For those that struggle to sleep, going to bed can seem like a pointless task that ends in frustration. As a result, multiple late nights, TV binging, and days spent tired turn your body clock upside down.
A lack of sleep can play havoc with your physical and mental health. Therefore, it’s crucial that you try and regain a healthy pattern. While you may not control all the factors that impact your sleep, you can change some habits and adopt a healthy routine. By doing this, you’ll achieve a higher quality of nighttime rest.
In this article, we’ll share our top tips to improve your night routine to encourage better sleep.
Make a Schedule and Stick to It
A healthy adult needs around eight hours of sleep to recharge fully. In this time, the inner workings of your body will be hard at work, doing all sorts of amazing things.
However, the saying ‘too much of a good thing’ is true in this instance. Sleeping over your needed eight hours will not benefit you. In fact, you’ll wake up feeling sluggish and unmotivated for the day.
It’s for this reason that schedule is crucial for healthy sleep. Try to go to bed around the same time every night, allowing maybe an hour or so for late nights on weekends. You should also aim to get up at the same time every morning. By doing this, you’ll establish a healthy sleep-wake cycle.
If you find some nights are harder to fall asleep than others, don’t hang around in bed, getting frustrated. Get up after 20 minutes of trying, read a book, meditate, or listen to music to relax and try again.
Exercise More
Now you’ve made a schedule; it’s time to make our body tired. However, this doesn’t mean working out before bed. Doing so can hinder your sleep because of the release in hormones that kickstart your adrenaline.
Instead, you should opt for working out in the morning or early afternoon so that you get the full benefit of your exercise. By the end of the day, your body can’t wait to get into bed to rest and repair.
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Be Mindful of What You Eat and Drink
Particular food and drinks will have an adverse effect on our ability to drift off into dreamland. Therefore, consuming caffeine and nicotine before bed is your worst enemy. They are both stimulants that take hours to wear off. As a result, you should avoid cigarettes, chocolate, coffee, and fizzy drinks in the afternoon.
You should also make sure you’re not going to bed on an empty stomach or a stuffed one. Both of these factors could cause you some discomfort in the middle of the night that’ll wake you up. If you’re hungry, have a light snack and try not to eat a large meal if you’re planning to go to bed in a few hours.
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Create a Healthy Sleep Environment
You should also make your bedroom a healthy environment to fall asleep in. For each individual, this could mean a variety of things. However, generally speaking, you need to ensure that the space is dark, quiet, cool, and ventilated.
You may also want to ensure your linens are comfortable and not too warm or clingy. Moreover, if your mattress is uncomfortable, you’re going to have a hard time relaxing for a peaceful night.
There are various models to choose from, all with different firmnesses and benefits. Many people opt for a memory foam mattress that curves to but supports your body. This Old House has a post about it, which will teach you all you need to know before considering purchasing one.
Lastly, you should rid the space of light-emitting technology. The blue light from your mobile phone, TV, or tablet reduces melatonin production. It controls your circadian rhythm, making it harder to fall asleep.
Reading social media posts may seem like a good idea to lull yourself to sleep, but it actually has the opposite effect.
Final Words
A positive sleep pattern is the foundation of good health. To achieve this, you need to begin by creating a realistic schedule that allows you to sleep for eight hours a night. Then it’s crucial you get enough exercise to tire out your body.
When it comes to the evening, make sure you aren’t hindering your sleep in any way. Don’t consume anything that’ll keep you awake and prepare your bedroom for optimal relaxation so that you can drift off soundly.
