A good night’s sleep is essential for your health and well-being. Lack of sleep can make you foggy and grumpy. You will start noticing a reduction in your energy levels, your emotional balance will go haywire, and it will affect your weight too in the long run. If you are one of those who struggle to get the sleep you need each night, then these tips are for you-
Follow a schedule
Following a regular schedule will help you sleep better and wake up energized. Most people do well with a quota of 8 hours. It is important you stick to the same time every day, i.e., you must go to bed and wake up at the same time and you must follow the same schedule religiously. Even on weekends and holidays, try to maintain the same schedule.
Keep an eye on what you consume
Your eating and drinking habits play a major role in your good night’s sleep. First, you must never go to bed either hungry or with a heavy stomach. This is likely to cause discomfort while sleeping.
Secondly, nicotine, caffeine, and alcohol can also interfere with your sleep. Nicotine and caffeine provide a stimulating effect, which takes hours to wear off, causing a chaos in your sleep cycle. When it comes to alcohol, it makes you sleepy in the beginning, but later it will create a discomfort and disturb your sleep.
What can you do? Avoid consuming caffeine toward the later part of the evening, and try to quit smoking or try not to smoke at least 2 hours before you go to bed. Also, avoid eating protein at bedtime.
Create a peaceful environment
Your room is your heaven. It is important to keep it clean and comfortable. Create an ideal environment for sleeping. Invest in best mattress, buy some good sheets and pillows. Make sure your room is cool, dark and quiet before you go to bed. You can also keep a few indoor plants and use a soothing diffuser with a lavender essential oil to help you with it. You can also do relaxing activities before you hit the sack, such as taking a bath, meditation, etc.
Don’t go for daytime naps
Long naps during the day can interfere with your nighttime sleep. If you must, you can opt for a power nap for 15-20 minutes, but avoid longer naps.
Exercise regularly
If you start practicing regular physical activity, it will not only keep you healthy, but it will also help you sleep better. You can start slow at the beginning if you aren’t used to it. You can go for walks, take up a sport, dancing, etc. However, avoid being too active before your bedtime. If you want to, you can take a relaxing stroll to soothe your nerves.
Beat that stress
Don’t take stress to bed. Make sure you associate your bed with relaxation and not as a platform to review your stress. You can practice meditation, journaling or create a to-do-list for the next day to help you relax. If something is still bothering you, listen to your favourite music. It is like a therapy that helps you calm down. You can also learn a relaxation technique like progressive muscle relaxation and practice it in bed.
Filter out electronics
It is important to shut down all your electronics at least an hour before you go to bed. This is because the light emitted by the electronics can be disruptive. Also, most television shows are stimulating rather than relaxing, leaving you staring at the ceiling for most part of the night. Invest in a sleeping mask if you live in a surrounding lit at all hours.
If even after following all the tips and tricks you are having trouble sleeping, then it is best to consult a doctor. Your doctor will identify the underlying problem and provide the necessary treatment.
