It is always a good idea to sleep better. It allows the body to rest and rejuvenate, making you better equipped to perform daily functions. Adequate sleep also has other benefits, including reducing your risk of diseases. However, not everyone sleeps well enough. Several things can contribute to the lack of sleep. However, you need to be able to sleep better regardless of the reasons. In this article, you will find five proven tips to help you sleep better and have a restful night. Some of these include changes to your diet, bedroom, or nighttime habits.
Five Tips To Help You Sleep Better
Spend Time in the Sunlight and Reduce Blue Light Exposure
The circadian rhythm is very important to the body in making you sleep better. Expose yourself to natural sunlight for some time during the day to keep your circadian rhythm healthy. This will improve your daytime energy and help you rest better. In a 2017 study, researchers discovered that when over 100 office workers were exposed to a lot of light during the day, they fell asleep faster, especially during the winter.
Meanwhile, if you cannot afford to spend a few hours in natural sunlight, you can get it from an artificial bright light. On the other hand, limit your exposure to light and blue light at night. Light exposure in the night reduces some hormone levels, such as melatonin. Melatonin helps you sleep better by making you relax. You can turn off your devices, such as your phone, TV, and other bright lights, some hours before to minimize exposure. You can also wear anti-blue light lenses to reduce exposure.
Make Your Bed and Pillows More Comfortable
It will be difficult to sleep well if your bed is uncomfortable. Although expensive, changing your mattress, pillows, and nightwear can improve your sleep. Hard beds can cause lower back pain, while soft beds can cause body pain. Research from 2021 found that medium-firm mattresses are the right balance for comfort. However, bed preferences can be subjective and are entirely up to you.
Meanwhile, researchers have also found that different nightwear materials have distinct effects during various seasons. They found that adults sleep better in wool in cool temperatures, and younger people sleep better in linen and goose down in warm and cooler temperatures, respectively.
Exercise Regularly
The benefits of exercise cannot be overemphasized. Regular exercise can help you sleep better and improve your health. It can also help alleviate insomnia, boost your mental health, and reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. Furthermore, exercise promotes the production of melatonin, which can make you fall asleep faster. One hundred fifty minutes of weekly exercise is enough to get you in shape and help you sleep better.
However, you should avoid exercising shortly before bed. This is because exercise can stimulate the production of hormones such as epinephrine and adrenaline. These hormones make the body alert and active beyond the resting rate. Hence, producing these hormones shortly before bed can make you lose sleep. However, this is still dependent on your system. You can exercise once or twice a day as long as you leave some space between your bedtime and exercise time.
Avoid Alcohol or Caffeine at Night
Drinking alcohol or coffee at night can disrupt your sleep. Alcohol can lead to increased levels of sleep apnea and snoring. It also interferes with the production of melatonin, which will affect your circadian rhythm and sleep. It’s okay to drink during the day or in the evening. However, you should avoid drinking close to your bedtime. Caffeine can also disrupt your rest if you drink it close to your bedtime. It sharpens focus and energy, so you should avoid it at night.
A 2023 research found that those who consumed caffeine late at night reported losing 45 minutes of total sleep. Caffeine can affect Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep, where most dreams occur. Hence, avoiding it or taking decaffeinated coffee will help you sleep better at night. Finally, avoid drinking other liquids before bedtime to prevent excessive urination. Waking up several times during the night to urinate can disrupt your sleep and make you tired the next day.
Take Supplements
If you find it difficult to sleep better after following the above steps, you can consider taking supplements. When combined with the tips above, Melatonin, magnesium, nitrate, resveratrol, and omega-3 can help your body relax and sleep faster. However, talk to a health professional before using any of these supplements. Start with a low dosage (research has shown that 0.1 to 10 milligrams of melatonin should be effective about two hours before bed). You should also use each separately to determine its effect on your body.
If you follow each of these tips, you will sleep better. Sleep is important for maintaining mental and physical fitness. Therefore, prioritize it and eliminate all hindrances to optimal sleep. However, see a doctor if none of these work after some time.
#Clique, do you find it difficult to sleep well at night? Try these tips to help you get a good night’s rest, and let us know your results in the comments.