How many times do you have to toss and turn in your bed before you get the ride to fantasyland tonight? Unfortunately, many of us struggle with sleep issues and have been compromising on the quality of sleep. Countless factors may hinder a good night’s nap for you, like family chores, work issues, life challenges, or an illness. It is understandably hard to maintain a proper and effective sleep routine. However, there are a few steps that you can follow to improve the quality of sleep significantly.
Follow a Consistent Sleep Routine
You should have a maximum of eight and a minimum of six hours of sleep. If you cut down on the hours of sleep that you get, it shows on your face and affects your overall physical health. The average hours of daily sleep for an adult are recommended to be seven hours. However, it has become quite commonplace to skip sleep regularly. Working throughout the night or staying up late over the weekend is no longer considered a problem at all. But it is slowly wreaking havoc on your health.
To improve the quality of sleep, you should follow a sleep routine regularly, which includes turning the lights out at a specific time and getting out of bed at the same time every day. When you are consistent with this sleep habit, your body will adjust the circadian rhythm (bio-clock or sleep-wake cycle), reinforcing the pattern over time. As a general rule, you have to stay in bed (eyes closed and not peeking on your cellphone) for at least 20 minutes, and if you cannot sleep by then, you should get out of bed and indulge in something soothing for a while, like reading your favorite book or listening to the track you love. Then, turn back to your bedroom when you feel the yawns hitting you.
Be Mindful of What You Put In Your Gut
It may not be that obvious, but whatever you eat or drink has a massive role in determining your sleep quality. Ideally, you should never go to bed without eating anything or after eating way too much. It is also a great idea to say ‘no’ to large and heavy meals just before bedtime. A few hours before your sleep, you should also stay away from alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine. All of these drugs have an infamous rep of interfering and undermining the quality of your sleep.
Create an Environment of Zen
By this, we simply mean that your sleep ‘den’ should be relaxing, dim-lit, warm, and cozy. You should not be doing anything in that space except for catching up on some ‘Z’s’. If your bedroom is an activity hub for you and is full of bright light, you are going to have a challenging time falling asleep and maintaining a good quality of sleep. Your bedroom should have plump pillows, a comfortable mattress, and premium blankets—weighted blankets—to help you unwind. You may also indulge in relaxing activities just before bedtime, like running a soothing bath or meditating. All of this should help you enhance the sleep quality.
Cut Down the Day Naps
These days, many people are into the daytime naps and feel that these short naps increase their productivity. However, if you have been struggling at night with proper sleep, you should consider cutting down on the daytime naps. However, you can still go for a 30 minutes power nap during the daytime. If you are one of those who have to work during the night hours, then you should be compensating for the missed night hours by getting up late in the morning. Cutting down on sleep hours is not a recommended thing at all.
Free Your Mind of Concerns
You cannot hope to sleep with a burdened mind. It is understandable that when your mind is in a state of stress, it would be tough for you to unwind and go to sleep. So, you should take some conscious steps to relax your nerves a little. A helpful thing to do just before bedtime is to write down whatever has been on your mind; some refer to it as a ‘braindump’. You can also try meditation to manage the anxiety and stress that you may be facing. Writing a journal and keeping a log of your routine may also be helpful.
With the above-enlisted tips, you should be able to catch up on your sleep and nap like a baby. However, it will not work like a charm unless you are consistent about all these habits. You have to ensure that you are sticking to these sleep tactics daily. Over time you will observe a significant improvement in your sleep quality and your overall health.