5 tips for better sleep

It’s a well-known fact that sleep is essential for your overall health and well-being. Considering that you spend one-third of your life sleeping, it only makes sense how important sleep is. However, even with that well-known fact, getting enough sleep is still one of the things that people tend to have a hard time achieving. That’s because sleep is easily overlooked and is often replaced by overtime hours at work or endless scrolling of your gadget screens.

Not getting enough sleep for one night may affect your mood and energy the next day. However, depriving yourself of sleep every single night will not only affect your energy, but can increase your risk of having severe health problems. The thing is, there’s no one else who is in control of the quality of your sleep except you. Fortunately, there are numerous tips that you can try to help you get a night of better sleep.

If you’re struggling with your sleep hygiene, read on below for some tips in getting a good night’s sleep that you deserve:

Improve Your Sleep Environment

Your sleep environment is your bedroom. To make sure you get a healthy night’s sleep, your bedroom must be ideal for that activity. That means getting yourself the most comforting mattress, pillows, sheets, and cozy room lighting. When it comes to your mattress, make sure you invest in the type of mattress that perfectly suits the kind of sleeper that you are. To give you more idea, you can refer to this post about different types of mattresses and which kind of sleepers they suit best. Besides the mattress, your pillow must also be functional enough to support your neck regardless of your sleeping positions.

In addition to the quality of your bed, your bedroom must also be cool and dark enough for you. A bedroom that lacks ventilation will only make you too uncomfortable to sleep. As for the lights, make sure they’re dim as overly bright bulbs will only disrupt your sleep and make your brain think that it’s still daytime. In case your bedroom is located near a noisy city or neighbourhood, you can use earplugs to cancel out the noise from outside. The more comfortable your bedroom is, the easier it is for your brain to pick up the signal that it’s time to sleep.

Start A Healthy Bedtime Routine

Aside from improving your sleeping environment, it’s also recommended that you start a healthy bedtime routine. Establishing bedtime routines will help your brain and body know that it’s time to sleep. Such routines can include taking a warm shower, listening to soothing music, or doing meditation. Avoid doing stimulating activities such as bringing your paperwork into bed, watching TV, or scrolling on your screen. These will only activate your brain more and prevent it from naturally releasing sleep-inducing hormones like melatonin.

Establish A Sleeping Schedule

Every person needs to create a healthy sleeping schedule. A sleeping schedule means sleeping and waking up at the same time every day. This schedule will strengthen the sleep-wake cycle of your body, otherwise known as the circadian rhythm.  Following a consistent sleeping schedule will not only improve your sleep quality, but it will also be way easier for you to sleep every night and wake up in the morning without an alarm. That’s because your brain and body rely on your circadian rhythm when it comes to your sleepiness and wakefulness.

Watch Your Eating And Drinking Habits

Your eating and drinking habits can also affect the quality of your sleep. It’s best recommended to take your dinner, at least, two to three hours before your bedtime so that your digestive system can have time to process and digest your food before you wind down. Eating when it’s close to bedtime can only stimulate your brain as your digestive system is still at work, making it harder to sleep. You’re also prone to experience constipation or discomfort in the stomach if you eat large servings during the night.

The same goes for your drinking habits. As much as possible, avoid drinking caffeine as it’s known to be very disruptive of sleep. If you find it hard to go a day without caffeine in your body, you may limit your intake instead and ensure you don’t drink any caffeine, at least, seven to eight hours before your bed time.

Manage Your Stress

When you’re stressed and anxious, it can be difficult for you to sleep. To manage your stress, you can do calming activities before your bedtime such as yoga, journaling, or meditation. You can also help yourself with a cup of chamomile tea as it’s known to help your mind wind down and help you fall asleep faster.

Wrapping Up

Nothing feels better than waking up after a good night’s sleep. You’ll feel fully refreshed, with a whole new set of energy to take on another day. Thus, start incorporating those tips mentioned in your lifestyle and get that quality sleep that you deserve.