1. Maintain A Regular Bedtime Routine
The human body has an internal clock that helps manage various bodily activities, such as sleep. Training yourself to go to sleep and waking up at the same time every day can help improve your sleep quality significantly. You also need to stick to the routine during weekends and public holidays.
2. Take On Relaxing Exercises/Routines An Hour Or So To Bedtime
In addition to having a regular bedtime routine, engaging in relaxing exercises (yoga, deep breathing, reading a book, taking a warm shower) can help the body calm down. Limiting your exposure to bright and blue light (on computer screens, phones, etc.) will also help the body produce hormones that promote deep sleep. Make it a habit of taking on these activities at specific times of the night, to help the body translate the same to time to relax.
3. Ensure Your Sleep Environment Is Conducive
Your bedroom (sleep environment) needs to be conducive enough to promote as well as induce sleep. According to sleep experts, your bedroom needs to be dark, quiet, and cool enough to enable the body transition to sleep. You could also invest in a white noise machine, humidifier, and blackout curtains to create a favorable environment in an unconducive one.
4. Invest In A Comfortable Mattress And Pillow
Your mattress plays a significant role in how well you will fall and stay asleep. A good mattress should support your body weight and form without any distinctive pressure points, take a look at the Tempurpedic Mattress. The pillows, too, ought to be comfortable as well. A good and comfortable bed will help you relax, hence drift to sleep quickly.
5. Only Use The Bedroom For Sleep And Sex
Many people tend to bring work with them at home and straight to the bedroom. While the bedroom might be peaceful and quiet enough for work, you need not bring it here. Bringing work to your bedroom will only ‘confuse’ the brain, hence perceive it as a work area. This will make it harder for you to drift to sleep when you want to. That said, it would be best if you did your work elsewhere and only used the bedroom for sex and sleep.
6. Avoid Heavy Meals A Few Hours To Bedtime
While you shouldn’t go to bed on an empty stock, it wouldn’t be a good idea to have a heavy meal a few hours to bedtime. Having too much to eat/drink makes the production of sleep-inducing hormones almost impossible. Lying on the bed on a full stomach also increases the risk of heartburn and other digestion related issues. Sleep experts recommend having your dinner not less than 4 hours before bedtime. The same applies to drinks, and especially liquor. Any beverages known to hinder sleep (caffeinated) should be avoided at all costs, especially towards your bedtime.
7. Exercise Regularly
Both light and intense exercises are recommended for good health. Among other benefits, regular exercise promotes sleep and helps the brain relax well while you sleep.
8. Avoid Caffeinated Drinks/Foods
Your regular cup of coffee and tea contains caffeine. This chemical is known to increase alertness while hindering sleep. Sleep experts thus advise against taking coffee or tea 5 hours to your bedtime. This is especially important for those with sleep-related issues. Quitting coffee altogether is even better if you’ve been struggling with sleep apnea and insomnia.
