Getting enough sleep is hard, especially today when we all work so hard surrounded by a lot of stressors. However, being sleep deprived makes you less productive, more stressed and can even ruin your good health. Fatigue can have serious consequences on your mental and physical health. If you want to improve your sleep and get more of it, here’s what you need to do:
Develop a healthy bedtime routine
Habits play a serious role in human life, so they naturally also affect your sleep. One of the best things you can do for your sleep quality and quantity is developing a consistent bedtime routine. Do whatever works for you, but make sure to be consistent. Try to always go to sleep and wake up at a certain time, even during the weekend.
Dim the lights
This tip might be obvious, but it’s so important that it bears repeating. No matter how much you’re scared of the dark, avoid keeping the lights on when sleeping. Light, especially the blue kind, tells your brain it’s daytime, so it won’t produce chemicals that put you to sleep. If you need some lights to fall asleep, use dim red lights in the evening, and expose your body to plenty of natural bright light during the day.
Ditch your phone
It might be tempting to reach for your phone when you can’t relax, but screens are terrible for relaxing your brain and putting you to sleep. Blue light from a TV, tablet or phone screens will mess with your circadian rhythm, so ditch the pixels and opt for a book or a podcast instead.
Invest in a comfy mattress
Sleeping on an old lumpy and squeaky mattress can really mess with your sleep, especially if you share the bed. All the noise, motions and bumps will annoy you and wake you up during the night. Luckily, you can always find quality mattresses that will fix all of that. If you’re looking for top quality products, click here and check out some memory foam mattresses. These are firm, cool and flappable, meaning you get two firmness levels, depending on your preferences.
Go easy on the caffeine
If you feel overly sleepy, coffee might aid in keeping you awake, but it also might be the cause of your sleep problems in the evening. Caffeine messes with your melatonin production, making it harder for you to fall asleep and waking you up earlier in the morning. Even if you only indulge in one or two cups of coffee during the day, it can still cause you to lose sleep, so limit your intake carefully. Alcohol is another substance you might want to give up. It affects your sleep quality and even causes sleep illnesses like apnea.
Take a warm bath
While there’s not a lot of scientific proof behind it, people always report better sleep after they take a warm bath. It’s relaxing and it makes you feel comfortable in your skin, so you can enjoy a good night’s sleep.
Keep your hands and feet toasty
Here’s something that’s backed up by research: a warm bottle against your feet or hands can make you fall asleep faster. If you don’t have access to it, just wear socks. This doesn’t apply to everyone, so you might want to experiment with it.
…but keep your room cool
You might enjoy warm feet and hands when you go to sleep, but your brain maintains the best sleep when you doze off in a room that’s a little bit on the colder side. Set your thermostat lower, even to chilly 60 degrees and see how you sleep.
Go with lavender scents
Lavender scent has been helping people sleep for centuries. It can cause a deeper sleep and a fresh morning. While men and women sleep differently in lavender-scented rooms, both benefit!
Are you feeling a little sleepy after all the information you’ve been provided? Put these tips to good use and go hit the bed right now!
