Have you found yourself gazing around at 3 am, tossing and turning in bed?
Do you want to wake up feeling relaxed, productive, emotionally balanced and ready to face another working day?
A Gallup study of Americans indicated that people who didn't get enough sleep suffered from depression, excessive daytime sleepiness and health problems such as diabetes. They also suffered from weight problems and increased risk of cardiovascular diseases.
Bad skin conditions result in painful shaving experiences. MDedge published that sleep deprivation affects skin wound healing, collagen growth, skin hydration, and skin texture. Outbreaks of acne, eczema, psoriasis, and skin allergies are also higher among sleep-deprived patients.
To avoid the above problems, it is advisable to follow the below tips which will leave you refreshed and energized, thus improving your creativity, vitality and most important of all, your overall health.
#1 Sleep for 7 to 9 Hours a Day
It is never easy for one to sleep for 8 hrs a day due to one's nature of the job. However, when you reschedule your daytime routine and bedtime habits, it will make you optimize your sleep and get enough rest. According to the National Sleep Foundation that has experts from different disciplines, the recommended steeping time for an adult between the age of 26 to 74 should be 7 to 9 hrs a day. Failure to sleep the above hours accumulates sleep deficit leading to constant drowsiness, which affects your overall work and body performance.
#2 Monitor Closely Your Bedroom Temperature and Its Environment
To optimize your sleeping time, your bedroom's temperature should be between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit. This will not only give you a restful slumber but will give you that impression of a cave that is cool, quiet and dark. Think of why bats congregate in caves for their daytime sleep and that will make you appreciate the importance of the above temperatures.
Similarly, your bedroom should be well ventilated and it should have a comfortable mattress and pillows. If you have pets in your house, the bedroom will not be an ideal sleeping place for them, hence keep them in another room.
#3 Exercise Before Bedtime
It's important to work out three hours before you go to bed. Exercising helps you to sleep better at night and fell less sleepy during the day. In many studies, people who developed the habit of exercising regularly were reported to have less or no symptoms of insomnia which is a medical sleeping disorder. A sleep researcher, Mark HirshKowitz reported to Reuters that better sleep quality is attributed to regular exercise while failing to exercise attracts more sleeping problems.
#4 Keep Away Your Gadgets
Gadgets such as phones and laptops deprive your body of stimulating melatonin, a very important hormone in your body that induces sleep. These devices emit blue luminescence light that hinders your sleep. However, if you still want to use them, you can wear glasses that block the blue light or, you can also use the f.lux app to block the blue light from your laptop or computer.
#5 Be Conscious of What You Eat and Drink
Your eating and drinking habits during the day dictate how you will sleep at night. While it is advisable to totally avoid drinks that have nicotine and caffeine stimulants, it is also important to avoid heavy meals two hours before bedtime. Cutting down on too many liquids in the evening can limit frequent visits to the washroom at night. In order to also enjoy a restful slumber, limit on sugar and refined carbs which disrupts your restorative stages of sleep.
#6 Relax and Clear Your Mind Before Jumping to Bed
A number of studies have shown that people who relax in the evening have better sleep quality. Strategies such as reading a book, listening to music and visualization help to clear your mind and as a result you are able to wake up the next day feeling energized and full of productive mind. In case you are ill, then a relaxing massage will improve your sleep quality besides treating ailments such as insomnia.
#7 Jump to a Shower or a Relaxing Bath
After a hard day of work, your body can only feel rejuvenated again with a warm bath. Studies have shown that good sleep quality can be possible with a shower. Bathing your feet in hot water can also make you relax and enjoy your sleep in case you don't want to take a full bath at night.
Try cold showers as well. You'll be amazed by the quality of your sleep if showered with cold water right before going to bed. Begin with cool water, then work your way down to colder water, if jumping right into cold water is uncomfortable for you. However, a direct cold shower is significantly more beneficial. Cold showers also help improve your overall health and appearance.
#8 Understand Your Body's Natural Sleep-Wake Cycle
One of the best sleeping strategies is to understand your circadian rhythm, which is your body's natural sleep-wake cycle.
Ronald Cramer, a neurologist, medical director and a spokesperson for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine advises his patients to understand their bodies and make some adjustments. Such adjustments include going to bed earlier and getting up earlier, or taking a siesta in the afternoon.
#9 Go to Bed When You're Truly Tired
When you don't fall asleep 20 minutes after getting to bed, it is advisable you get to another room and relax before you become frustrated. You can either read a book or listen to music until you are tired enough to sleep.
#10 Don't drink Alcohol
Avoid taking alcohol before going to sleep as it is known to reduce nighttime melatonin production which negatively affects your sleep. Consumption of alcohol also causes or increases symptoms of sleep apnea, snoring and disrupted sleep patterns.
Bottom Line
Sleep plays a very important role in your overall health and more especially with age. It makes them avoid sleep disorders such as sleep apnea and insomnia. If you want to wake up feeling relaxed, productive and emotionally balanced, then make sleep a top priority by following the above sleeping tips.