Giving your body a healthy amount of sleep is perhaps the biggest favor you can do for your body. A good night’s sleep along with regular work out and a healthy diet is considered as the most basic way to keep your body healthy. Similarly, a lack of proper sleep can give rise to a number of health problems such as obesity, stress, high blood pressure, heart disease, etc. We will therefore be talking about a number of tips that can help you achieve a better sleep health, so keep reading,
#01 The Right Quantity
It has been proved by numerous studies that getting adequate sleep is an important part of physical health and yet a large number of people around the globe find themselves asking what is a healthy amount of sleep. The answer to that question is of course subjected to your age but most sleep experts recommend that somewhere between 7 to 9 hours of uninterrupted sleep for adults should suffice.
#02 Sleep Schedule
The perfect way to achieve the right quantity of sleep is to follow a sleep schedule diligently. Make sure that you are waking up and sleeping every day almost around the same time so that your body can naturally shut down when you start reaching your bedtime. Set a bedtime that is practical and make sure that you follow it every day, even on weekends. Keeping up with a schedule like this sure means that you have to limit the partying and late hours but it also extremely rewarding in the long run.
#03 Regular Work-Out
A good sleep health is one of the many benefits that you receive when you regularly exercise. Even light aerobic exercises for somewhere around 30 minutes a day have proven to be very helpful in fixing a broken sleep schedule. Exercising is particularly good for regulating the levels of the body’s stress hormone called cortisol. Work-out sessions are best when placed in the morning or in the afternoon as heightened body temperature and stimulating effect of exercise can make it harder for someone to fall asleep if done too close to the bedtime.
#04 Relax
Too much stress and anxiety can lead to a disrupted sleep cycle which is why you must take some time out of your busy schedule and relax for a while. Engage in activities that help soothe your mind and body such as meditation and yoga. There are yoga poses that are particularly well suited to be practiced before bedtime. Make it a habit to follow a bedtime ritual where you follow certain activities that unwind your mind after the day’s toil. Taking a hot bath with essential oils, listening to soft music, reading a book, etc., are some of the best bedtime rituals that you can follow.
#05 Avoid Stimulants
We have all heard about the stimulating effect of coffee and it’s boosting effect in the morning. However, the same stimulating effects can prove pretty harmful if products which contain caffeine are taken past late afternoon. You should similarly avoid drinking alcohol before bedtime as it can disrupt the later part of your sleep stages, thus reducing the quality of your overall sleep. Alcohol also happens to be a natural diuretic which means that you will find yourself making extra trips to the bathroom and creating further interruptions for your sleep.
#06 Light Exposure
Though easily overlooked, exposure to natural sunlight is one of the best ways to achieve a healthier way of life. Not only is it a good source of vitamin D but also helpful in regulating the body’s circadian rhythm which is in turn responsible for maintaining the sleep-wake cycle of the body. Exercising or taking a walk in the morning is therefore a good way to expose your body to the daylight. However, you must avoid exposure to any bright light after sunset as it can suppress the secretion of the body’s natural sleep hormone known as melatonin. This is also the reason why sleep experts suggest abstaining from using electronic devices that emit blue light close to the bedtime.
#07 Find the Right Mattress
It is often seen that people compromise with a good sleep quality because they are prolonging the use of an old mattress or because of the fact that they are sleeping on one that is not ideal for them. There are plenty of different mattress types out there in the market such as innerspring, hybrid, memory foam, organic, etc. Mattresses nowadays are made with different types of sleepers in mind based on their sleeping position and weight, among other traits. Go through the insidebedroom website and find yourself a mattress that is firm enough to support your body’s natural alignment yet comfortable enough to provide a peaceful night of sleep.
#08 Use the Bed Only for Sleeping
Of the many unhealthy practices that people follow in their everyday life, one of the worst is using your bed for activities other than sleeping. Make sure that activities like eating, watching TV, working, sitting etc., is never done on the bed as it makes it harder for the mind to associate the bed with the sole purpose of sleeping. Reserving the bed only for the act of sleeping can make it easier for one to fall asleep. Try placing a piece of furniture or a chair in one part of your room so that you do not have to rely on your bed every time.
Bottom line:
If you are going through this article to make amendments in sleeping habits, you have already taken the first step. We therefore hope that you will similarly be able to follow the rest of the step for a good consistent sleep for life changing impacts.
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