In our busy and hectic lives, sleep is something we scarcely think about, yet it is so vital to us performing at our best. Healthy sleep, which is not interrupted, is critical to restore and rejuvenate your body, and much of your healing processes happen when you get enough sleep. We want to help you get an adequate amount of shut-eye, so we have for you five of our best tips to get all the rest that you need.
- Stick to a Schedule
Everyone has an internal clock. The best way to regulate yours and have it work like a charm is to figure out how to reset sleep schedule and have regular times at which to fall asleep and wake up. Over time, this could make your evenings much more restful and keep your sleep uninterrupted. Having a healthy, restful night’s sleep will also help you feel better in the morning and more ready to leap out of bed. Establishing a schedule for sleep, like all things, only works if you stick to it, so be sure to be mindful and go to sleep when it is scheduled for.
- Avoid Your Afternoon Nap
When it is the weekend, and you have no pressing business to attend to, it can be very tempting to slip into bed and drift off in a cocoon of warmth. However, catching a few extra hours of sleep can throw off your whole sleep schedule. Power napping might help you get through your day, but even short periods of rest might keep you up when you want to go to sleep. If you love napping and cannot give it up, consider adding a pre-bed workout to your lifestyle. Strenuous exercise will make you feel tired and more receptive to the healing and restorative powers of sleep. Healthy sleep is possible for all of us. The sooner you can get into a good sleeping pattern, the better off you will be.
- Avoid Chemicals or a Heavy Meal Directly Before Bed
Things like alcohol, caffeine, or tobacco can disrupt your sleep schedule. Tobacco and caffeine are stimulants, messing with your brain’s chemistry and not letting it calm down into a sleeping atmosphere. In the same way, a heavy meal can disrupt your sleep. Eating a heavy or large meal late at night can contribute to indigestion, further keeping you up. If, after your evening meal you are still hungry before bed, try a light snack or some fruit about an hour or so before you get under the covers. Having a light snack or fruit can satiate you as much as you would like, but it will not sit in your stomach heavily.
- Establish a Routine
A great majority of people find it helpful to establish a pattern around their bedtimes. The establishing of a healthy bedtime routine has been shown to have many benefits, including cardiac health and a good attention span. It is for the best to take the hour or two before you want to go to bed to really wind down. This means no screens, and it may mean removing distractions from your bedroom. You want to associate your bed with the place where you sleep. Create a bedtime routine that will relax you and put you in the mood for sleep. Keep all those relaxing activities confined to just one place.
- Is It Time to Seek a Professional’s Help?
If you have tried just about every tip and trick out there, but you are still having trouble sleeping, you may have to speak to your doctor or other sleep professional. They will first recommend that you keep a sleep diary in hopes that what is keeping you up is an easily amended habit. If, while keeping a sleep journal, you notice a pattern of difficulty sleeping correlated with changeable behavior, you know how to fix it. If you are doing all of this but still have yet to see results, a doctor or a sleep professional may prescribe you a sleep aid of some sort. Some people have also seen positive results stemming from a regimen of talk therapy.
