Getting restful sleep is as essential for you as eating a healthy diet or exercising. Sleep resets the body and the brain, helping it to get ready for the next day. When your sleep is disturbed, it creates an imbalance in your body. On days you are sleep deprived, you tend to be more moody, irritable, stressed and angry.
Further, prolonged periods of sleep deprivation can have serious health ramifications, both for your physical and mental well-being. Adopting simple sleep hygiene habits can help you beat lack of sleep and ensure that your body is getting the rest it needs and deserves. Let’s look at the sleep hygiene habits you can start doing to sleep better.
Sleep hygiene habits to improve your sleep quality
1. Figure out how long you need to sleep
The recommended amount of sleep that you should get every day is between 7 to 8 hours. However, this does not apply to everyone. There is a chance that some of you might be able to function properly with less than 7 hours of sleep and some who need more than 8 hours of sleep. A trial and error method will help you figure out how many hours are optimal for you. Just be on the lookout for sleep disorders, that make you sleep either way too much or too little.
2. Maintain consistency
It is beneficial if you wake up and go to sleep at the same time every day. This helps the body get into a routine and understand, through repetition when bedtime has arrived. This habit reinforces and maintains your circadian rhythms, which further boost your sleep quality. As you maintain consistent sleep and wake up times, eventually you’ll be able to do so without an alarm clock!
3. Create an environment that is conducive to good sleep
Your bedroom should be calm, quiet, dark and relaxed, such that it promotes sleep. If it is too well lit or noisy, your sleep will be disturbed. If total silence is not for you, consider playing white noises in the background to help you sleep. If you live in a noisy area, earplugs might be worth considering. Further, use your bed only for sleeping and sexual activity. By doing this, you help your brain associate your bed with rest or sex.
4. Enjoy a cup of relaxing night time tea
A nice cup of night time tea, after a long day, can be very relaxing and may even promote better sleep. Teas such as chamomile, lavender and magnolia bark can all be used as bedtime beverages. This will be a great addition to your nighttime routine and help you boost your sleep quality.
5. Getting enough exercise and making lifestyle changes
Exercise not only helps you get a fabulous physique but can also help you sleep better. Exercise tires your body by bedtime. That being said though, don’t do an intense workout before going to bed, it’ll make it difficult to fall asleep. Some other lifestyle changes to adopt are, limiting exposure to blue light from your gadgets at least an hour before bed, eating a proper diet and getting some sun during the day.
With the help of the above sleep hygiene habits, you’ll be able to nip sleep deprivation in the bud and get the restful sleep that you need and deserve. It is rightly said that health is wealth, and optimum rest is a big part of that. So, do yourself a favour, get some quality, restorative, rejuvenating sleep.
