Do you find yourself having trouble falling asleep at night? Well, you’re not alone. Around 50 to 70 million Americans have some kind of sleep disorder that keeps them up at night. This could be due to many reasons like stress, home environment, work problems, or even certain illnesses.
A lack of good quality sleep may be doing a lot of damage to our bodies. It can affect the way our brain works, impairing our memory and speech, our ability to focus and make decisions, and our physical health. While it may not be possible to control all the factors that cause this disturbance, there’s a lot we can do to get the rest we need.
In this article, we’ll discuss the six things to do that might help you sleep better at night. Let’s begin.
- Invest in a Good Mattress
Did you know that an average person spends one-third of their life sleeping? That means if you live up to 75 years, you spend 25 of them in bed. In that case, it only makes sense for you to spend this time being as comfortable as possible by investing in a mattress that’ll support your body while it rests.
Consider switching out your mattress every 5 to 8 years to ensure optimal sleep quality. Old, worn-out mattresses may cause discomfort that could result in chronic pain over time. Choose a mattress with a firmness you’re most comfortable with. The Beautyrest Black Mattress line provides many firmness levels you can pick according to your preference.
With a good quality mattress, your skeletal alignment will be good, keeping aches and pains at bay. It will result in better sleep quantity and quality.
- Follow a Sleep Schedule
One reason you might be having trouble sleeping at night is due to your erratic sleep patterns. The fact is our body has an internal clock called the circadian rhythm. A consistent sleep schedule can help regulate this clock and promote a healthy and natural sleep-wake cycle. To do this, you need to go to bed and wake up at the same times every single day – including days off.
It may be tricky at first, but it’ll get easier with time; you’ve just got to push through.
Most adults only need about 8 hours of sleep at night, so once your alarm goes off, get out of bed and get ready for your day. Soon enough, your body will be trained to sleep and wake up at the right time.
- Form a Relaxing Environment
At the end of the day, your body just wants to wind down and relax before falling asleep. That’s why it’s important to keep your bedroom environment in check. If your surroundings aren’t making you feel calm and comfortable, it may impact your sleep routine.
For starters, make sure your room is clean and clutter-free. A neat room helps clear your mind and relax you. Next, draw out all excess noise and light. Use curtains or blinds if you must, and if you live near heavy-traffic areas, consider playing some white noise or invest in soundproofing your room. And finally, make sure your bedroom is set at the optimal temperature for sleep. This is approximately 65 F, but it depends on your comfort level.
With some experimentation, you’ll soon figure out the exact room settings that work best for you and provide a restful environment that promotes good sleep.
- Limit Your Screen Time
In this age, it’s almost impossible to escape the screen. Whether it’s for work, for school, or just for entertainment, our eyes are constantly glued to our devices, and we’re exposed to large amounts of blue light emitted by them. This blue light can disrupt our circadian rhythm by suppressing the formation of the sleep hormone – melatonin.
To combat this problem, you must make it a habit to put away your screens for at least an hour before bedtime. This way, your body can naturally wind down and produce enough melatonin to put you to sleep. Instead of using that time to scroll through social media, you can engage in more relaxing activities like enjoying a warm bath or listening to soothing music.
If you must use your screens during this time, look for blue light filter options on your devices.
- Exercise Regularly
You may get tired of hearing about this, but exercising regularly is extremely important for your health and can positively impact your sleep quality. Getting a good workout in the morning can help you stay alert and active during the day. This is because exercise stimulates the release of endorphins that wake you up. It also causes the body’s core temperature to rise, which tells your brain it’s time to be up. This helps regulate that internal clock we talked about before.
This is why exercising during the day or at least a few hours before you want to sleep and avoiding vigorous exercise close to bedtime is important. You don’t want to feel energized when it’s time to wind down. When your body temperature and heart rate fall to normal levels, it’ll signal that it’s time to go to bed.
- Avoid Stimulants
Stimulants such as caffeine and nicotine can increase your heart rate and ultimately make it difficult to fall asleep. To get a good amount of sleep at night, you should avoid taking any stimulants close to your bedtime.
This means limiting the intake of and staying away from drinks like sodas, coffee, and tea when the day starts to end. A good cut-off time for caffeinated drinks would be around 4 pm. After that, you can switch to non-caffeinated drinks or herbal teas for the same soothing effect. The same goes for products containing nicotine, like cigarettes or vapes.
Conclusion
In conclusion, good quality sleep is important to live a healthy and balanced life. Sleep is the time when your body heals itself, protects us from illnesses, and releases important hormones necessary for growth and development.
Following the above tips may help promote a better sleep routine, but if your problems persist, seek help from a professional to rule out any deeper underlying problems. Remember not to settle for sleepless nights because there are solutions available.
