Consistently getting a restful night’s sleep is essential to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, yet it is something that most of us struggle with. As a matter of fact, 62% of adults feel that they don’t sleep as much as they should, and 67% of adults report sleep disturbances at least once every night.
As a result, the use of sleep aids, like melatonin pills, have become increasingly popular for those who want to improve their quality of sleep. These sleep aids, however, are known to cause side effects like oversleeping, grogginess, and difficulty concentrating throughout the day.
Getting the Rest You Need
A simple fix for these issues is maintaining good sleep hygiene, which refers to developing healthy sleep habits. By focusing on simple changes to your sleep routine, you can finally get your much-needed rest. If you feel you are not getting enough sleep, there are a few easy changes you can make to improve your sleep quality.
Tip #1: Maintain a Sleep Schedule
To ensure you get the rest you need, you should make sleep a priority. This means setting specific times for when you wake up and go to sleep. Prioritize following this schedule every day, including weekends and holidays. You will reinforce your body’s internal clock, which over time makes it easier for you to fall asleep and wake up at your scheduled times.
About 30-60 minutes before your scheduled sleep time, incorporate a routine which helps prepare you to fall asleep easier. This might include taking a warm bath, doing some gentle stretching, reading a book, or listening to calming music. The important thing is that these activities should help you relax and unwind; avoid activities that are stressful or overstimulating.
Tip #2: Revamp Your Bedroom
Your bedroom is where you primarily get your sleep, so why not improve it to make sure you get the best sleep possible. Here are some basics to optimize when redoing your bedroom:
- Mattress and pillow
- Bedding
- Block out light
- Drown out noise
It is also recommended to keep the temperature in your bedroom quite cool; the optimal temperature being between 15.6°C and 19.4°C. You could also try using calming scents (like lavender) to really ensure your bedroom is as relaxing as it can possibly be.
Tip #3: Remove Electronic Devices
The blue light emitted from electronic devices lowers the melatonin levels in your body. Melatonin is a chemical that controls your body’s sleep cycle, so when melatonin levels dip, you may find it difficult to fall asleep. Therefore, it is recommended to not use electronic devices 30-60 mins before bedtime and to turn them off while you are sleeping (to prevent any disturbances from notifications you may receive).
Tip #4: Exercise
Staying active is one of the keys to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and can also help improve your sleep hygiene. Just as little as 30 minutes of aerobic exercise per day can improve your sleep quality at night. You should also try to conduct your exercise outdoors since the natural light from the sun helps regulate your sleep cycle. However, if it’s not possible to go outside, indoor exercise is a good alternative.
Tip #5: Maintain Healthy Eating/Drinking Habits
What you eat and drink before sleep plays an important role in the quality of your sleep. Here are some tips on what you should, and shouldn’t eat before bed:
- Avoid eating large meals before going to bed (meals before bed should always be on the lighter side)
- Avoid drinking alcohol before sleep
- Limit caffeine consumption to morning and afternoons
- Avoid using nicotine during the day
- Avoid consuming fluids right before bedtime
Building Healthy Sleeping Habits
Achieving a restful sleep every night is one of the keys to a healthy lifestyle. By building good sleep hygiene with the tips covered in today’s blog, you can be on your way to a more restful and relaxing sleep.
For more information on how we can help, chat with our iHealthOX Care Team.
Sources:
https://sleepeducation.org/healthy-sleep/healthy-sleep-habits/
https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-hygiene
https://www.healthline.com/health/sleep-hygiene#electronic-devices
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