Tips for sleeping better at night, staying awake during the day

Tips to help you sleep better at night

It's National Nap Day! While it sounds tempting, sleep specialists at Sleep Practitioners in Macon say many adults actually have trouble falling asleep. Madison Cavalchire tells us how to sleep better at night and stay awake during the day.

If you're not a morning person, it can be hard to get up, but for some, it's even harder to stay awake.

"I do everything from drinking coffee, getting with my co-workers, getting out of the car, walking around, and checking on businesses," Bibb County Sheriff's Deputy Malcolm Bryant said.

Emily Battle is a Nurse Practitioner who specializes in sleep habits. She says if you can't stay awake during the day, it's probably because you're not sleeping well at night.

"People don't go to sleep on time or get enough sleep," Battle said. "They may stay up too late on the computer, or watching TV, or playing video games."

Battle says adults should get six to eight hours of sleep every day. If you want to fall asleep at night, she says you should avoid naps, but if you have to, "For a short amount of time," Battle said. "10 to 30 minutes and no longer."

She says exercise can help you sleep better at night, but don't work out too close to bedtime.

There are even apps like Sleep Cycle that help you track and regulate your sleeping patterns. Battle says apps can help you go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day, but that can be difficult for those who work odd shifts, like Bibb County Deputy Malcolm Bryant.

"The world doesn't stop going just because you have to go to sleep because you have to work the night shift," Bryant said.

Bryant says distractions make it hard to sleep during the day, but Battle says no matter what shift you work, a regular sleep schedule is vital to your health.

If you're having trouble sleeping, Battle says ask your doctor about conducting a sleep study.

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