If you wake each morning feeling like you didn’t get enough rest, technology could be the culprit. Here are some tips to help combat technological interference in your sleep cycles.
Increase Your Energy Output During the Day
Exercise is one of the best avenues for sleeping better at night. The key is to get your exercise out of the way early in the day, otherwise it can have the reverse effect. Otherwise, that early in the day workout can have you out almost as soon as your head hits the pillow, and keep you restful until the next light.
Your goal should be to get at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise each day. Depending on how active you are, you may need to start lower and work your way up. But keep in mind, even a 30-minute walk counts as aerobic exercise.
If you struggle with energy levels, a supplement may help. LCR Health Reviews shows a high rate of customer satisfaction, and their supplements work to activate enzymes that boost your energy while supporting your health.
Cut Off From Electronics
You don’t need to completely cut yourself off from electronics, but the last hours of your day should be technology free. This includes your cell phone. When you look at the light emitted from a screen, whether it’s a television, smart phone, or tablet, the light exposure is delaying the release of sleep-inducing melatonin.
There are actually two culprits at work here. One is actually the blue light emitted from these devices. The other is the stress you feel from overuse of your electronic devices. The result is when you do set the phone down for the night, you toss and turn and wish for your mind to stop churning.
Cutting back on the use of electronics and trading it for enjoying real moments is a good step toward reversing the negative effects of electronics overuse. In the evenings, try reading a good old-fashioned paperback book in the last hour of your day instead.
The low light of a lamp doesn’t have the same effect as the blue light of your electronics. As you get deeper into the chapters, it won’t be long before your ready to click off the lamp and let your dreams take over.
Don’t Consume Caffeine Late in the Day
Caffeine provides a nice boost of energy in the middle of the day, and it can help you stay alert in the middle of the day, but beyond mid-day, opt for non-caffeinated beverages. Caffeine does its job so well, that it might actually be keeping you awake when you consume it in the early evening hours, and definitely during the later hours.
Studies have shown that caffeine has a significant impact on sleep quality during the six hours prior to bed time. If you really like caffeine that much, try replacing the same beverages with decaf versions later in the day.
Eat a Kiwi
There really isn’t much scientific evidence to back eating a kiwi in the evening for better sleep, yet for reasons unknown, studies do show enjoying a kiwi on a daily basis improved sleep quality in study participants.
The good news about kiwis is if you try it and it works, that’s great. If you try it and it doesn’t work for you, at least you are getting an extra boost of antioxidants and minerals that improve your immune function, help with respiratory function, and contribute to good heart health.
Avoid Alcohol
Alcohol is just bad, especially when consumed in quantities over the recommended allowance. Even a couple of servings of alcohol can have a negative impact on your sleep quality. It can increase the symptoms of sleep apnea, which ensures you’ll wake up tired, and it impacts your production of melatonin, which you need for a good, deep sleep.
If you’re going to partake in alcohol don’t over indulge. It’s better to enjoy it during the day, but if you’re going to have a glass of wine in the evening, limit yourself to one glass.
Have the Right Mattress
Comfort has a lot to do with sleep quality. A poor mattress can not only interfere with your sleep, it can mess with your posture and lead to back issues. Whether you prefer firm or a nice pillow top mattress is up to you, but once a mattress starts losing it’s shape, it’s time to let go.
Experts suggest replacing your mattress every 5 to 8 years. Not only will not lose any sleep over it, but your back will be happy, too.
Have a Set Sleep Time
Everything in life goes better when you have a predictable sleep schedule. You should aim to allow yourself at least 8 hours of sleep each night, tough every person’s needs are going to be different. If you know you function well on an hour less of sleep, great. Just make sure you actually get it.
The health benefits of regular sleep cannot be underestimated. When you get regular and restful sleep, you are at a decreased risk of serious health issues, including diabetes and heart disease. Your immune system is also stronger, and you’re more apt to make good decisions. When you think of it this way, you can’t afford not to have a regular sleep schedule.
Obviously, if you have to be up at 6 AM every morning, you want to try to be in bed by 9 o’clock the previous evening. This allows you an hour to parse through your remaining thoughts for the day and allow your natural hormones to kick in and take you away to dreamland.
When you think about it, sleep is as important as the job you report to on a daily basis. It’s as important as the food you put on the table every day. It’s as important as the funds sitting in your bank account. Sleep is a necessity that should not be taken for granted. When you get enough of it, you are setting yourself up for success in nearly every area of your life. You think clearer, you perform better, you have more energy, and your body is healthier. The next time you think about giving more hours to a non-essential item in exchange for less sleep, you might want to reconsider.
8.Don’t Stress About Sleep
The last thing your body needs is additional stress if you’ve just experienced a few nights of poor sleep. Rather than jumping to conclusions and making sleep even harder to regulate, re-evaluate some of your routines and apply some of these small changes to your evening ritual, as they can have huge impacts on the quality of your day and night. The goal is to improve your overall well-being with positive lifestyle changes—it all begins with habits!
By following these best sleep hygiene practices on a nightly basis, you’re almost guaranteed to get more fulfilling sleep at night and be more awake and alert during the day. If however, you’re practicing these hygiene tips and still finding yourself feeling tired and sluggish during the day, it could be a sign of a sleep disorder.
If you believe that your sleep troubles are being caused by a sleep disorder, contact Alaska Sleep Clinic. We specialize in diagnosing and treating a wide variety of sleep disorders, and have helped thousands of Alaskans improve the quality of their sleep.
Quality sleep is directly linked to your overall health, and if you’re not getting enough of it, give us a call and let us help you discover the cause of your sleep problems.
