Sleep well, be healthy
These simple tips will help you sleep better and be more energetic and productive throughout the day.
DID Do you know that sleep takes from a third to a half of a person’s entire life? When it comes to peace of mind, nothing on earth compares to sleep. We all cherish a restful night’s sleep after a long, tiring day.
Sleep is an important component of human life, as it is a complex biological process that allows us to process new information, maintain health and replenish energy reserves.
Simply put, sleep serves as a daily recharge for a person. As a result, sleep is important for both physical and mental health.
Lack of rest and sleep can increase your health risk by developing serious diseases, including obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. In fact, poor sleep can also lead to decreased immunity, which increases the chance of illness and infection.
The National Institutes of Health states that “sleep in one way or another serves all aspects of our body: molecular, energy balance, as well as intellectual function, alertness and mood.”
It turns out that sleep plays a significant role in maintaining our health. Simply put, you cannot afford to ignore this issue. As a result, people need good sleep habits to get a good night’s sleep.
Below are some tips and good sleep habits that can improve your sleep:
-> Maintain a sleep schedule
You can improve the quality of your sleep by following a regular bedtime and synchronizing it with your body’s natural circadian rhythm. Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, including weekends.
If you get enough rest, you don’t need an alarm clock to wake you up. If you need an alarm, you may need to adjust your bedtime. In addition, sleep time should not exceed eight hours. Adults in good health are advised to get at least seven hours of sleep each night. The goal is to keep consistency.
-> Improve sleep environment
Your brain needs to get a strong signal that it’s time to unwind and let go of the stress of the day, the relaxing routine before bed. Your ability to sleep well can sometimes be greatly affected by even minor changes in your environment.
The main thing is that the room should be cool, dark, quiet and relaxing. Exposure to light at night can make it harder to fall asleep.
Avoid using light emitting screens for an extended period of time right before bed. So, turn off all electronic devices such as TVs, computers and smartphones an hour before bedtime.
Set the correct temperature as this also plays an important role. Most people sleep best in a slightly cool room with adequate ventilation, ranging from 18°C to 24°C. A hot or cold bedroom can disrupt sleep quality.
-> Exercise during the day
Do some physical exercise, such as light exercise. If you are active during the day, it will be easier for you to fall asleep at night. Regular exercise also reduces the symptoms of insomnia and sleep apnea and increases the amount of time spent in deep restorative sleep phases.
If you exercise in the morning or afternoon, this won’t be a problem, but exercising before bed can disrupt your sleep. Try to do a moderate to vigorous workout at least three hours before bed. Reschedule your workouts even earlier if you’re still having trouble falling asleep.
Evening hours can be used to improve sleep by engaging in soothing, low-impact activities such as yoga or light stretching.
-> Be careful what you eat and drink
Avoid large meals, caffeine and alcohol before bed.
It is your overall diet, rather than specific foods, that can make the most difference to the quality of your sleep as well as your overall health. Your daily eating habits play a role in how well you sleep, especially in the hours before bed.
Don’t go to bed hungry or full. In particular, avoid heavy or large meals a couple of hours before bedtime. Nicotine, caffeine and alcohol also deserve caution. The stimulating effects of nicotine and caffeine wear off after a few hours and can interfere with sleep.
-> Track your sleep
Tracking sleep and wake times will allow you to analyze them and make adjustments for quality sleep. Keep track of how long you think it will take you to fall asleep, or how often you wake up during the night.
You can get all of this information if you use a smartwatch, as most of them include sleep tracking and analysis these days. Once you get a general idea of how many hours of sleep you get each night, you can adjust your sleep time accordingly. However, if you don’t have one, you can also use the old fashioned method of writing them down in notepad.