National Sleep Month: Ways to Sleep Better

March is National Sleep Month and it’s a good time to examine our sleep habits.

According to the National Sleep Awareness Foundation and Seton Hall University in South Orange, New Jersey, National Sleep Month is a “time to recognize the importance of sleep in achieving your goals. College students who receive less than six hours of sleep experienced a pronounced decline in academic performance.”

In a survey conducted by MattressNextDay, they asked Americans if wake up each morning feeling fresh and rested for the day ahead.

They found that 21% of Americans wake up feeling tired or not rested every morning. That includes 11% of respondents in New Jersey, 23% in Pennsylvania, and 19% of New Yorkers.

About 22% of us get six to seven hours of sleep each night, and wake up an average of two times every night.

In my National Sleep Month conversation with Sleep Specialist, Dr. Stacey Elkatib Smidt she told me, “There are two things to think about when it comes to electronics or ‘screens’ in the bedroom. One of them is that they emit blue light, and this can keep your brain awake. Your brain uses light and dark signals for sleep, and using these electronics makes your brain think it’s awake as opposed to winding down to sleep.”

The other thing is that electronics are engaging. You want to keep scrolling, watching, and bingeing, and it keeps you awake because you want to keep doing what you’re doing.

My wife and I watch TV when we go to sleep. It doesn’t seem to affect falling asleep, but I do notice that it may wake me up briefly during the night. Dr. Smidt also suggests that even if you don’t have trouble falling asleep with the television on you should still try not to do it. Maybe you would be able to fall asleep more quickly or your sleep would be less disrupted. Ideally, electronics should be turned off an hour before bed.

Another common issue regarding sleep is that the bed is used for many things. Sometimes people may do work, and kids may do homework, but you should only use your bed for sleep. It’s hard for your brain to switch gears or turn off when it’s time to go to sleep.

Melatonin is an option to help people fall asleep, but is it safe? Dr. Smidt says, “Melatonin is tricky because it’s available over the counter, so the perception is that it’s harmless. The first step should be behavioral interventions that don’t involve supplemental medicine. Your brain secretes Melatonin which signifies that it’s time to sleep. Supplemental Melatonin can help with sleep, but you should first think about why you’re using it.”

You need to learn why are you or your child having trouble sleeping. You want to go to the route cause as to why there is difficulty falling or staying asleep. It’s similar to regularly taking pain relievers without investigating why you’re having pain. It masks the issue, but it doesn’t resolve it.

There’s also concern about side effects so you should be mindful when using any supplements. If you do feel the need to use any type of sleep aid, be sure to use it sparingly and not for extended periods.

If you're like half of the population of Americans, watching television before bed is a part of your nighttime routine. Sleep experts at Bestmattress-brand conducted a survey in which they found that 60% of Americans watch TV before bed. Of that, over 50% of the participants watch TV 5-7 days per week before hitting the hay. The research shows that 50.9% of Americans start watching TV between 9 pm and 11 pm. 42% stop watching TV between 11 pm and 1 am.

A spokesperson from the mattress brand commented: “It's common for us to want to enjoy our favorite TV shows before bed, however too much artificial light, especially right before we think we might try to fall asleep, can increase our alertness and impair our ability to fall asleep naturally."

They advised, "So, if you are wanting to watch TV before bed it is recommended to switch it off 30 minutes before you are about to sleep so as to allow your mind to prepare for a good night's sleep.”

There is a wide range of shows that Americans fall asleep to, but below are the top 10 shows that respondents favor:

Sports are easy to watch and are (generally) relaxing for viewers and can be put on in the background while falling asleep, making it a good choice for sports enthusiasts. Baseball's slower pace (as compared to football, basketball and hockey) makes it easier to fall asleep to.

Modern Family is a show about three related modern-day families from California who try to deal with their kids, quirky spouses and jobs in their own unique ways, often falling into hilarious situations. The show garnered huge popularity over the years, with the expertly written and delivered sitcom balancing comedy with morals and messages, that curate a light-hearted show that remains engaging throughout. This show is one that can be watched again and again, which makes it a good choice for a relaxing and enjoyable bedtime show.

Basketball provides viewers with easy-to-watch entertainment that can be paused and recorded, or watched as highlights, so even if you fall asleep you won't miss any moments.

The Big Bang Theory is a comedy about brilliant physicists, Leonard and Sheldon and their friends, who are the kind of "beautiful minds" that understand how the universe works. But none of that genius helps them interact with people, especially women. This show ended in 2019 after 12 seasons as a fan favorite. The witty comedy intertwined with heartfelt touching moments provided an enjoyable viewing experience that can be watched again and again.

Saturday Night Live (SNL) has been a staple of American night-time TV since its inception in the '70s. The premise of SNL is actors, comedians and artists get together to perform short, hilarious skits on current, intelligent and at times, ridiculous topics. SNL is the longest-running sketch comedy show in America and therefore may act as a comfort show with an element of re-watchability that makes it easy for many to fall asleep too.

The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom following working-class father Homer Simpson and his dysfunctional family, as they deal with comical situations and the ups and downs of life in the town of Springfield. With over 700 episodes, The Simpsons is one of the most popular and longest-running animated shows.

As the most popular sport in America, it is understandable that many Americans enjoy falling asleep to games, highlights, replays and other football-related shows. Sports provide comfortable watching that requires little interaction and engagement, which makes for a relaxing viewer experience that could help some fall asleep at night.

Bobs Burgers follows restaurateur, Bob Belcher, who deals with various situations while running his dream restaurant with the help of his uptight wife and their three underachieving kids. This adult animated sitcom is popular due to the cast's easy, affectionate back-and-forth and meshing comedic sensibilities of the cast. This easy-watching and relatable type of family dynamic makes it a good night-time choice to drift off to.

Seth MacFarlane's animated sitcom follows CIA agent Stan Smith, who is painfully dedicated to homeland security. His home life includes his ditzy housewife Francine, liberal daughter Hayley and socially awkward teenage son Steve. Also living in the family's home are Klaus, a goldfish with the brain of an East German Olympic ski jumper, and Roger, an escaped alien from Area 51, who Stan houses in defiance of his employer due to owing Roger a "life debt."

Family Guy, an animated sitcom also created by Seth MacFarlane, hits the #1 spot as the most popular show. The series has won 9 Emmys and is in its 21st season. The show follows no linear storyline and so can be watched in any order without the viewer feeling lost. The show follows the adventures of the Griffin family with endearingly ignorant Peter, housewife Lois and their three kids. Meg, the eldest child, is a social outcast, teenage Chris is awkward and clueless when it comes to the opposite sex and Stewie is their genius baby who is bent on killing his mother and destroying the world. To top it off, they have a talking dog, Brian, who keeps Stewie in check while sipping martinis and sorting through his own life issues. The light-hearted comedy is what makes it a perfect choice to fall asleep to.