Most of us have experienced a poor night of restful slumber that left us feeling exhausted and irritable the following morning, yet chronic sleep deprivation is much more dangerous, increasing your risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity.
Make sleep a top priority by improving your daily habits, starting with these science-backed suggestions:
1. Sleep in a Quiet Environment
Establishing an ideal sleep environment can aid in creating restful nights of restful rest. Achieve this by keeping the bedroom clean and uncluttered, not using it for multipurpose activities (such as watching TV, studying or using the computer in bed), masking distracting noise with white noise (like fan or sleep playlist) or using earplugs, as well as adding soothing scents known to promote restful slumber – these steps should all contribute towards creating an ideal atmosphere conducive to restful slumber.
Darkening your room using blackout curtains or a sleep mask and decreasing blue light exposure is also key in aiding sleep. Doing this allows the body to produce more melatonin which aids sleep.
2. Set a Regular Bedtime
What you do during the hours leading up to bedtime can have a dramatic impact on your ability to rest easy. Avoid caffeine and alcohol, and establish a relaxing, predictable routine to help wind down before sleep comes.
Try to establish a regular bedtime and wakeup time, even on weekends, in order to facilitate your body’s natural sleep cycle.
3. Sleep on a Comfortable Mattress
An appropriate mattress can provide relief for pressure points, align spine alignment and regulate body temperature for restful night sleep. As opposed to breaking in stiff new boots, your weight compressing the materials of a new mattress will gradually soften it over time.
Once your mattress feels great, Tyler recommends only using it for sleeping and sex. By doing so, your brain becomes familiar with the bed as being associated with sleeping – making it easier for you to fall asleep at bedtime.
4. Practice Sleep Hygiene
Sleep can rejuvenate both body and mind, helping you perform at your best during the day. A good night’s rest also improves concentration and memory function so you remain alert and productive at work and school.
Good sleep hygiene involves optimizing the environment, pre-bed routines, and daily schedules that support restful slumber. Since it is an individual practice tailored to suit your lifestyle and preferences, these habits can help you fall asleep faster and feel refreshed upon awakening in the morning – as well as reduce the likelihood of developing sleep disorders.
5. Exercise Regularly
Even if you don’t consider yourself to be a workout warrior, regular physical activity can help improve sleep quality. Moderate aerobic exercise like brisk walking or light jogging helps tire out your body while muscle strengthening activities like yoga and Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) offer relaxation and stress relief.
Discover your optimal workout intensity and timing by experimenting with both intensity and duration of workouts. Aim for early in the day or at least several hours prior to bedtime to maximize results.
6. Eat a Healthy Diet
Eating a well-balanced diet can help promote restful sleep, while limiting consumption of foods high in fat, sugar and caffeine late at night may further facilitate this effect.
Studies have demonstrated the power of eating an assortment of fruits and vegetables, whole grains and protein-rich foods to aid in improving sleep. Berries contain antioxidants as well as other essential nutrients which support restful slumber.
Add berries to your morning smoothie or salad as a healthy sleep aid, as well as beans or nuts into meals or as snack options for an instant sleep booster boost.
7. Avoid Alcohol and Caffeine Late at Night
No matter how tempting it may be to grab a nightcap after a long day, alcohol consumption may impair your sleep cycle and affect its effectiveness. Alcohol may cause frequent awakenings throughout the night; reduce slow-wave and REM sleep quality; worsen snoring; and worsen sleep apnea symptoms.
Caffeine can also make sleeping difficult. Avoiding large meals and spicy foods before bedtime and practicing relaxation techniques are all ways that can aid in providing restful slumber.
8. Turn Off Electronics Before Bed
Screen time before bed can disrupt restful slumber, particularly if its content is stimulating. Furthermore, electronics emit blue light which inhibits melatonin production.
Establishing a bedtime routine and cutting off screens an hour before sleeping helps prepare your body for restful slumber, freeing up an hour for non-screen activities like reading, bathing or listening to music.
Keep your room dark to aid in the natural sleep-inducing processes such as decreasing body temperature and producing more melatonin.
9. Keep Your Room Dark
Light entering a bedroom disrupts the circadian rhythm that gives your brain cues about when to sleep and wake up, interfering with production of melatonin and making it more difficult for you to fall asleep quickly and stay asleep throughout the night.
Create a dark environment conducive to sleep by using blackout curtains and blinds to block out external light sources and wearing a sleep mask – this combination ensures a peaceful, dark sleep environment conducive to better restful slumber.
10. Practice Relaxation Techniques
Relaxation techniques can be an excellent way to calm the mind and body prior to sleep, often leading to physical changes like reduced heart rate and stress hormone levels.
Visualize a place of calm or use relaxation breathing techniques such as autogenic training to unwind. This involves beginning from your feet and working your way upwards, tensing and relaxing each part of your body as you go along. Make these practices part of your regular practice to see better results over time.
