Sleep plays an incredibly important role in maintaining our overall well-being. From reducing anxiety, depression, and stress, to strengthening our bodies, a good night’s sleep helps us in myriad ways. However, when it comes to following a healthy lifestyle, we prioritize exercise and make sure to follow a healthy diet, but most of us rarely prioritize getting good sleep.
The growing work stress, family responsibilities, and other worries of life often become too overwhelming, leading to sleepless nights staring at the ceiling. As a result, countless people suffer from poor mental health and degrading physical performance, causing them professional as well as personal life problems.
Therefore, it’s crucial to resolve the growing tension in your mind and body so that you can have a restful night’s sleep. So without much further ado, let’s look at the tips that can help you sleep soundly and deeply.
Table of Contents
Sleep in a comfortable position
The position you sleep in could be a factor that is causing you those sleepless nights. Awkward and uncomfortable sleep positions are going to make it difficult for you to fall asleep quickly and can also make you wake up feeling groggy.
The common sleeping positions are lying flat on your back, stomach, and on the sides. Sleeping flat on your back in the straight position was previously thought to have health benefits, but recent research shows that always sleeping straight with face towards the ceiling could be causing your airways to block, snoring, and sleep apnea.
People who are used to popping pills to fall asleep cannot benefit from any of these tips because they’re dependent on the pills to help in inducing sleep. To wean yourself away from prescription medications and sleeping pills, visit the Palm Beach Institute to explore the treatment options for various kinds of substance dependancies.
Ensure your bedroom is comfortable
Your bedroom should be relaxing enough that it facilitates deep sleep. Otherwise, no matter how exhausted you are, a room that is uncomfortable and full of distractions will make it incredibly challenging for you to get a good night’s rest.
To maximize comfort and ensure good sleep, a quality mattress can help you relax as you lie down on it. You should choose a mattress based on the support it can provide your body, and it shouldn’t be too soft or too firm. You should replace your old and bad-quality mattress with a new and high-quality one if you are experiencing back pain or muscle aches upon waking. You could check out this great resource on mattresses in Edmonton if you need a reference point of quality and what would be good for you.
To maximize comfort even further, look into changing your pillow, adjusting the lighting, temperature and sounds in your room and house. Orthopedic pillows can help you sleep better, as this study has shown, than memory foam or feather pillows.
Reduce blue-light exposure at night
The circadian rhythm in our bodies is responsible for maintaining the sleep-wake cycle, which is crucial to having a good sleeping routine. However, blue light exposure at night through the use of electronic devices and gadgets can disrupt our body’s circadian rhythm, tricking our brains into thinking it’s daytime. This leads to a lower production of melatonin—a sleep inducing hormone released at night that helps us in falling asleep—which makes us less sleepy at night.
To keep a health sleep-wake cycle, avoid using electronic gadgets that emit blue light in the evening, or, if you must work before going to bed, make sure that you use blue-light filters to limit your body’s exposure to the light. With the right exposure levels, your body will return to its normal circadian rhythm, leading to not only restful sleep at night but also an energetic mood in daytime.
Cut caffeine intake in the evening
Undoubtedly, caffeine benefits your body in a lot of ways. A cup of coffee in the morning helps us stay energetic and alert throughout the day. It also helps reduce risks of many other diseases. However, having a cup of joe in the evening can severely disrupt your sleeping pattern.
A study has shown that caffeine resets the body’s internal clock, causing delay in the sleeping pattern. Taking a cup of coffee moments or even hours before bed will keep your mind busy and wide awake. Instead of taking coffee in the evening, take chamomile tea, which is a soothing and relaxing beverage that will help you in falling asleep.
Conclusion
When you have to push yourself each and every day at work and at school, a good night’s sleep can always help you reset and recharge after the toil. However, if your lifestyle choices aren’t conducive to getting good sleep at night, you’ll run into significant health problems in the long term. Follow the tips mentioned above and ensure that you get a good resting sleep every night from here on in.