What You Eat Matters
While some may not realize it, the meals that they eat can make a big difference in their sleep quality. Additionally, it isn’t just what you eat, but when you eat that can also impact your ability to sleep well. Generally, foods that are high in sugar and carbs or that are highly processed tend to be worse for sleep. This is due in part to the fact that these foods can cause your blood sugar to spike and crash. When your blood sugar is spiking and crashing, this means that your energy levels are spiking and crashing, too. Ultimately, this can cause you to be tired when you need energy, and to be wide awake when you want to sleep at night.
For some, trying things like a new diet or some meal replacement shakes can help them to stay on the right track as far as their diet goes. However, others may need more help to keep maintaining good habits. For those, keeping a food journal can be a beneficial option. With a food journal, you can get a better idea of how healthy your meals actually are. Not only that, but you can also begin to pick up patterns in your eating habits. If you are also tracking how you feel along with what you are eating, you may begin to notice which foods are the most detrimental to your overall well-being, and which foods help you to feel great.
Beverages That Can Hurt Sleep
When it comes to maintaining healthy sleep habits, it is important to consider the beverages that you consume. This can be particularly true when it comes to drinks that contain caffeine and alcohol. While caffeine can be great for getting you going in the mornings, the reality is that it can cause problems when you are ready to go to bed. Because caffeine is a nervous system stimulant, it can cause you to feel wide awake, even when you are ready to wind down. Not only that, but caffeine can stay active in your system for a long time after you have consumed it. To make sure that caffeine isn’t preventing great sleep, it can be a good idea to limit your consumption in the evenings, and to limit the amount that you consume in general.
Along with caffeine, alcohol can also get in the way of top quality rest. Even though a drink or two can be nice for unwinding in the evenings, what some don’t realize is that it can stop them from falling into deeper sleep cycles. So, even though it may be fine once in a while, if you want to keep getting the best sleep possible then it may be beneficial to limit the amount of alcohol that you drink.
Exercise Makes a Difference
If you truly want to ensure that you are getting the best sleep, then you need to make sure that you are keeping up with a healthy exercise routine. Even though many are aware that exercise can be great for improving how they feel during the day, what they don’t realize is that it can impact how they feel at night, too.
When you work out, it can help improve hormonal balance. This can mean more energy during the day, and which means that you will be more prepared to wind down at night. In addition to that, working out regularly can help improve hormones that are related to stress and sleep. When you have fewer stress hormones circulating in your system, this can mean that you will experience fewer instances of health issues like anxiety and depression, both of which can interfere with good sleep.
Tips For Getting Deeper Sleep
To get the best sleep possible, it can be beneficial to try out some things that can promote quality sleep, especially right before bed. In many cases having a nighttime ritual can be a big help if you want to feel more relaxed and have an easier time drifting off to sleep. There can be many different ways to get relaxed at night, and what works best for you will often depend on your preferences. If you enjoy being creative, then doing things like reading or drawing can be great for getting more relaxed in the evenings. If you would rather do something to relax your body, then trying out yoga, gentle stretches, or a hot bath can be beneficial for feeling more physically calm.
Along with doing relaxing activities, trying out mindfulness, or meditation can also be helpful. When you meditate, you can help relax both your body and mind, this can be especially true if you do deep breathing exercises at the same time. To get the most out of your mindfulness practice, you will need to do it regularly, and for at least 20 minute intervals. However, 20 minutes may be a lot for some who are just starting out, so trying shorter periods of time like 5 or 10 minutes may be a better idea if you are new to the practice.
Just as there are many things that can help support good sleep at night, there are also things that you should avoid in the evenings if you want to sleep well. One of the biggest culprits behind poorer quality sleep is your cell phone. Even though looking through feeds on your social media pages may seem relaxing, the reality is that your phone screen emits a blue light that will signal to your brain that you need to stay awake. By avoiding screens in the last hour before bed, you can help ensure that you are avoiding the negative effects of blue light.
Some Last Thoughts
Quality rest is essential for good health. However, it may not always seem easy to get the sleep that you need. The good news is, though, that there are many simple ways to ensure you are continuing to get good sleep, and they are often easy to incorporate into your current lifestyle.
If you’re following these eating tips and other sleep hygiene practices, but still find yourself having trouble sleeping at night, there’s a chance that you could be suffering from a sleep disorder. If you’re regularly having sleep troubles you might want to consult with your primary care physician or contact a sleep center to get to the root of the problem. And if you live in Alaska and want help from the best sleep experts in the state, click on the link below for a free 10-minute phone consultation, and we can help get you started down the road to better sleep.
