Good sleep is essential to your health. Therefore, when your sleeping is not deep, long, or refreshing anymore, It is crucial to improve it and make it a natural process again. The following bits of advice can help you if you do not sleep enough, have trouble falling asleep or struggle to maintain continuous sleep.
For Good Sleep, Keep Your Sleep Routine
Keep your sleeping routine. Regular hours for sleeping and waking improves your sleep. Therefore, Go to sleep at the same hour each night and wake up the same hour the following morning.
It is tempting to break the sleeping routine on the weekends and holidays. You are free from commitments and feel that it is your time to rest from your busy life. However, it would be best if you continue your sleeping routine.
Also, avoid sleeping in the afternoon. It may hurt this sleeping routine. If you can not get through the day without your siesta, at least try to doze off before 14:00 for no more than 30-40 minutes.
Prepare Your Bedroom For Sleep
You probably know that a comfortable bed is necessary for good sleep. However, for a good sleep, a quiet, dark, and well-air-conditioned bedroom is also required.
Mute The Bedroom
Noise may prevent you from falling asleep. When going to sleep, turn off the TV, radio, or any other device that makes noise.
If you have a device that makes constant and monotonous background noise, consider removing it from the bedroom as it may interfere with your sleep. For example, Remove the clock on the bedroom wall if it ticks all night.
Sometimes the noise comes from outside, and you can not control it. In this case, try to close the bedroom door and its windows.
Darken Your Bedroom
Light may prevent you from falling asleep. When going to sleep, turn off the lights, your computer screen, the TV or any other device that give out a bright light.
Even the sun light’s rays in the early morning can interfere with your sleep. Therefore, you should seal your window with curtains to prevent the sunlight rays from entering the bedroom in the morning.
Turn On Your Bedroom Air Conditioner
Make sure that your bedroom is at the right temperature for you. If it is too hot or too cold, you should turn on your bedroom air conditioner. A well-air-conditioned bedroom makes it easy for you to fall asleep and maintain continuous sleep.
If your bedroom is too cold and makes you shake, you will probably not fall asleep. If your bedroom is too hot and makes you sweat, you will likely struggle to maintain continuous sleep.
Go To Bed When You Are Tired
If you go to bed when you are not tired, you probably will not fall asleep. That is; You should go to sleep only when you are tired.
If you are in bed and do not fall asleep after 20 minutes, You probably not tired enough; Get out of bed and do something else. When you feel you are tired again, go back to bed and try to fall asleep again.
Relax For Good Sleep
When you go to bed to sleep, do not think, “I must fall asleep now.” It is hard to fall asleep with this attitude. Instead, think of happy and pleasant things. Whether it is music that you love or a beautiful memory from your last trip, Those happy things will help you fall asleep more quickly.
For a similar reason, do not get to bed when you hungry. When you think about food, It is not easy to relax. If you are hungry, You should eat a light meal such as vegetable salad or a snack (but do not eat chocolate as it contains caffeine).
Fall Asleep Only In Your Bed
Always try to fall asleep in your bed.
Do not fall asleep in front of the TV or on your couch in the living room. Your bed in your bedroom is the best place to sleep. Falling asleep elsewhere in the house besides your bed is a good recipe for poor sleep.
Avoid Caffeine, Nicotine And Workout
Avoid Caffeine Before Sleep
You probably know that caffeine, the well-known stimulant, has an arousing effect on the brain. Therefore, do not drink caffeinated beverages or eat caffeinated foods before you go to sleep.
As caffeine’s arousing effect can last 6 hours, avoid caffeinated foods and drinks 6 hours before going to bed. In other words, If you want a good sleep before you go to bed, do not drink coffee, tea, or cola drinks, do not eat chocolate, and do not take caffeinated painkillers.
Avoid Nicotine Before Sleep
You probably know that nicotine, the infamous stimulant in cigarettes, has an arousing effect on your body. Therefore, do smoke before you go to sleep.
As nicotine’s arousing effect can last 2 hours, you should avoid smoking 2 hours before going to bed.
Avoid Demanding Training Before Sleep
Training can improve your sleep quality. However an intense workout also has an arousing effect. Therefore you should avoid demanding training 5 hours before bedtime.
Avoid Alcohol And Heavy Meal
Avoid Alcohol Before Sleep
While alcohol is a sedative substance that slows down brain activity and may help you fall asleep more quickly, you may experience disruptions later in your sleep due to the metabolization of alcohol in your liver.
The metabolization of the alcohol can last up to 6 hours. Therefore, avoid drinking alcoholic drinks. In other words, If you want a good sleep, do not drink wine, whiskey, brandy, or even beer 6 hours before your sleep time.
Avoid Heavy Meal Before Sleep
For similar reasons, do not go to bed after a heavy meal. If you do, you may experience disruptions later in your sleep due to the digestion of the food in your stomach.
The Bed Is Only For Sleep
The last piece of advice, do not any other activities in your bed besides sleeping or having sex. If you do not fall asleep in a reasonable time, there is no point in staying in bed. Get out of your bed and do other activities. You can read a book, watch TV, listen to music, or surf the internet.
First, It allows you to detach your thoughts from the pressure of falling asleep. More importantly, If you stay in bed much longer than sleep time, your sleep will be less deep and less refreshing. In other words, short but deep sleep is always better than long but shallow sleep.
