Sleep is a vital part of your overall health and quality of life. Too much, too little or even improper quality of sleep can cause health problems, leading to chronic diseases and shortening life expectancy.
Research shows that adequate sleep aids fat burning, proper functioning of internal body systems and improves overall health.
Here are 12 tips, categorized in 4 different sections, which when implemented as regular habits are sure to give you a good night’s slumber.
Relaxation Tips
1.Take a hot shower
A warm shower helps in relaxing the muscles, adjusts your body temperature and prepares your mind to sleep.
One particular study concluded that this is a very effective method of inducing sleep in the elderly.
Keep your showers moderately warm and short. Coming out from a warm shower into a cooler room, creates a temperature drop that signals the slowing down of metabolic functions, breathing, heart rate and digestion, all of which help in getting you to fall asleep faster.
2. Visualize
Visualization shares its root with hypnosis and is known to be very effective for restorative sleep.
Although it might sound silly at first, it is all about placing your mind in a calm and relaxing place so that it can induce deep and peaceful sleep.
There are no set rules for this, you could begin with a short gratitude prayer or think of happier times that you have experienced or would like to experience in the future. The aim of the exercise is to keep stress and the affairs of the day behind you.
3. Allow 60 minutes to wind down
Winding down is all about mentally preparing your mind for bedtime.
It’s best to start an hour before your designated bedtime. Start by dimming the lights and plan relaxation activities an hour before bedtime.
You could choose any recreation activity or a hobby of your choice such as reading a book, listening to music or playing with your children.
Do some mindfulness activity before bedtime, such as a crossword puzzle, math or just focusing on your breath for 10 minutes. Any combination of these activities distracts the mind from anxiety and worries, helping you to sleep better.
4. Keep the stress of the workday at bay
Stress is a complex condition that can involve emotional, cognitive and biological factors. If not kept under check it can lead to stress-related sleep disorders.
Often, when we encounter stress the brain is over thinking a particular problem, whether it’s your kid’s detention or a big promotional meeting the next day.
Implement techniques to make the brain quiet. For example, you could write down the concerns of the day or things that you are worried about daily at a fixed time in the evening. Journaling prepares the mind in advance to not bring those thoughts with you in bed.
Bottom Line:
Give yourself an hour to relax and wind down. Rinse off the fatigue, visualize your calmer and peaceful being, maintain a daily journal, and get ready to snooze.
Exercise Tips
5. Do some vigorous exercise
A recent poll suggests that vigorous exercise leads to having sound sleep.
However, the good news is that it does not have to be a heavy weight workout in the gym or a sweat session for 2 hours. Including even 10-15-minutes of basic physical activity in your daily routine will work well.
You could start with a few basic squats and some push-ups or just dance on an upbeat song. The point is to get your muscles worked up and increase your heart rate.
6. Avoid exercise late in the evenings
Mornings are best for exercise. It not only keeps your energy levels high during the day but also helps in weight loss and decreases stress.
The same is also true when correlating exercise time for optimal sleep.
It is best to avoid strenuous workouts late in the evening or just before bedtime, as that can lead to an increase in body temperature. It can also kick start your metabolism and cause mental stimulation which will interfere with trying to fall asleep.
7. Practice yoga or simple stretches before bedtime
Yoga is known to relax both the mind and the body. It helps in calming the nervous system, preparing it for a good night’s rest.
Try some simple yoga poses and stretches just before bedtime to help you wind down.
Yogic techniques also teach meditation for calming the mind. Practice simple breathing exercises and focus on inhaling and exhaling. If your mind wanders, notice the change and try to bring your focus back on your breath.
Bottom Line:
Give your muscles and your heart a good dose of rapid movement for at least 15-20 minutes during the day followed by some slow breathing stretches at night for deep sleep.
Eating Tips
8. Avoid late heavy meals
At night your body is programmed to slow down metabolism and other systems that run at full speed all through the day.
Apart from the various detrimental effects of eating late, a heavy meal will pump your digestive system by increasing blood supply to the stomach. This can greatly hamper the quality of your sleep.
Protein is especially difficult to digest, so if you must eat late aim for a light dinner with more fruits and veggies.
9. Avoid caffeine and nicotine in the evening
Caffeine and nicotine are both stimulants for the brain and while in the morning and afternoon they might improve concentration, alertness and energy, it is best to avoid them in the evening for the exact same reasons.
It is recommended that the intake of caffeine must be stopped at least 6 hours before bedtime.
Also, it is best to avoid nighttime alcohol as it is more likely to wake you up frequently at night.
Bottom Line:
Eat a light dinner preferably 3 hours before bedtime and stop caffeine intake six hours before bedtime.
Bedroom Tips
10. Regulate temperature
The ideal temperature of your bedroom should be between 60 to 67 degrees Fahrenheit for optimal sleep.
When looking for quality sleep do not try to be money conscious by setting the thermostat low in the winters and high in the summers.
Your body temperature decreases as it falls asleep and a cooler bedroom will help in initiating sleep.
11. Use the bed for sleep and intimacy only
Technically speaking, you will be spending one-third of your day in bed. The bed is, therefore, one of the most important inanimate objects that must be used only for two things — sleep and sex.
Currently, we are faced with multiple distractions that affect our sleep, this includes television, mobile devices and laptops.
This tempts us to bring either entertainment, social media and worse of all – work to the bed.
It is best to avoid all technological distractions in bed which tend to hinder falling asleep quicker and also adversely affect sleep quality.
12. Avoid having pets in bed
Although you might love to cuddle and hug your pet on the couch it is best if they sleep on the floor or in their designated bed.
A recent survey has shown that although more than half of pet owners allow their pets to sleep in the bedroom, 20% of them reported the pets to be disruptive at night.
Pets can hamper deep sleep with just a wag of the tail. In the long run, furry pets can even cause allergies leading to sleep-related disorders.
Bottom Line:
For good restorative sleep, keep your bedroom cool, dark and quiet before bedtime, and avoid furry friends and technology-related distractions in bed.