7 Proven Tips To Catch More Sleep At Night
By: John Garcia | Date Posted: November 25, 2021
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Think about all factors that interfere with a good nightâs sleep. In a perfect world, you would sleep soundly from the moment your head hits the pillow until your alarm clock rings. But in reality, many factors can interfere with restful sleep and leave you feeling tired and groggy throughout the day.
It would help if you put these tips into practice as soon as possible: better sleep means more energy to tackle all challenges that come up during the day.
Tips To Better Sleep
While you might not be able to control some of the external factors that can interfere with restful sleep, there are many things you can do to make your bedroom an ideal environment for catching sleep. Adopting the following habits encourages a better sleep pattern:
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Make Your Bedroom Comfortable
Your bedroom should be adequately ventilated, dark and quiet. This is important to make it comfortable for sleeping. If you are not sure of the most appropriate bed for you, check out Sleep Reviews to learn about the best options on the market. When noises or lights are coming from outside your room, use thick curtains or blinds to block out the light and buy some earplugs if you need to lower the sound. Also, try using a fan to create white noise, which drowns out other sounds and doesnât interfere with restful sleep.
Moreover, a comfortable mattress goes a long way toward ensuring good quality sleep at night since almost half the time we spend in bed is spent sleeping on our mattress. The right mattress should support your body so that you are neither too bunched up nor constantly slipping down. A back sleeper might want a firmer mattress, while a side sleeper would benefit from one that is more cushioned.
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Have A Routine And Stick To It
The routine that makes the most difference is relaxing and involves some unwinding activity. Going to sleep at roughly the same time every night gives your body a better chance to relax since it wonât have to wake itself up to follow its regular sleeping pattern. But try not to exercise immediately before going to bed because this will stimulate your body instead of calming it down for restful sleep. You should also avoid caffeine, nicotine, or other stimulating substances within 6 hours of going to bed because stimulants interfere with restful sleep.
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Donât Stress Yourself Out
Stress can make it hard to fall asleep because your body produces cortisol while under pressure or stress. This hormone inhibits the production of melatonin, which is the chemical that relaxes your muscles and prepares them for restful sleep. Try to solve your worries or concerns at least 1 hour before bedtime to free up your mind of the problems that might be keeping you awake. The best way to manage stress is by practicing relaxation techniques before bedtimes, such as meditation or breathing exercises. In addition, by learning how to control your thoughts, you can minimize stress in your day-to-day life.
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Exercise Less In The Evening
Exercise can be very beneficial for sleep quality at night because it encourages deep breathing and physical relaxation during the day. However, exercising in the evening can interfere with restful sleep by raising stress levels after you have stopped training. The best solution is therefore sticking to morning or afternoon workouts and saving exercise for the morning hours.
You can practice a relaxation exercise like yoga before bedtime if you feel stressed out and anxious. However, another great way to improve your sleep quality is by exercising during the day; this helps regulate serotonin levels in your body, which will make it easier for you to fall asleep later on. In addition, regular physical activity will boost your overall health and fitness level, which will improve the quality of your sleep.
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Consume Comfort Foods
Habitual snacking can keep you up at night by interfering with your circadian rhythms, but some foods can help induce sleep better than others. Try to avoid caffeine and alcohol because both of these substances can interfere with quality rest. Instead, eat carbohydrates which help produce serotonin in your body. This hormone promotes relaxation and sleepiness during evening hours, so eating carbohydrate snacks before bedtime is beneficial for good sleep.
Lastly, have a glass of warm milk before going to bed because this drink contains tryptophan, making it easier to fall asleep when consumed at night. Remember to limit drinks. Drinking lots of water before bedtime can make it difficult for you to fall asleep because it fills up your bladder and makes you wake up frequently throughout the night. Avoid drinking liquids within two hours of your bedtime so you wonât have to get up often for trips to the bathroom.
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Donât Drink Alcohol
Drinking alcohol may make it easier to fall asleep quickly, but it harms the quality of your rest. After drinking alcohol at night, your body enters a deep sleep, which means you wonât wake up too often, and your mind wonât create many vivid dreams. This type of sleep is not refreshing, meaning that your body doesnât get the chance to do most of the important things it does while you are unconscious.
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Educate Yourself About Dreams
What you do before bedtime can have a significant impact on your dreams. Some activities will help you have more pleasant dreams, while others will fuel nightmares or leave you tossing and turning all night. For example, if you want to dream about playing sports or music without getting too many nightmares, try reading a book about dancing for an hour before going to sleep. Alternatively, you might enjoy watching a scary movie â this is an excellent way to fuel bizarre and disturbing dreams.
Catch More Sleep At Night
Try different relaxation techniques when preparing for bedtime. Meditation and breathing exercises both help tame stress and relax the body. Try lighting some scented candles to make your room smell fantastic and relax you. Make sure they are placed away from any flammable materials or electric devices that may be affected by heat/fire. (Remember, safety first.) Relaxing music has also been proven to help people sleep better at night; try listening to classical music, meditative tunes, or nature sounds with a relaxing rainforest ambiance.
Thank you for reading!