Sally JohnsonSleep issues creep up on people at different points in their lives. We have all had those restless nights, especially during intensive periods of life. Research shows that long-term sleep deprivation causes serious health conditions such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and Alzheimer’s disease. These major diseases impact many people in the US and around the world. As a result, it is worth checking out our list of the best 11 tips on sleeping better.
11 Tips On Sleeping Better
#1- Find Time to Relax
Scientists attribute stress to most of the sleeping disorders around the world. You can relieve stress by reading a novel, taking a warm bath, or listening to soft music before going to bed. Moreover, you can write a to-do list before going to bed to free your mind of worrying about tomorrow’s list of things to do.
#2- Develop a Sleep Routine
Having a regular sleeping and waking time contribute to healthy sleep. Many people watch movies till late in the night before going to bed. This can cause major sleeping issues.
Try and stick to a routine. Find a time that works best for you and stick with it.
#3- Avoid Electronic Gadgets Before Bed
Smartphones, TVs, computers and other electronic gadgets are known to interfere with sleep quality. They have bright screens and radio waves that make sleep very difficult. The blue light from these devices suppresses a sleep hormone known as melatonin.
Therefore, it is best practice to stop using the electronic devices at least one hour before sleep. Try and turn off your gadgets by 9:00 pm every night.
#4- Make Your Bedroom Comfortable
Equip your bedroom with comfortable bedding and temperature control systems. Studies have shown that bedrooms with pale colors can contribute to better sleep. Additionally, pleasant smells such as geranium and lavender provide a soothing setting for sleep.
#5- Don’t Stay Awake Watching the Clock
Looking at your clock throughout the night can make it difficult to get quality sleep. The remedy is to focus on calm thoughts rather than turning around to look at the clock after every few minutes. If you need an alarm you can turn the clock around to prevent seeing the time.
#6- Foods for Sleep
Studies show that healthy foods improve sleep significantly. Foods that are beneficial for healthy sleep include chicken, milk, pumpkin seeds and turkey. These foods contain chemicals known as serotonin and tryptophan. These chemicals stimulate the release of melatonin, which promotes sleep.
You can also take a sleep supplement, but make sure to take a high-quality sleep aid. Stay away from inexpensive, poorly made formulas.
#7- Avoid Sleep Killing Foods
Poor sleep can creep up if you consume alcohol, spicy foods, and large meals a few hours before bedtime. Also, coffee late in the afternoon affects sleep.
You should also avoid sugary foods before going to bed. Sugars found in these foods lead to energy spikes that can hamper your sleep. Studies have shown that people who have problems sleeping tend to eat junk foods the day prior. This habit creates a cycle of bad diet and poor sleep, so you should avoid sugary foods at all cost.
#8- Switch Off Lights
Darkness promotes good sleep. People sleep when it is dark and wake up in the morning when the sun rises. A great way to reduce your light exposure at night is to consider buying inexpensive lamps that come with a dimmer switch.
You can also get blackout curtains. This helps with reducing the amount of light that comes through your windows, this is especially helpful if you live in a city (with street lights).
#9- Keeping Fit Helps with Sleep Quality
A great way to keep fit is by engaging in physical activities. Exercise boosts not only your sleep but also your overall body health. Try and engage in a 30-minute workout daily – the benefits are amazing! Some individuals find it hard to sleep if they engage in physical activity a few hours before bedtime. Overall, you will get a better sleep if you exercise daily.
#10- Spend the Right Time in Bed
To get a good sleep every night you should aim to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep consistently on a daily basis. However, the number of hours varies greatly depending on an individual. Everyone’s phenotype is different, but typically spending more than 9 hours in bed can lead to a poor sleeping habit for the average person.
#11- Focus on the Sleep Quality
Many people focus on the amount of time spent sleeping rather than the sleep quality they are receiving. Research shows that there are five stages of sleep, each with its significance. In short summary, there are iterative phases before reaching deep sleep.
So even disruptions like getting up to go to the toilet in the middle of your sleep can make you fail to complete all stages. In this case, you should avoid taking too much liquid just before bedtime and regulating the timing of when dinner is had.
Many people around the world have sleep-related problems. It leads to poor health and low productivity in the workplace. Most of the people fail to get healthy sleep because of the poor lifestyle habits. Making a few simple changes by following these 11 tips on sleeping better can have a massive impact on your life!
