How to get better sleep: A good night’s sleep is just as essential as routine exercise and a healthy diet. Poor sleep has direct negative impacts on your hormones, exercise performance, and brain working power.
It can also increase disease risk and cause weight gain. In contrast, good sleep can help you eat less, exercise sounder, and be healthy.
Over the past few decades, both rest quality and quantity have declined among people. Many people constantly get poor nap. If you want to optimize your health, getting a good night’s sleep is one of the important things you can do.
How to get better sleep:
Increase natural light exposure during the daytime
Our body has a natural time-keeping clock known as your circadian rhythm. It affects our brain, body, and hormones, helping us stay awake and telling our body when it is time to take nap. Natural sunlight during the day enables you to keep your circadian rhythm fit. This enhances daytime energy, as well as rest of quality of night and duration.
Avoid consuming caffeine during the evening or later
Caffeine has numerous benefits. A small dose of caffeine can enhance the focus, energy, and sports performance of a person. However, when consumed late in the day, caffeine promotes your nervous system and may prevent your body from relaxing at night.
Reduce long daytime sleep/naps
While short naps are beneficial, sleeping for longer duration during the day can adversely affect your sleep at night. Sleeping in the daytime may confuse your internal clock, indicating that you may find it hard to sleep at night.
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Try to sleep and wake at steady times
Your body’s circadian rhythm functions on a set loop, aligning with sunset and sunrise. Being constant with your nap time and waking times can help with long-term rest quality. If you find it difficult to sleep, try to get in the habit of waking up and going to bed at the same time. After a few weeks, you may not even require an alarm.
Avoid alcohol
Having a couple of drinks at night can adversely affect your sleep situation. Alcohol is known to cause or increase the symptoms of sleep disorder, snoring, and disturbed rest patterns.
Optimize your (bedroom) environment
Many people accept that the bedroom environment and its setup are critical factors in getting a good night’s sleep. Such factors include temperature, noise, lights, and furniture placement.
To optimize your bedroom environment, try to minimize outer noise, and light from devices like alarm clocks. Make sure your bedroom is a peaceful, relaxing, clean, and pleasant place.
Set your bedroom temperature
Body and bedroom temperature can also influence the quality of rest.
As you may have experienced during the summer, it can be very challenging to get a good night’s sleep when it is too hot.
Test various temperatures to find out which is most relaxing for you. Around 20 degrees is best for most people.