Have you been feeling crabby lately? Or simply worn out? This may be because you have not been getting enough sleep. Do you want to know how to sleep better? read what Doyinsola Fagoyinbo has to share.
Some factors can interfere with a good night’s sleep — from pressure at work and family responsibilities to unexpected challenges, such as layoffs, relationship issues or illnesses. It’s no wonder that quality sleep is sometimes elusive.
Even though you may not be able to control all of the factors that interfere with your sleep, you can still adopt habits that encourage better sleep. Start with these simple sleep tips.
How to Getting Better Sleep
Stick to a sleep schedule
Make sure you go to bed and get up at the same time every day, even on weekends, holidays and days off.
Being consistent reinforces your body’s sleep-wake cycle and helps promote better sleep at night.
There’s a caveat, though. If you don’t fall asleep within about 15 minutes, get up and do something relaxing like yoga then go back to bed when you’re feeling tired.
If you agonize over falling asleep, you might find it even tougher to nod off.
Pay attention to your diet
Never go to bed either hungry or stuffed. That feeling of discomfort might keep you up.
Limit how much you drink before bed, to prevent disruptive middle-of-the-night trips to the toilet.
Limit Nicotine, caffeine and alcohol too. The stimulating effects of nicotine and caffeine take hours to wear off and can wreak havoc on quality sleep. And even though alcohol might make you feel fall asleep at first, it can disrupt sleep later in the night.
Create a bedtime ritual
Do the same things every night to let your body know it’s time to wind down.
You can try taking a warm bath or shower, reading a book, or listening to soothing music — preferably with the lights dimmed.
Relaxing activities can help promote better sleep by easing the transition between wakefulness and drowsiness.
Do not use the TV or other electronic devices as part of your bedtime ritual. Some research suggests that screen time or other media use before bedtime interferes with sleep.
Make yourself comfortable
Make sure your room is ideal for relaxing. Often, this means cool, dark and quiet.
Try using room-darkening shades, earplugs, a fan or other devices to create an environment that suits your needs.
Your mattress and pillow can contribute to better sleep, too. Since the features of good bedding are subjective, choose what feels most comfortable to you.
If you share your bed, make sure there’s enough room for two.
Limit your daytime naps
Long daytime naps can interfere with your nighttime sleep, especially if you’re struggling with insomnia or poor sleep quality at night.
If you choose to nap during the day, it shouldn’t be more than 10 to 30 minutes and make it during the midafternoon.
If your work is at nights, you’ll need to make an exception to the rules about daytime sleeping.
In this case, keep your window coverings closed so that sunlight, which adjusts your internal clock will not interrupt your daytime sleep.
Go physically during the day
Regular physical activity can help you promote better sleep. It helps you to fall asleep faster and to enjoy deeper sleep.
Although the timing is critical. If you exercise too close to bedtime, you might be too energized to fall asleep.
If this seems to be an issue for you, use earlier in the day.
Manage stress
When you have too much to do and too much to think about, you may find it hard to sleep at night.
To sleep well, consider healthy ways to manage stress. Start with the basics, such as getting organized, setting priorities and delegating tasks.
Take a break when you need one. Go out with an old friend. Before bed, jot down what’s on your mind and then set it aside for tomorrow.
Nearly everyone deals with an occasional sleepless night, but if you often have trouble sleeping, make sure you contact your doctor.
Identifying and treating any underlying causes can help you get better sleep.
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