Do you ever stare at the ceiling and wonder if you’ll ever be able to fall asleep? Or, you might wake up thinking it’s time to get up, but it’s actually 2 a.m.
If you want to sleep better, you might want to think about your sleep hygiene and how your habits might be keeping you from getting the good sleep you need.
Let’s talk about what sleep hygiene is and how you can change your habits during the day and before bed to get better sleep.
What Is Sleep Hygiene?
Sleep hygiene means sleeping in a healthy way. Good sleep hygiene is important because getting enough sleep is so important for your mental and physical health and your quality of life as a whole. In case of any stress, you are at the risk of developing the sleeping disorder insomnia.
How well you sleep can be affected by what you do all day, not just before bed. Your ability to sleep is affected by many things, like what you eat and drink, what time you go to bed, and what you do in the evening. Let’s discuss healthy sleep hygiene tips.
Healthy Sleep Hygiene Habits
If you don’t sleep well, you can improve your sleep in a number of ways, both during the day and before you go to bed.
One study reveals that good sleep has been shown to help both children and adults solve problems and remember things better.
Here are 10 ways to improve your sleep hygiene and get a better night’s rest.
Keep A Consistent Sleep Schedule
Try to go to bed and wake up around the same time every day, even on the weekends. This reinforces your body’s sleep cycle which can make it easier for you to go to sleep and wake up every day.
Keeping a regular schedule may also help you feel less sleepy during the day.
Make sure that the time you choose for bedtime lets you sleep for 7 to 8 hours every night.
Another study found that every hour less sleep compared to 7 hours was linked to a 6 percent higher risk of death from all causes and heart disease.
A relaxing routine right before bedtime helps you calm down and get ready for sleep. And sticking to the same routine helps your body know that it’s time to go to bed when you start it. This could make it easier for you to fall asleep
Turn Off Your Electronics Before You Go To Bed
Blue light, which is given off by electronics like your phone, can lower the amount of melatonin in your body.
Melatonin is a chemical that tells your body when to sleep and when to wake up. When your level of melatonin drops, it can be harder to fall asleep. You can have an ECG test to study your sleep pattern and the rate of heartbeat. It will help you to understand your sleep.
Devices that give off blue light can also keep your brain alert by giving you something else to do. This could make it harder for you to go to sleep.
Exercise Regularly
Even 30 minutes of aerobic exercise a day can help you sleep better and be healthier overall. And if you can work out outside, you might get even more out of it, since being exposed to natural light can help you sleep better.
Just don’t work out an hour or two before you go to bed. This can make you feel more awake and raise your body temperature, both of which can make it harder to fall asleep.
Limit How Much Caffeine You Drink
Caffeine can make you feel different for 3 to 7 hours after you drink it. This means that your afternoon cup of coffee may keep you awake and alert for a lot longer than you’d like.
Even though it’s usually best to limit caffeine to the morning, keep in mind that everyone handles caffeine differently.
Some people may be able to drink until the middle of the afternoon, while others may need to stop much earlier to be able to sleep well.
The less caffeine you drink, the more likely it is that it will affect you.
Make Your Sleep Environment Work For You
A cool, dark, quiet room might make it easier for you to fall asleep and stay asleep
Most people sleep best when the temperature in their bedroom is between 60°F (15.6°C) and 67°F (19.4°C).
Make sure you also have a comfortable mattress, pillows, and bed sheets. It may be easier to fall asleep and stay asleep if you are comfortable.
Only Sleep And Make Love In Your Bed
When you have a comfy bed, you might want to use it to read, work, talk on the phone, watch TV, or do other things.
But you should only use your bed to sleep and have sex. This helps your brain connect your bed with sleep, making it easier for you to go to sleep.
Don’t Go To Sleep Until You’re Tired
Don’t lie in bed and toss and turn if you’re not tired. Instead, do something relaxing until you feel tired, and then go to bed.
If you go to bed and don’t fall asleep in 20 minutes, you should get up. If you can’t fall asleep, you might get angry, which could keep you awake even longer.
When you get out of bed, do something to help you relax, like reading on the couch, until you’re tired enough to go back to bed.
Limit Napping — Or Avoid It If You Can
Napping is healthy but it varies from person to person. Some people feel fresh all day after napping and some of them find it difficult to sleep t night. Napping during the day can make it harder to fall asleep at night and make it more likely that you’ll wake up in the middle of the night.
Get Rid Of Stress Before Bed
When you worry about something, it can keep you up at night. So that your worries don’t keep you up at night:
Write down your worries before you go to bed to help get them out of your head.
Research shows that a weighted blanket may help with anxiety and insomnia, and it may have some of the same benefits as deep pressure therapy.
Things You Should Consider
If you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, there are a few things you can do to fall asleep faster and stay asleep for hours at a time. Most of these involve getting better at how you sleep.
You can improve the quality of your sleep by sticking to a schedule, having a relaxing bedtime routine, working out regularly, keeping your bedroom dark and at a comfortable temperature, and watching what you eat and drink. If you keep having trouble sleeping or can’t sleep at all, you should see your doctor again.