In the United States, nearly 40 million people suffer from some form of sleep disorder each year. There can be many reasons why people face sleep deprivation such as home chores, the presence of toddlers, a very active social life, diabetes, or doing more than one job at a time. No matter what its reasons are, research indicates that sleep disorders affect both the mental and physical health of a person adversely.
When we go to sleep, our body secretes hormones that regulate our energy and mood. The lack of a good night’s sleep can result in mood swings, fatigue, and lethargy in general. Therefore, health experts recommend that you sleep for at least 6-8 hours every day. If you experience any type of sleep disorder, here are some helpful tips that will help you sleep more.
Sleep Timings
There is a famous saying: “Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise”. Usually, people tend to sleep very late at night, especially on weekends. This is not a good habit since the human body is not equipped to cope with the physical and mental challenges posed by daily life if it is not well-rested. For insomniacs, it is recommended that they get up and go to sleep as early as possible to improve their sleep pattern.
Quit Bad Lifestyle Choices
For people who indulge in bad lifestyle choices such as smoking and the consumption of alcohol, getting a good night’s sleep becomes quite the challenge. The effects of nicotine and other sleep-inhibiting elements of smoking last in the blood for at least 24 hours. As a result, your body is forced to stay awake despite the fact that it is actually tired and needs rest.
This is the reason why most smokers shift to e-cigarette instead of the traditional ones. They are using tobacco e-liquids which are believed to be safer than the sticks.
Alcohol on the other hand unnecessarily sedates a person for a few hours, thereby disturbing the natural sleep cycle. To start leading a healthy life with plenty of sleep, it is highly recommended that you quit drinking and smoking.
Unscheduled Naps
The occasional unscheduled nap every couple of days is a great way to catch up on missed sleep. But making a habit out of it disrupts regular sleep patterns and leads to insomnia and other sleep disorders. It is very important to adhere to a regular sleeping pattern. So rather than taking frequent power naps at odd times, it is better for your body and health that you sleep properly during the night.
Workout Daily
A good daily workout routine helps you get better sleep. It helps the body get tired during the day and helps burn some calories at the same time. However, working out right before going to bed at night is not recommended at all. You may finish up with your exercise routine at least 3-4 hours before going to bed.
Activities in the Bed
It is important that you limit your activities in bed to rest and sleeping only. If you start using your smartphone the moment you lie down, you might not be able to fall asleep in time. To ensure that you get timely sleep, you will need to turn off the lights, avoid all distractions such as texting, playing games, reading books, or watching videos.
Avoid the intake of food and beverages right before you go to bed. Eating late at night makes your digestive system active. Additionally, drinking excess drinking water right before going to bed results in multiple trips to the bathroom over the course of the night.
And of course, speaking of bed, you should have a comfortable bed to be able to get a good sleep. One of the things you can do is to find the best mattress to use.
Relax
Make your sleeping area comfortable by dimming out the lights and reducing noises. Your bed should be cozy and the room should be devoid of pets that may disturb your sleep. If you experience stress or anxiety at night, you can use relaxation therapies such as breathing techniques, meditation, muscle relaxation, etc. to calm down your mind.
Hopefully, after reading these tips, getting a good night’s sleep will no longer be an issue for you. If you have any questions or tips for us, feel free to use the comments section below.