Are you tired of being tired? Not sure what to do about it? Check out this helpful guide on how to get better sleep each night.
According to the American Sleep Apnea Association, 70% of adults cannot sleep well at least once a month. 11% of people reported that they are unable to sleep every night.
Many sleep experts believe that this is due to the fast-paced society of today. Yet regardless of how busy a life you lead, there are some steps you can take to get a good night’s rest.
Keep reading for a guide that’ll teach you how to get better sleep each time you lay your head down on the pillow.
Stay Away From Electronic Screens Before Bed
Many people send a final email, check the news, or do one last scroll through social media on their phones before shutting off the light and going to bed. Yet doing so can impact your body’s ability to drift off to sleep.
When you look at high amounts of light, your body interprets it as a sign that its daytime. In response, it reduces the production of hormones such as melatonin, which your body uses to fall asleep.
Regarding falling asleep, blue light is one of the worst types of light, and electronic devices such as phones and laptops emit it. Try wearing blue light glasses, or stay away from screens for at least two hours before heading to bed.
Avoid Caffeine at Night
If you’re a coffee or tea drinker, make sure that you enjoy it in the morning and afternoon only. Drinking it later may prevent you from being able to drift off to sleep.
Caffeine stimulates your nervous system. This can be great for energy and focus, but it can also keep you from getting the good night’s sleep you want. One study revealed that having a cup of coffee six hours before bed can keep you awake.
Make sure to therefore cut your caffeine intake off after around 4 PM. If you do have a coffee craving, make sure that it’s decaf.
Control Your Naps
Are you a chronic napper? Although experts agree that short power naps can benefit you, three-hour-long naps do not. In fact, they can make it difficult to sleep at night.
Pay attention to the time that you’re napping. It should be after lunch, in the early afternoon. After a certain point, taking a nap will confuse your body’s internal clock. That leads to restless nights in bed.
You should also set a limit on the amount of time you sleep during the day. Studies have found that half hour or 45 minute long naps are good and can help increase brain function. If necessary, set an alarm to prevent you from dozing off for the whole afternoon.
Try to Keep a Consistent Sleep Schedule
People are creatures of habit, and their bodies are too. The circadian rhythm inside your body aligns itself with the day and night. When you practice a consistent sleep schedule, it helps your internal clock tell you when to feel tired and go to bed.
On the other hand, irregular sleep patterns and staying up late can cause you to experience poor sleep. Studies have shown that going to sleep at irregular times prevents your circadian rhythm from working, in turn lowering your body’s production of melatonin.
Try to use an alarm to help you get on a steady sleep schedule. After a few weeks, the odds are that you won’t need it.
Avoid Alcohol Before Bed
If you enjoy drinking alcohol on the weekends (or the weel) with your friends, try to do it earlier in the day rather than later. Drinking alcohol late at night or before bed can affect your body’s hormones and sleep.
Alcohol can disrupt your body’s production of melatonin. It also increases the severity of conditions such as sleep apnea, snoring, and irregular sleeping patterns.
Instead of drinking alcohol before bed, consider taking a supplement that can help with sleep.
Be in the Right Environment
Although you may know someone who could fall asleep on the side of a freeway, the majority of people need to be in the right environment to fall and stay asleep.
Loud noises can impact your ability to stay asleep. Try to minimize the impact of any noises, if possible. Light can also affect. If you live in a bright environment, make sure you buy curtains to stop the light from entering while you’re trying to sleep.
If you’re too hot or too cold, you can also struggle with falling asleep. Experts recommend keeping your room around 65 degrees Fahrenheit, give or take a few degrees.
Clear Your Head
When trying to fall asleep, does your mind wander to the meeting you have on Thursday? How about the emails you have to send when you wake up? Thoughts such as these can take a serious toll on the quality of your sleep.
The moment you get into bed, try to keep your mind as blank as possible. Avoid thinking about what you need to do at that point in time, there’s nothing you can do. Prepare your body for the rest it needs to tackle obstacles the following day.
If you struggle with clearing your mind, you can look into deep breathing exercises or yoga.
Wondering How to Get Better Sleep? This Guide Should Help
At times, life can be hard. Although many things are out of your control, feeling well-rested can help you power through them. If you’re wondering how to get better sleep, this guide should help you get the beauty sleep you need to tackle anything life throws at you.
Do you have any other advice on how to sleep better? Make sure to tell us in a comment down below!
If you found this article helpful, don’t forget to check out some of our other blog posts for more guides and tips.
