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Get better sleep at night with these 7 proven tips

6th January 2021 Print
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Very few things are more important ensuring you get a good dose of sleep every night. It impacts your emotional, physical, and mental wellbeing. This is not to forget that sleep deprivation can affect your body in a myriad of ways, potentially increasing your risk of chronic ailments like diabetes and heart disease, depression, mood disorders, and even sexual incapacity. During sleep, the body gets a chance to conduct the necessary tune-ups, self-repair, healing, and regeneration at a cellular level. Once the system reboots adequately, you can wake up the next morning feeling lively and energetic. 

However, sleep problems such as insomnia are quite common among populations. They can stem from a wide range of issues, but the most common causes are well known. These common culprits revolve around your sleep environment, nutritional habits, lifestyle, and everyday activities, among others. Have you been having trouble sleeping lately? The best solution is to consult your physician but before that, there are some changes you can make to improve your sleep quality and quantity. In this piece, we will shed some light on things you can do to sleep better every night. 

1. Adjust Your Bedroom Environment 

Your bedroom environment plays a pivotal role in determining the type of sleep you will be getting. If you have been having sleep issues lately, make sure your bedroom is free from distractions such as noise and unnecessary light. This includes artificial light from gadget screens, alarm clocks, and anything else that may disrupt your sleep or make it difficult to enter your slumber. 

Your bedroom also needs to spell relaxation by being clean and cozy. Most importantly, your bed and bedding should be selected to ensure the utmost comfort. It happens that uncomfortable temperature is a common cause of concern among people who experience sleep problems. As Julia Quade and her fellows from Sleep Authorities weigh in on the subject, the ideal bedroom environment should address temperature regulation. This should linger in your mind as you purchase your bedding and mattress. Thanks to technology, you can now enjoy a good night’s sleep without worrying about your heating and cooling bills at the end of the month. This is possible with climate control systems for beds. These accessories can make a huge difference in your life as far as getting enough quality sleep is concerned.  

2. Increase the Time You Are Exposed To Light during the Day

Our bodies have something called the circadian rhythm, which affects the brain, body, and hormones. This circadian rhythm affects when you will be awake and when you are going to be asleep. Exposure to sunlight during the day is essential in keeping your circadian rhythm healthy by improving your daytime energy. In turn, the quality of your night sleep is also improved.

3. Avoid Exposure to Blue Light at Night

Exposure to light during the day has great benefits as far as the quality of your night sleep is concerned. However, you need to avoid the same light during the night. Exposing your body to light before slumber can make it assume it’s still day time. This reduces the production of sleep regulation hormones like melatonin, which is essential in regulating deep sleep and relaxation. Blue light is produced by electronic devices such as smartphones and computers. If you are looking forward to a good night's sleep, you need to avoid these devices during the night.

4. Avoid Late Evening Caffeine 

Almost 90% of the human population especially in the U.S. consume caffeine. This is because it's known to have numerous benefits. A single dose enhances your performance and focus. When taking in the evening, however, the nervous system is stimulated and may hinder you from naturally relaxing at night. Caffeine can stay up to 8 hours in your body, which makes it essential to avoid taking this stimulant a few hours before your normal bedtime.

5. Avoid Long Daytime Naps

Power naps are very helpful in re-energizing your body. However, long and irregular naps end up ruining your nighttime sleep. When you are used to taking daytime naps, you tend to become sleepier during the day. If you must take a quick nap during the day, make sure it's regular and not too long.

6. Have a Consistent Sleeping Schedule 

The circadian rhythm works in a loop. Naturally, it aligns itself with the sunrise and the sunset. Changing the time you go to bed and wake up disrupts the rhythm and lowers the levels of melatonin in your body. This translates to poor sleep quality. If you are having sleep troubles, try going to bed and waking up at similar times. After some time, you won't even need to have an alarm.

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7. Relax Your Mind Right Before Hoping To Bed

Most people have something that helps them relax their minds and bodies right before going to bed. If you are having trouble sleeping, you need to look for something that will help you relax before going to bed. This might be listening to music, reading a book, or even a hot bath. Look for something that works for you. It will play quite a huge role in improving your sleep quality.

The importance of adequate quality sleep can never be overemphasized. Your overall health and wellbeing depend on it in so many ways. The above are just a few tips you can borrow to improve the quality and quantity of your slumber.

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