Strange as it may sound, but a good-night-sleep is one of the hardest things to find around today. In this fast-paced world, people are so engrossed in their daily activities that they barely have enough time to rest, and even when they finally get the time to catch some sleep, the anxiety and potential worry of tomorrow are often too great that they tend to open their eyes just moments after shutting them. So, does that mean people have to keep struggling with sleepless nights? Isn’t there a way for all of us to catch a relaxing sleep at night? Of course, there is, and here within this article, you will find some proven tips to help you sleep better at night.
Increase bright light exposure during the day
Did you know that your body has a natural time-keeping clock? Yes, it does; it is called the “Circadian Rhythm.” It affects your hormones, brains, and body, helping you stay active, awake, and telling your body when it’s time to sleep. Now, how do you improve your circadian rhythm to that you can sleep better at night? Natural sunlight or bright light is known to help keep the circadian rhythm healthy. In fact, a study conducted in older adults showed that two hours of bright light exposure during the day increased the amount of sleep by two hours or more and sleep efficiency by 80%.
Avoid caffeine late in the day
Have you ever wondered why people choose to consume caffeine early in the morning? Well, caffeine is known to help increase energy levels, improve focus, and help you stay active throughout the day. Now when you take it at night, it does a similar thing, thereby causing you to stay active at night when you are supposed to be sleeping.
Reduce irregular or long daytime naps
Do you find yourself quick to fall asleep during the day? This could be the reason for your sleepless nights. While short power naps are very beneficial to the health, long or irregular naps can actually affect your sleep time.
Consume a Melatonin supplement
Melatonin is a major sleep hormone that controls how your body sleeps and relaxes. If you are finding it hard to sleep at night, getting a melatonin supplement might be your best bet. Often used in the treatment of insomnia, melatonin is an extremely popular sleep aid, capable of helping anyone struggling with sleepless nights. In a certain study, 2 mg of melatonin prior to bed was found to improve sleep quality and energy the next day. In another study, half of the group that took melatonin fell asleep faster and experienced a 15% improvement in sleep quality.
Change your mattress
Sometimes, all you have to do to improve your sleep quality is the quality of the bed you are sleeping in. While some people enjoy sleeping in memory foam, others might prefer to sleep in a hybrid, or latex mattress. If you’re not really able to sleep as much as you would like at night, it could be as a result of your inconvenient mattress and now may be the perfect time to make some changes. Ask around about the types of mattresses available, go online to read about mattress reviews, and find the specifications that fit your bedroom.
Set your bedroom temperature
Body and bedroom temperature can also significantly affect sleep quality. As you’ve probably experienced in the past during a summer vacation at a hot location, it could get really difficult finding a good-night-sleep when the temperature is too warm. And sometimes when the temperature is too chilling too. If you think your bedroom is not really comfortable for your sleep pattern, now may be the right time to bring in a heater or an air conditioner. Typically, around 20 0C (70 0F) is known to be an ideal temperature for most people, but if this doesn’t work for you, you can always adjust your heater or air conditioner to a temperature that suits you.
Avoid late-night food
Sometimes when the body feels too heavy, it can be really difficult to catch a sleep. Late-night eating may negatively impact both sleep quality and natural release of HGH and melatonin.
Exercises regularly but close to your bedtime
Exercise is one of the best-proven ways to improve sleep habits. When you exercise the body, especially during the day, it stresses the muscles and joints, thereby creating a huge sense of relaxation craving.
Do not rule out a sleep disorder
Sometimes, your inability to sleep well at night could be the result of a sleep disorder. One very popular sleep condition is sleep apnea, which causes irregular and interrupted breathing. People suffering from this condition stop repeatedly breathing while sleeping. And guess what, this condition is actually common than many may think. A certain review showed that 24% of men and 9% of women have sleep apnea.
Uday Tank has been working with writing challenged clients for several years. His educational background in family science and journalism has given him a broad base from which to approach many topics. He especially enjoys writing content after researching and analyzing different resources whether they are books, articles or online stuff.
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