Getting a good night’s sleep is very important. This is because it can keep you physically as well as mentally healthy. Plus, it can make you feel more energetic, augment your productivity, and diminish your fatigue level. However, a lot of people struggle with getting a good sleep. They feel that it is impossible when they’re awake in the middle of the night.
Let me tell you that getting a nice sleep is not at all impossible, even if it would sound hard at first. You just have to adopt some healthy sleeping habits into your everyday schedule and you’re done. It is what that can transform your sleepless nights into a deep slumber.
We’ve jotted down 5 healthy ways that can aid you in boosting your sleep quality over time. These ways are not just said by anyone but advocated by researchers. Popularly called ‘sleep hygiene,’ these sleeping habits and practices can help you in maximizing your sleeping hours, including the people who have difficulty in sleeping owing to insomnia, shift work, or jet lag.
- Avoid alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine
You’d have heard this point before, but most likely you’ve not implemented it yet. Do it right away! I don’t want any excuses. I know you love caffeine, so take it but avoid consuming it at least 4-6 hours before you go to sleep.
The same goes for alcohol, nicotine, and all such chemicals. This is because these chemicals disrupt your sleep. Coffee works as a stimulant that keeps you awake. It is found in tea, chocolate, coffee, cola, and a few pain relievers.
- Change your bedroom ambience
Your bedroom environment should be sleep-inducing, which means it should be cool, dark, and quiet. This can aid you in getting sound zzzs. Some of the ways of doing this are:
- Keep the temperature of your bedroom comfortably cool, which can be somewhere around 60 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Make use of blackout shades, heavy curtains, or an eye mask in order to obstruct light.
- Curtail outside noises with the use of a ‘white noise’ appliance or earplugs.
- Sleep on a comfortable mattress as well as a suitable mattress topper, which can relax your body at night and thwart back ache.
- Create a calming pre-sleep custom
Before you go to bed, indulge in relaxing and soothing activities that help you in falling asleep. This can be done an hour or so before bedtime. Some of the tips include:
- Take a bath
- Read a book
- Practice relaxation exercises
- Watch television
- Listen to music
- Sleep when you are actually exhausted
If you’re not able to fall asleep, then it’s better you don’t do it rather than feeling cranky. The best practice to know that you are having problems with sleeping is to check if you are able to sleep within 20 minutes of lying on the bed. If not, just get out of the bed, go to a different room, and do point 3 of this article. This means to indulge in relaxing activities like listening to music or reading until you finally feel tired to sleep.
- Don’t watch the clock at night
When you are trying to sleep or wake up in the middle of the night, don’t watch the clock. This can add to your stress and thus make it harder to doze off. If you are a nighttime clock-watcher, just turn the face of the clock.
So, these are the 5 sleep habits that must be incorporated into your everyday sleep regime. By following these tips you can get the sleep you always fancied and thus stay healthy in every sense.