After working the whole day, everybody wants to get a good sleep at the night. But some people may be facing sleep-related problems due to many reasons such as stress, anxiety, overthinking, drugs, health issues, etc. Following are some tips that may help to improve your sleep.
1. Create A Regular Sleep Routine
Keeping a regular sleep routine and schedule makes it easier for your body to maintain a healthy circadian rhythm. For this to happen, you must make a habit of going to bed and waking up at approximately the same time every day (holidays and weekends included). Not getting enough sleep at night might also make the situation worse. It would help if you thus planned your bedtime well to ensure you get at least 6 hours of sleep every night. Set the alarm to notify you whenever it’s time for bed and when to wake up. Avoid hitting snooze more than once, as this could disrupt your circadian rhythm.
2. Only Exercise In The Morning And Afternoons
While exercise is good for the body and overall health, experts advise against exercising too close to bedtime. If possible, consider getting your daily dose of exercise in the morning and afternoon hours, not later than 3 in the evening.
3. Limit Your Caffeine And Nicotine Intake
Caffeine and nicotine are potent stimulants that can interfere with one’s ability to sleep. Caffeine, for example, takes about 6 hours to leave the system. Drinking coffee or anything else with caffeine, such as colas, chocolate, and some teas, in the evening or a few hours before bedtime might make it hard to fall asleep or sleep well. Nicotine has an almost similar effect as well. Limiting your caffeine intake and quitting cigarette smoking can thus help improve your sleep patterns.
4. Don’t Drink At Night
Alcohol can be pretty disruptive, especially at night. Although it might seem to make one sleepy, it is one of the leading causes of sleep disruptions. Having too much to drink in the evening can also cause impaired breathing and force you to make repeated trips to the bathroom, hence dehydration. Avoid anything with alcohol 3-4 hours before bedtime for better sleep.
5. Only Have to Light Meals Before Bed
Heavy meals just before bedtime, or drinking too much (including water), can significantly impact your sleep patterns. Sleep experts recommend light snacking before bed and drinking enough water an hour or so before bedtime to avoid repeated trips to the bathroom.
6. Avoid Medications That May Disrupt Sleep
Most medications for asthma, blood pressure, and heart conditions may contain properties that inhibit sleep. While it wouldn’t be wise to quit taking your medicine, talk to your doctor to see if you can have your prescription changed. The doctor might even recommend taking the same medication but at different times to allow the drugs to work and get out of the system before bedtime.
7. Avoid Evening Naps
While a power nap in the afternoon is refreshing and rejuvenating, you don’t want to nap after 3. pm. Doing so will only disrupt your circadian rhythm.
8. Relax Before Bed
Always prepare your body and mind for bedtime. Engage in relaxing activities to help your heart rate and other processes slow down and ready for sleep. Reading a book, doing light yoga, deep breathing exercises, and listening to music might do the trick.
9. Consider A Hot Bath Before Bed
A hot shower raises your body temperature, which drops as soon as you leave the bathroom. With a lower ambient temperature, your body will start to relax, making you sleepy.
10. Create A sleep-friendly Environment
The state of the bedroom can make or break your sleep quality. A messy and disorganized bedroom, bright lights, noises, higher temperatures, and an uncomfortable bed make sleep almost impossible. Find out the best places to buy a mattress. Your bedroom should spell tranquillity and relaxation, a reason you want to keep it neat, organized, and comfortable. It should be free of key distractors, including TVs, phones, and computers. Invest in a good comfortable bed to top it all.
