Do you find yourself feeling tired and sluggish during the day? A lack of sleep can have a huge impact on your life, both mentally and physically.
The good news is that there are some easy changes you can make to help improve your sleep habits and get more out of each night’s rest.
In this article, we will talk about seven simple tips for improving the quality of your sleep as well as creating a healthy bedtime routine.
1. Stick to a Sleep Schedule
A sleep schedule is a key component to creating healthy sleep habits. Establishing and following a regular bedtime routine will help you know when it’s time for bed every night, which in turn should make falling asleep easier. Set a time for your bedtime that is approximately the same every night and you should be able to get the perfect number of hours. Different people require different amounts of sleep but you can use the calculator at https://puffy.com/blogs/wellness/sleep-calculator-want-to-know-the-best-time-to-sleep-wake-up to help you work out your own requirements. Allow yourself to be somewhat tired and ready for sleep. In the morning, use an alarm clock if necessary, but limit its use. When possible, rely on natural cues like sunrise or birdsong to wake up. Establishing this habit should make falling asleep at night and getting up in the morning far easier than before.
2. Unwind Before Bed by Showering and Brushing Your Teeth
After a long day of work, school, or family time, you deserve to have some time that’s just for you! Before you throw on your pajamas, unwind and destress with a hot, refreshing shower or bath. Whatever makes you feel good is what will make your routine effective in helping you get into the best sleep mindset possible. Brushing your teeth (and flossing!) will not only help kill bacteria and freshen breath, it will also calm your nerves from a long day’s worth of activities. By doing the same things every night, your brain will recognize the signals of bedtime and will start to wind down your body.
3. Avoid Alcohol, Caffeine, and Heavy Food Before Bed
You need to pay attention to what you are eating and drinking, and at what time, to improve your sleep. Caffeine can be found in coffee, tea or energy drinks and you should really cut it out altogether after 2pm. Alcohol can seriously affect sleep so try not to drink with dinner or after work. These substances disrupt the body’s natural sleep cycles by interfering with chemicals that promote restful sleep such as melatonin.
You should also beware of big meals too late in the evening. Eating food late into the evening may lead to indigestion which will disturb your ability to fall asleep and stay asleep. You also want to avoid eating large amounts because you will not be able to burn through all the calories while you sleep.
4. Keep your Bedroom Cool and Dark
One of the most important ways to improve your sleep is by making sure that your bedroom is always kept at the right temperature at night. In addition, you should keep the lights low as you prepare for bed and turn them off altogether when it is time to sleep. This will help your body know when it should start producing melatonin, which helps us feel sleepy. Darkness is also important for maintaining your natural circadian rhythm, as when we are exposed to bright light at night, our brains become stimulated instead of preparing for bedtime.
5. Turn Off all Electronics at Least an Hour Before Bedtime
Avoid watching TV or working on your laptop in bed as these activities will make it more difficult to fall asleep. The blue light emitted from electronics can interfere with your body’s natural circadian rhythm, and as a result, the production of melatonin. Start winding down an hour before bedtime by turning off all electronics – TV, phone, computer – and reading something instead. Reading can be very beneficial, as it has been shown that reading before bed can lead to better quality sleep and lower stress levels.
6. Remove Your Pets from Your Bedroom
While snuggling up to your dog or cat can be super cozy, if you sleep with your pets, they are likely to keep you awake. Pets often get excited when people come around and it can be hard for them to tell the difference between playtime and bedtime. You may find that if your pet is in an area apart from where you sleep then they are much more calm and will not disrupt your slumber. Another thing is that all of their hair on the pillows might make allergies worse or irritate sensitive skin – making sleeping difficult or impossible. If your pets don’t want to leave, try giving them a full belly before you go to sleep. This will hopefully send your pet to sleep in its own bed rather than scratching at your door or crying to be let in.
7. Make Sure You Exercise Regularly
Exercise helps to improve sleep quality for a variety of reasons. Movement creates body heat, which is necessary for our bodies to produce melatonin. Exercise also helps lower cortisol levels and increase serotonin levels, which can help regulate the time it takes to fall asleep at night. Regular exercise will also decrease your nighttime heart rate and increase blood flow in your muscles. This will improve tissue oxygenation that can make sleep much more restful than usual because this prevents oxygen starvation of tissues on a nightly basis as you sleep.
Creating a regular bedtime routine and the right environment for sleep are essential to getting good quality rest. Start by establishing a consistent bedroom routine by only doing calming activities in the evening and turning off screens and devices long before bedtime. After that, make sure you are following a healthy lifestyle that is conducive for sound sleep. This should include avoiding caffeine, alcohol and overeating before you go to bed. Follow these simple tips, and you will soon be able to fall asleep easily and wake up feeling refreshed and re-energized.
