Just as a healthy diet and regular exercise are important to your body. So is a good night’s sleep. Sleep plays a role in having good health. Having good sleep at night helps to exercise better, be healthier, and also eat less. Many people sleep poorly due to reasons best known to them, and in return, they face the repercussions. Would you like to make sleep a priority and sleep better at night? Here are tips to help you have a restful sleep each night.
- Get a cozy mattress, pillow, and bed
Are you wondering why the night spent in hotels are always better? The reason is that aside from having a serene and relaxing environment, they also have high-quality beds, pillow, and mattress. New and high-quality beddings apart, from improving quality of sleep it has other benefits such as reducing shoulder pain, back pain, among others, and also enhances better sleep. If one wishes to improve the bedding, it is good to base your decision on preference or invest in quality purple mattress and quality beddings.
- Lessen long or irregular naps
Having long or irregular naps in the day reduces your sleep quality. Such naps make someone have difficulty sleeping at night. Sometimes, after napping, one ends up being much sleepier in the day. To counteract having poor sleep at night, have regular and short allocated time for the daytime naps, for instance, napping for 30 minutes or even less. Routinely napping will help to increase daytime brain function and making night sleep better.
- Clear and relax your mind in the evening.
Trying to clear and relax your mind at least every day before going to bed as it improves sleep quality. Also, it helps treat diseases such as insomnia. Having a relaxing massage or a pre-sleep routine improves the quality of sleep in all persons. Ways of relaxing could be reading a book, taking a hot bath, listening to relaxing music, visualization, deep breathing, among others. So, pick what best works for you.
- Increase light exposure during the day
Natural sunlight helps keep your circadian rhythm at par with your body, help you stay awake and tells the body when it is time for sleep. Energy obtained during the day improves nighttime sleep duration. People with insomnia or very severe sleep problems should expose themselves to daylight for enough hours. If getting everyday sunlight exposure is a bit difficult, someone can try bulbs or the artificial bright light.
- Avoid drinking liquids before bedtime
Drinking fluids before going to bed may result in too much urination in the course of the night. As a result, it affects daytime energy and quality of sleep. Even though hydration is essential for your health, it is best to take fluids if need be in the late evening. Make an effort of not taking fluids 1-2 hours before going to bed. It is also good to visit the bathroom immediately before going to bed since it will decrease the chances of waking up in the middle of the night.
- Have a sleep routine
Being regular with sleep and waking up times can help with the long term sleep quality. Your body circadian rhythm functions on the design loop and aligns itself with sunrise and sunset. Varying sleep patterns alter levels of melatonin and circadian rhythm that alerts the brain to sleep. In case one is facing difficulty with sleep, try to practice going to bed and waking up at similar times.
- Avoid eating late
The type and quality of the evening snack also play a beneficial role in ensuring better sleep at night. It is best to eat more of your calories early in the day when an opportunity to be active, is easily seen. Eating heavy and large meals in the evening has been discovered to be a cause of high body fat, despite also causing an effect on sleep quality. A meal that is high in carb eaten a few hours before sleep may help one to fall asleep faster. Therefore, consuming a large meal before going to bed may lead to disruption of hormone and sleep, but where the need is to eat simple meals or snacks could be taken but a few minutes before bedtime.
