How to Improve Your Sleep for a Better and Longer Life
We all know that sleep is important for our health. And yet, so many of us have terrible sleeping habits and persist in not employing good sleep hygiene. Not only will these tips make you feel rested and give you more energy for your day-to-day life, they will actually improve your health and extend your lifespan.
Stick to a Regular Schedule
The number one strategy for healthy sleep is to get in touch with your body’s natural sleep/wake cycle, or circadian rhythm. If you have not had a regular sleep schedule for a long time you may be out of touch, but fake it till you make it! Try to get in bed about eight hours before you need to be awake. This should ensure that you get the recommended seven hours of sleep per night. Keep a regular bedtime and waking time and try not to vary this more than an hour, even on weekends.
Hopefully, you will eventually become attuned to your body’s signals. Of course, our modern lifestyle gets in the way, but prioritizing a regular sleep schedule can go a long way to helping you sleep better.
Be Aware of Your Exposure to Light
Our circadian rhythms are very affected by exposure to light, as they evolved to work with the day/night cycle of the sun. Exposing yourself to bright light in the morning can help you wake up. Getting sunlight is also good for you in other ways, so why not eat breakfast outside?
As you are getting closer to bedtime, avoid exposure to bright light. Keep your bedroom dark and your lights dim. Also, make it a rule to avoid screens within 1-2 hours of your bedtime. Blue light in particular can mess up your circadian rhythm, but even with a blue light filter, you still get too much light exposure staring at a screen.
Think About What You Eat
If you are hungry when you go to bed it can be hard to fall asleep. However, sleeping on a full stomach hampers your quality of sleep as your body has to focus on digesting. In general, you should not eat anything closer than an hour or two to bedtime. Sugary food and refined carbs are particularly bad as they can trigger wakefulness at night.
Avoid caffeine and nicotine before bed as they are stimulants and will keep you awake. Alcohol should also not be consumed close to bedtime as it can interfere with your sleep cycles. Even if you don’t find it a struggle to fall asleep after consuming these things, the quality of your sleep is probably not very good.
Final Tips
If you struggle with falling asleep, give yourself time to wind down before going to bed and maybe visit website or try a sleep exercise. For optimal sleep at night, limit daytime naps and incorporate exercise into your day. Just following these few tips can improve your quality of sleep immensely, which will leave you happier, healthier, and full of energy.