gould/Business Insider

Sources: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Sleep Foundation, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews

Scientists call not waking up at the same time “social jet lag.” Try setting your alarm for the same time seven days a week.

Foto: source Skye Gould/Business Insider

Source: Chronobiology International

About 7 million Americans have acid reflux disease. Medication and sleeping elevated on your left side can help.

Foto: source Skye Gould/Business Insider

Sources: Cleveland Clinic, Healthline

Whether you or your partner are the noisy one, there are interventions you can try to prevent snoring. If you’re the snorer, start by avoiding sleeping on your back.

Foto: source Skye Gould/Business Insider

Source: Harvard Medical School

Scientists aren’t sure what causes nighttime leg cramps, but it’s probably related to muscle fatigue and nerve damage. Stretching and massage can help.

Foto: source Skye Gould/Business Insider

Sources: Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Clinic

Read the original article on Business Insider. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Copyright 2018.

Read next on Business Insider: Retirement linked to longer, better sleep


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