Health
14 Simple Hacks to Get a Good Night’s Sleep
Getting a good night’s sleep can improve your mood, reduce your stress, and even lower your risk for serious health issues, including heart disease and diabetes. In fact, if you eat healthy foods, exercise regularly and get enough sleep every night, you will be able to stay at a healthy weight.
Want to get a good night’s sleep every night? Here are 12 simple hacks to get a good night’s rest:
1. Create and Stick to a Sleep Schedule
Create a sleep schedule and stick to it. You, therefore, need to go to bed and wake up at the same time every night, even on the weekends and holidays. You will have to force yourself to go to bed and get out of bed on weekends. Remember, if you change your sleep schedule, you will have difficulty falling asleep and even staying asleep.
2. Regular Exercise
Regular exercise can help you get a good night’s rest. How? Outdoor exercise can help reduce your stress and reset your circadian rhythm. Do not, however, do vigorous exercise 4 hours before your bedtime. If you exercise too close to your bedtime, your body will release endorphins. The endorphins may keep you awake at night.
3. Go to Sleep Early
You need to go to bed at the correct time. If, for example, you sleep during the hours of 10 pm and 2 am, you will get the most rejuvenating sleep. This is because the body releases more sleep hormones during these hours. So, you will be able to sleep deeply and stay asleep longer.
4. Do Not Hit the Snooze Button
The snooze button can disturb your REM sleep. If you are used to hitting the snooze button when your alarm goes off, you probably wake up feeling groggy and tired in the morning. Do not hit the snooze button if you want to see changes in the quality of sleep. In fact, you will always wake up feeling rested and refreshed.
5. Do Not Eat a Heavy Meal Late at Night
You should not go to sleep hungry. However, some people eat heavy meals late at night. If you eat too much before you go to bed, you will not get enough night’s rest. You need to eat foods, such as fruits, dairy products, nuts, nuts, and bananas in the evening. These foods promote sleep. You will sleep better if you eat these foods.
6. Manage Your Screen Time
You and your family probably spend the whole evening in front of your electronic devices, such as televisions and laptops. However, the screens of electronic devices emit blue light. The blue light will disrupt your sleep cycle. That is why you need to manage your screen time. You can stop using your electronic devices two hours before you go to bed.
7. Create a Comfortable Bedroom
It is not advisable to use your bedroom to work, eat, or even store your belongings. Creating a comfortable bedroom can improve your sleep quality. A comfortable bedroom should have good lighting, good bedding, a comfortable bed, a comfortable mattress, and a comfortable temperature. Keep your bedroom clear of unnecessary items.
8. Do Not Smoke
If you smoke, you are more likely to experience sleep problems, including insomnia, sleep apnoea, snoring, and poor-quality sleep. In fact, occasional use of nicotine can disrupt your sleep. If you really want to improve your sleep quality, you should consider quitting smoking. Nicotine can keep you wide awake throughout the night.
9. Drink Milk Before Bedtime
Milk is rich in sleep-promoting components, including tryptophan. Tryptophan is an amino acid that promotes sleep. Milk can, therefore, help you fall asleep. You can warm a glass of milk and add honey. If you drink milk before bedtime, you will sleep better. Remember, milk is also good for your health. You could also look into the peptide DSIP which is known to promote better delta sleep in research studies.
10. Keep Your Bedroom Cool
The temperature of your bedroom can affect your sleep quality. For instance, if your bedroom is too hot or cold, it can impact your comfort and sleep quality. If, however, your bedroom is cool, your body will release adequate amounts of melatonin. That is why keeping your bedroom cool can help you fall asleep quickly and stay asleep.
11. Keep Your Bedroom Completely Dark
You need to eliminate sneaky light sources. How? You can buy black curtains. These curtains can keep your bedroom completely dark. If there is light in your bedroom, it can interfere with your sleep. This is because your body will not produce sleep hormones.
If you can maintain optimal melatonin production by keeping your bedroom completely dark, you will get a good night’s rest.
12. Use a Blue-Blocking App
You probably use your phone in the evening. So, if you want to use your smartphone in your bedroom, you should consider installing a blue-blocking app. The app can block the blue light. If you can block the blue light, you may get a good night’s rest. It is, however, much better to switch off your phone 30 minutes before bedtime.
13. Reduce Your Alcohol Consumption
Some people drink alcohol to help them fall asleep. Yes, you may fall asleep quickly. However, you will not get a good night’s rest. Alcohol will disrupt your sleep. Reducing your alcohol consumption can help you sleep better. You do not have to take alcohol late in the evening.
14. Do Not Take Coffee Late in the Evening
Last, but not least, you need to stop drinking coffee in the evening. Coffee contains caffeine, and caffeine stays in the body for around 6 hours. Caffeine helps to keep us active throughout the day. So, if you drink coffee in the evening, you will find it difficult to fall asleep.
You can only take your coffee in the morning. In fact, if you can avoid coffee, you will get a good night’s rest.
Conclusion
These are the best hacks to get a good night’s rest. You, therefore, need to create and stick to a sleep routine, do regular exercise, go to sleep early, avoid smoking, avoid eating a heavy meal late in the evening, and drink milk before bedtime. Also, managing your screening or installing a blue-block app can help you sleep better.