Our body requires good sleep for it to function as optimally as it should. Being sleep-deprived not only weakens your immune system but also reduces your effectiveness and productivity throughout the day. Though all of us want good sleep, unfortunately, many still struggle with sleep issues. Factors like stress, anxiety, responsibility, etc interfere with it making our night a sleepless one.
In this blog post, we will share tips for better sleep to help you get the rest you need.
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Maintain a consistent sleep schedule.
The majority of us go to bed whenever we want, but did you know that this kind of habit ruins our body clock? Studies have shown that having an inconsistent sleep-wake leads to serious sleeping issues that can cause serious health problems in a long run. That is why as early as now, you should stop letting your body become accustomed to this practice. Instead, make your ‘Go to bed’ and ‘Get up from bed’ the same every day and limit your sleep time to no more than 8 hours. Take note that it should be the same hour every day, including your weekends. Doing this will create a healthy sleep-wake cycle for you.
If by chance, you’re still unable to sleep even after being in bed for 20 minutes, don’t stress yourself out but rather leave your bedroom and do something that can relax you. Try reading or listening to a suitable noise and go back to bed once you start feeling sleepy. Depending on your preference, you can choose to listen either to white noise, pink noise, or brown noise. It is also important to know what noise works best for you, refer to the image below.
Source: www.sleepscore.com
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Pay attention to what you eat and drink.
Avoid having heavy meals right before your bedtime cause it will make you feel uncomfortable enough to keep you awake. Also, pay attention to the fluids that you consume. Nicotine and caffeine have a stimulating effect that takes hours before it wears off, while alcohol can cause sleep fragmentation which is known as the frequent awakenings during your sleep resulting in excessive tiredness.
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Create a restful environment.
Make your room as comfortable as you can- cool, quiet, and dark.
In order for you to boost your likelihood of falling asleep quickly, use soft pillows and a mattress, and a sleep mask. You can also try replacing your curtains with ones that are darker, preferably black, to block the light that enters the room from the outside. Prolonged exposure to light-emitting screens will make it very challenging for you to fall asleep which is why it is advisable to keep your gadgets away just before bedtime.
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Do light movements.
Try doing meditation or breathing exercises. Instead of diving straight to your bed after your shift, you may want to do light exercises to improve your blood flow, helping reduce the feelings of restlessness and discomfort. Note that it is easier to drift off to sleep when your body feels more relaxed and comfortable.
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Manage your worries
Addressing and dealing with your worries are acceptable, but try to avoid doing it right before bed. If you do it, your anxiousness will rise and you’ll stay up longer. Instead, what you can do is try some of the best stress-management techniques, like keeping a journal.
Quality sleep is essential for our physical and mental health, so make it one of your priorities in life.