Sleep is a necessity in order to stay healthy. However, sometimes sleep can elude us. Problems falling asleep at night are not uncommon.
When your body is not rested you become overly tired and this makes it difficult for you to focus and to work. This is a huge productivity killer especially if you need to work all day.
The only way to alleviate this problem is to learn as much as you can about how to get the proper amount of rest. Here are some tips to help you get better sleep.
Keep a Sleep Schedule
Most people need at least seven hours of sleep per day. The best way to ensure you get the right amount of sleep is to set a schedule for your rest.
Ensure you maintain your schedule even on the weekends. Being consistent puts your body in a healthy sleep-wake cycle.
Sometimes it can be difficult to fall asleep right away, if you find this is happening to you the best thing you can do is to get out of bed for a few minutes and do something that will relax you. This could be reading a book are listening to your favorite music. Once you start feeling tired then you can go back to bed.
Eating and Drinking
What you eat and drink before bed is extremely important. Always make sure you are not eating too much or too little. The last thing you want to be is hungry but you don’t want to be overly full either.
Eat heavier meals several hours before your bedtime. Stick to the lighter meals closer to sleep time.
Try not to smoke, drink coffee, or other caffeinated beverages too close to bed time. This can cause restlessness and make it more difficult for you to fall asleep.
Bedroom Comfort
Your bedroom plays an important role in how you feel at bedtime. It should be cool, quiet, and dark if possible. This doesn’t mean you cannot use a night light.
However, you should make sure that it is not too bright as this will help to keep you awake. Use a sleep mask whenever possible, or use shade curtains in your room.
Turn off the TV and stay off your phone near bedtime. This is because blue light from these devices will make it harder for you to fall asleep.
Avoid Naps During the Day
Taking naps during the day can be tempting especially if you work from home. However, this can disturb your sleep at night.
If you do take naps limit these to just thirty minutes and keep them earlier in the day. Try to take them at midday or before.
If you are currently working a night shift, taking a late nap should not disturb your sleep patterns too much. In fact, it would be a nice refresher for you if you need to catch up on your sleep due to working at night.
Get a Comfortable Mattress
A lot has been said about making the environment in your room as comfortable as possible. While this is essential, if the mattress you are sleeping on is making you uncomfortable, no matter how you prepare the environment you will still struggle to get a restful sleep. One thing is you can visit a mattress store new york city, where you can test and buy mattresses. It is the best store where you can test different types of mattress brands.
These days there are so many different types of mattresses on the market. You can have your pick of which one appeals to you. However, there are a few things you should look out for based on your favorite sleep position.
If you sleep on your back, memory foam mattresses will provide the highest level of comfort to you. Memory foam mattresses contour and cushion the spine effectively giving you a good night’s sleep.
If you sleep on your side you may find you have discomfort in your hips or shoulders. Your mattress will need to be soft.
If you sleep on your stomach you will need to ensure your weight is evenly distributed across your body. If your mattress is too soft it will not provide enough support.
Your spine will dip while you are sleeping and this may lead to back pain. The best mattress for side sleepers with back pain should be in the medium-firm range.
Herbs for Sleeping
You can improve sleep with herbs. The most potent of these herbs are lavender, chamomile, and oats.
Lavender is an essential oil that can work wonders to reduce stress and help you to sleep. You can inhale lavender before bedtime to help you relax.
Chamomile is also a very relaxing herb. It will help you to sleep. One of the best ways to use it to relax before bedtime is to drink it as tea.
You may think oatmeal is only good for breakfast each morning. However, it can also be taken at bedtime in small amounts. Oats can help to reduce fatigue and assist with sleep.
Manage Your Stress Levels
The stress you feel is often unavoidable. However, it is best to try and manage high-stress levels because it makes it hard for you to get good rest.
No matter how quiet your room is, how good your mattresses, or how much chamomile tea you drink, you will never get rest if your mind is preoccupied with troubling thoughts.
It’s best to confront any stress head on and try to clear your mind before trying to sleep. If you are finding it difficult to cope on your own there is nothing wrong with asking for professional help. Stress could increase magnesium loss, causing magnesium deficiency. While magnesium deficiency could enhance the body’s susceptibility to stress. This results in a magnesium and stress vicious circle. That is why it’s important to take a quick magnesium deficiency test to find out your magnesium level, especially while being under stress.
Sleep Well
Getting the right amount of sleep is not always easy but it’s a necessity. You need to do whatever it takes to ensure your body is well-rested.
If it isn’t you will start to experience fatigue and other health problems that can hamper your productivity during the day. If you work in the daytime or even at night this can be very problematic. It is always in your best interest to ensure you do whatever is necessary to get the rest you need.
We hope you enjoyed this content from one of our partners. Eighty MPH Mom has recently written new health related content tackling both insomnia and mood with food. Please keep following us for more great content.
