Sleeping is the best way to keep your body and mind healthy. Whilst you sleep, your body recovers from your daily activities, increases the activity of important glands, and the blood supply flow rises also to support cell growth and regeneration.
The impact of sleep on your health is enormous, and that is why it is extremely important to teach your body and mind to relax and get into a routine that will help your well-being. A healthy life and vitamins are not enough if you forget about taking care of your sleep routine. Your body and your brain need deep sleep to recover and grow.
With this in mind, let’s talk about how you can achieve a night of restful sleep.
Woman sleeping in a bed
1. Create a routine by heading to bed at the same time daily
It is important that you keep a good sleep schedule. This will help the brain and your body get used to this routine.
On average, adults should get 6-9 hours of sleep each night. Once you find out the best time to wake up in the morning, it will become easier to figure out when to go to bed every night.
You should also focus on getting up at the same time every day. Even if you have a very bad night, you should not try to remedy this by sleeping late. It will only throw you off schedule and make it difficult to stick to any routines you have set.
2. Take time to wind down
It is important for you to wind down before heading to bed. There are many great ways to relax, including:
Taking a warm bath. This will help your body reach a temperature that is optimal for better sleep.
Writing lists for the next day will keep you organized and give you a head start.
Practising light yoga can help relax your muscles and prepare you for deep sleep. Avoid any vigorous exercise as this might have the opposite effect on your sleep.
Listen to relaxation CDs that were created with restfulness in mind.
Read a book. Try avoiding something overly stimulating, as this can make it more difficult to clear and relax your mind for a good sleep.
Download the app from the NHS Apps Library that was created to assist with sleep.
Unplug all electronic devices at least an hour before bedtime. The light emitted from screens can make it hard to sleep.
Remember that eating before going to bed needs to be avoided.
If you need more advice, you can talk to your GP about this. You can also visit the sleepstation website for several sleep resources.
Get in touch with a health professional as soon as possible if you suffer from insomnia for longer than 4 weeks.
3. Create a sleep-friendly space
Your bedroom should inspire relaxation. Researchers say that bedrooms and sleep are closely linked in most people’s minds. Keep your bedroom tidy, uncluttered, and well-ventilated. Focus on making sure your bedroom is quiet, clean, dark, and at a temperature between 18C and 24C.
If light from the outdoors proves to be bothersome, you can buy a pair of blackout curtains. They will keep the light at bay and also keep the room temperature the way you want it to be.
The bedroom should become a haven for sleep and intimate activities. Unlike other vigorous exercises, sex helps your body to relax, and many people get sleepy after this.
There are many things that can disturb your sleep, such as TVs, electronic devices, noise, light, and poor bedding.
Invest in a good quality new mattress: for example a Saatva for a comfortable night’s sleep. Keep your bed linen fresh and use a lavender oil-infused spray to unwind. Also, a quality pillow (a knee pillow, a pregnancy pillow, or a regular one) will give you support and relax your body to achieve a night of deep sleep.
If noise is keeping you from sleeping well, consider double-glazed windows or using earplugs. Of course, do not forget to refill your oil diffuser with your preferred essential oils for snoring.
Some people choose to sleep on the floor. However, there are disadvantages to sleeping on the floor.
4. Keep a sleep diary
You should consider keeping a sleep diary. This will help you identify obstacles that prevent you from sleeping as well as you would like. When seeking professional advice, healthcare practitioners and sleep experts will ask you to keep a diary to help them pinpoint the problem.
Sometimes, your sleeping pattern can also help determine whether any underlying conditions, like depression, are negatively impacting your sleep. Medication can also impact your sleeping routine, and keeping a diary would give an indication if the dose might need to be diminished/ increased or completely changed.
