How To Improve Quality of Sleep?
A night of quality of sleep is just important as a healthy diet and regular exercise. As per research, poor sleep negatively affects your body, affecting your hormone level and brain function.
You can stop binge eating, exercise better, and develop a quality lifestyle with proper sleep.
Hence, in this article, we will talk about certain factors that can help you improve the quality of your sleep.
Maintain a consistent sleep schedule
Your body’s biological clock functions on a particular loop, aligning itself with sunrise and sunset. Thus, try to be consistent in your sleeping and waking times to have a night of proper sleep at night.
A study found that people with irregular sleeping patterns reported poor sleep quality. Thus, it is essential that you get into the habit of waking up and going to bed every day simultaneously.
Reduce blue light exposure at night
Exposure to light during the day makes us feel energetic. However, it is the opposite at nighttime.
The blue light emitted from smartphones and laptops affects the circadian rhythm, inducing your brain to think it is daytime. Thus, you must reduce this exposure by installing an app blocking your smartphone’s blue light emission.
Also, avoid watching television and dim the bright light of your room at least 2 hours before you go to sleep.
Do not take irregular naps
Though power naps are beneficial temporarily, they may severely affect your sleep cycle.
When you sleep during the daytime, your body clock gets confused, making you struggle to sleep at night.
If you are napping, try to be consistent with the time, keeping them short, around 10 to 20 minutes. Also, ensure that even if you take a nap, it must be in the early afternoon, generally before 3 pm.
Relax and clear your mind before sleep
A pre-sleep routine helps people relax and take rest peacefully. Some relaxation techniques include listening to soothing music, meditating, doing muscle relaxation exercises, and yogic breathing.
These methods enable you to relax, alleviate stress, and achieve good quality sleep. You can also purchase certain sleep essentials that improve sleep quality, like a good mattress, calm and relaxing face masks, hydrating night creams, and a good pair of soft earbuds to help you sleep better.
Optimize bedroom environment
The bedroom environment and its setup play a significant role in getting a good night’s sleep. It includes having proper furniture arrangement, minimal noise, and optimum temperature.
Various studies point out that external noise from traffic or large sound systems can hinder your sleep, causing various health issues.
Thus, it is imperative to optimize your bedroom environment. Dim your room’s lights to minimize their interference with your sleep. Make the space soundproof by hanging thick curtains and using thick rugs to insulate the floor.
Take a warm shower before going off to bed
Another popular way to improve your sleep quality before bedtime is taking a relaxing bath.
Studies indicate that taking a shower before sleeping improves the overall sleep cycle and helps people fall asleep faster.
However, if you do not want to take a full bath at night, you can simply bathe your feet in lukewarm water to have a nice sleep.
Avoid caffeine later in the day
Caffeine drinks are consumed today by almost 90% of the US population, as they come with various benefits. It helps enhance your energy level, concentration, and stamina.
However, you should try to adjust the timing of having a cup of your favorite caffeinated beverage. When consumed late in the evening, caffeine boosts your nervous system such that it stops your body from relaxing at night.
Caffeine elevates your blood for 6-8 hours. Thus, drinking many coffees, tea, or other caffeinated energy drinks, especially after 4 pm, is not recommended as it can induce trouble sleeping.
Purchase and use a comfortable bed and mattress
A relaxing bed and mattress are essential for a sound sleep.
A proper mattress can alter the difference between a sleepless night and sound sleep. It perfectly balances comfort, support, spinal alignment, and body posture.
In addition, your room must also be equipped with a bed that has a proper alignment and can hold the mattress firmly. It will give your body a good blend of support and comfort for enhanced sleep.
Do not drink too much liquid before bed
You might have heard the term nocturia; it refers to excessive urination at night. This phenomenon affects your sleep quality and energy.
Usually, by drinking large amounts of liquids, you might experience this issue. Indeed hydration is essential, but it is better to reduce fluid intake before sleeping.
Also, ensure to use the bathroom right before going off to bed, decreasing the chances of nighttime urination.
Avoid consuming alcohol
Having some sips of your favorite drink before bed can severely affect your sleep and your hormones.
Alcohol increases sleep apnea, disrupts sleep patterns, and induces snoring. It also alters melatonin production, affecting the circadian rhythm.
Moreover, alcohol consumption at night also alters the natural sleeping pattern, affecting your overall biological clock.
Exercise regularly
Exercising is a great way to boost your mind. Also, it can tire your body to a large extent, making it ready for bed.
So, always ensure that you have at least a 15-minute walk throughout the day, which, in turn, helps you feel more relaxed before going off to sleep.
Since physical activities are stimulating, working out a few hours before bedtime is also a good idea. However, ensure that it is not done immediately before, as it may disturb your sleep cycle.
Summing Up
Thus, these are some preliminary tips that you can follow to improve the quality of your sleep.
However, if you have bouts of insomnia and severe sleep issues, it is recommended to get in touch with a doctor for sleeping aids. They will prescribe specific medications to address your medical condition.
Nevertheless, sleep plays a vital role in our lives, and it needs to be sound to have a healthy life.
