For busy people who have developed irregular sleep habits: What are the tips for getting a good night's sleep, even in a short amount of time?

Do you often find yourself spending most of your day at work, collapsing into bed and falling asleep as soon as you get home, pulling all-nighters, or catching up on sleep on weekends? Do you try to get enough sleep, but your busy work schedule keeps you up late every night? For those with busy lives, here are some tips for getting high-quality sleep efficiently, even if you only have a short amount of time.

Are you aware? The causes of irregular sleep habits

Poor quality sleep due to work pressure and stress

When you're under intense anxiety or tension, your nerves can become overstimulated, making it difficult to sleep. This is because the sympathetic nervous system, which boosts brain and body activity, is dominant. For those with busy and high-pressure jobs, a continuous state of tension keeps the sympathetic nervous system constantly dominant, making it difficult for the body to switch to "off-mode." As a result, your brain and body continue to work even while you sleep, leading to an unnoticed accumulation of fatigue.

Disruption of the body clock due to catching up on sleep on weekends

Many people who are busy with work and don't get enough sleep during the week try to compensate by catching up on sleep on the weekends. However, catching up on sleep on the weekends does not improve sleep. The reason is that sleeping until midday on weekends shifts your body clock, making it harder to fall asleep that night and causing "jet lag" where you can't wake up easily on Monday morning. As a result, you can easily fall into a vicious cycle of feeling sluggish at the start of the week.

Consumption of caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine before bed

Consuming caffeine, alcohol, or nicotine right before bed excites the brain and makes it harder to fall asleep. Some people drink alcohol as a "nightcap," and while it might help them fall asleep, they are more likely to wake up in the latter half of sleep as the alcohol is broken down and leaves the body, thus degrading sleep quality.

Effects of disrupted sleep rhythm

Can irregular sleep habits lead to obesity?!

It's often said that "lack of sleep causes weight gain." This is because being awake longer requires more calories, leading to increased calorie intake. Additionally, sleep deprivation lowers satiety hormones, making you feel hungry more easily. Just two days of sleep deprivation can reduce hormones that suppress appetite, while increasing the secretion of ghrelin, a hormone that boosts appetite, leading to increased hunger. If you've been feeling busy lately and think you might have gained some weight, does this situation apply to you?

Becoming easily irritable and noticing others' flaws more often

If irregular sleep habits persist, the amygdala in the brain becomes overactive. The amygdala is the part of the human brain that controls emotions. When it becomes overactive, the stress response, which aims to protect oneself, functions abnormally, leading to mistakes such as noticing only others' flaws, becoming easily irritable, or making incorrect judgments based on numerical data. To prevent a decline in internal communication caused by such effects of irregular sleep habits, an increasing number of companies are actively working to improve sleep habits.

For busy people: Sleep habits that are effective even in a short amount of time!

Can you wake up refreshed even with short sleep? Waking up during "REM sleep"

Sleep consists of two types: deep sleep called "non-REM sleep" and lighter sleep called "REM sleep." These two types of sleep repeat in cycles of approximately 90 minutes. If you sleep according to this cycle, you can achieve deep sleep even in a short amount of time. Since multiples of 90 minutes are ideal for deep sleep, aim to wake up at 1.5 hours (90 minutes), 3 hours (180 minutes), 4.5 hours (270 minutes), 6 hours (360 minutes), 7.5 hours (450 minutes), or 9 hours (540 minutes). The best timing for short sleep is said to be 4.5 hours (270 minutes). Calculate your wake-up time, set an alarm, and try this smart deep sleep habit.

Activate your brain with a nap that is three times as effective as night sleep

A daytime nap is three times as effective as nighttime sleep, and a nap of about 20 minutes can activate your brain and boost your performance in the afternoon. The reason for the effectiveness of a nap is that within about 20 minutes of falling asleep, you reach a light sleep level where your brain processes and organizes information and memories, thus resetting itself. If a nap lasts longer than 30 minutes, you enter deep sleep, which can make it harder to wake up, so try to keep naps to around 20 minutes.

Create an environment for deep sleep, even for a short time!

Perhaps the most influential factor in sleep quality is bedding, such as mattresses. Choose something that is soft and comfortable to the touch, and helps alleviate daily stress. A mattress with a Tencel fabric top cover is recommended because it offers a stress-free, very comfortable sleeping experience, is quick-drying, and keeps you feeling dry and comfortable even if you sweat. Additionally, to avoid disturbing your body clock, dim the lights in your room before bedtime and reduce the amount of light entering your eyes.

Since everyone has a different lifestyle, everyone's sleep habits are also different. In today's busy world, it's very difficult to correct sleep habits, but by starting with what you can and consciously making gradual improvements, your life might become completely different from how it is now.