Since you came searching for this, you already know that your sleep schedule is all messed up. Improper sleep is one of the most common problems which is associated with most of us. This trauma is the primary reason for many issues like anxiety, depression, or relational difficulties.
Many people complain that they face a hard time falling asleep or staying asleep. This is an experimentally proven fact that getting enough and quality sleep can make your brain function much better. Having proper sleep allows your mind to be more self-controlled and tackling problems easily.
In this article, we are going to describe some ways to get better sleep for your health. These proven and best practices will help you to train your mind for sleeping schedules efficiently.
Sleep is essential for good mental health. Lack of sleep can cause mental illness, and the research shows that one of the most effective ways to treat depression is by helping people increase their quantity and quality of sleep. Study shows that “After resolving their insomnia, 89% experienced major improvements in their depression, their depression symptoms disappeared after 8 weeks of good sleep.”
How to get better sleep?
We can train our brains to sleep better at night. This whole, in a nutshell, is called Sleep Hygiene. It is a bit similar to Body Hygiene. Sleep Hygiene means going through a routine that prepares your mind and body to know when to sleep. Sleep is also like our muscles. We can strengthen our power by practice; similarly, sleeping well is a skill we can develop by proper training and following some important ways. Here are some ways which will help you to get proper sleep and make you feel healthy.
1. Always go to bed at the same time.
The reason behind this is that because you are trying to trigger the autonomic nervous system to start your sleep cycle, it is crucial to use a routine. If you ever tried to get a toddler to fall asleep, you know how important it is to stick to away. Our mind only understands signals. Once it starts getting an indication that this particular time is for sleep, then your mind will automatically make you feel drowsy.
You can train your brain to know when to sleep. You have to stick to a routine to make you sleep every day. Start by today, create a wind-down pattern before bedtime that the brain associates with sleep.
You can fix your bedtime, not in a single day. All you need is patience and relaxation. Do not force yourself to sleep; instead, remain calm and try to sleep 15 minutes earlier than your usual sleep time.
2. Do not take a nap in the afternoon or evening
If you aim to sleep better for your health, you shouldn’t be taking long naps in the afternoon or evening. Even if you are tired and want to get sleep, do not. You can close and relax your body for 15-20 minutes, meditating, but not sleeping.
The more you sleep longer in the afternoon, the more you will find it difficult to sleep at night. If you are taking afternoon naps, then you will again sleep late at night, how-so-ever you try. To avoid sleeping in the afternoon, you should try these simple steps.
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Take a light lunch in the afternoon and avoid rice in your meal.
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It would be best if you took a brisk walk after your meal. This short walk can help your digestive system work fast, and thus you won’t feel drowsy during such time. You can take a walk outside your home or even in your room.
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Do the activities which you think will keep you engaged. Do not do tedious work during the afternoon; instead, find the most interactive and pleasing piece of the whole day to do during this time.
3. Adjust your room temperature while sleeping
The perfect temperature for your sleep is 15-21 degrees Celsius. According to sleep specialists, if your room temperature is maintained at this temperature, then you will find it easy to take a sound sleep for your health. If you keep the room temperature above or below it, then your body’s heating or cooling mechanism will come into play. Once this mechanism becomes active, it will make you uncomfortable and may lead to bad sleep, ultimately hampering your health.
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The first thing which you have to do is to find the perfect temperature for your body. Personally, 15-17 degrees Celsius will freeze me, and thus, 19-20 degrees Celsius is ideal for me. Find the room temperature that will perfectly suit you. You will have a good sleep after following this trick.
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Use silent AC to make your room cool; else, it will disturb you at midnight. You can also use coolers to make yourself comfortable, but remember to wear a mask while lying in front of such gadgets.
4. Avoid using the electronic device before you go to sleep
If you think that electronics lets you sleep comfortably, you’re mistaken. Electronic gadgets like computers or mobile emit blue rays that impact adversely on our sleep. There is an impact of every light color on our rest.
Some bulbs are specially designed for better sleep, but these blue lights will mess with our body’s ability to prepare for sleep. The reason behind this is that the use of electronic media during the night blocks the hormone Melatonin. This is the hormone that is responsible for making us feel sleepy. To avoid using electronic devices at night, you can follow these measures.
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Try to set the alarm one hour before you go to sleep. This alarm is just a reminder that you have to leave all your electronic devices.
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You can switch to fluorescent bulbs instead of LED bulbs. Fluorescent bulbs will help you to sleep better.
5. Avoid eating too close to bedtime to sleep better
When you are taking heavy meals too close to your bedtime. The time where your body should be producing Melatonin, instead of producing Melatonin, will involve digesting the food. So, do not take heavy meals after 6 pm and make sure you are not thinking about sleeping.
6. Read books while going to bed
Make yourself comfortable as soon as you reach your bed. Read books, get involved in something interesting, and try to evaluate your needs. Drink milk if possible, as it will boost the melatonin hormone in your body. Reading books will help you to lower down your stress level, and thus this will help you to have a good sleep.
Adequate sleep is essential to remain healthy. There are many health problems that are caused due to a lack of sleep. If you are following these ways to sleep, then you can avoid these problems.
