7 Ways To Help You Sleep Better at Night
Simple lifestyle changes can make a whole difference on the quantity and quality of your sleep.
Below are 7 ways to help you sleep:
- Maintain A Consistent Sleep Schedule
Creating a bedtime routine helps establish a restful sleep.
Choose a time when you are most likely to feel tired and sleepy and go to bed at the same time everyday to programme your body to sleep better.
Rituals such as taking a warm bath, putting on your pajamas and brushing your teeth are a great way to signal to the mind and body that it is time for sleep.
Be sure to set a time for "lights off" to keep your circadian rhythm in check.
- Try Relaxing Activities Before Sleep
Daytime worries activate the stress hormones that work against sleep so give yourself time to unwind before bed.
To relax, think about something positive, try deep breathing exercises, read a book, listen to quiet music, meditate, or do gentle yoga or stretching.
Closing your eyes and visualizing a scenario that makes you happy like a vacation on the beach, a favorite meal, or a soothing instrument is a great way to calm your mind and promote sleep.
- Track Your Sleep
Sleep tracker devices may help improve your sleep as they aim to help you gain a sense of control over your body and sleep environment to improve sleep. They can track your heart rate, breathing patterns, body temperature and sleep stages while you sleep.
Some bedside devices and bed sensors can also store information about the room environment such as temperature, humidity, ambient noise and light to help you recognize what is affecting your nighttime sleep.
- Create a Sleep-Friendly Atmosphere
The bed needs to be a stimulus for sleeping, not for wakefulness.
Temperature, lighting, and noise should be controlled so that your sleeping environment helps you to fall and stay asleep throughout the night. Some useful tips to help you sleep: dim the lights, turn off electronics, try different room temperatures and bedding, listen to soothing sounds or white noise if you can’t sleep in complete silence.
These are just a few great ways to help you sleep and set the mood.
- Exercise Regularly During The Day
A regular morning workout like jogging or swimming is ideal to boost the effect of natural sleep hormones by the end of the day. Whereas exercising too close to bedtime can actually be stimulating.
Gentle yoga or stretching before bedtime can help release tension and promote relaxation to sleep better at night.
- Pay More Attention To Your Diet
Don’t eat heavy foods and big meals too late, as they can affect the quality of your sleep. If you're hungry right before bed, eat a small healthy snack instead.
Alcohol may help you fall asleep initially, but it will wake you up and disrupt your sleep as soon as the effects wear off.
Caffeine and sugar are stimulants, which interfere with the process of falling asleep.
Therefore, replace your caffeine consumption with a herbal tea to ease insomnia.
- Ask For Help
Some health issues can deprive you from sleep such as anxiety disorders, arthritis, acid reflux, restless legs syndrome, and others conditions.
The first step toward getting better sleep is to see your doctor for an evaluation.