You have heard countless times how important it is to get a good night's sleep; the quality, as well as quantity, is vital to your health. What if you struggle with the slumber you so desperately want?
Before throwing in the towel and decide to compete with your friends to see who can get by on the least amount of sleep and before you run out to get custom trophies made for yourself and your insomniac friends, try out these tips to help you get the Zs you need.
Once you know how and why eating certain foods before you go to bed can help you sleep, you can begin to plan your evenings to help prepare yourself for the sleep your body needs. For example, it is well-known that almonds are a good source of fiber and antioxidants but did you also know they help to produce melatonin? Melatonin is referred to as a sleep hormone because it helps to promote and regulate a restful night's sleep. Munching on a small handful of almonds could be the help you need to not only get your eyes closed but to help them stay closed throughout the night.
Not only is it essential to snack on foods that will benefit you before bed, but it is also important to avoid certain foods and drinks late in the day. Heavy meals, nicotine, and caffeine will interfere with your ability to have a restful night. If you find yourself peckish late in the evening, limit yourself to light snacks like almonds or walnuts and soothe yourself with a nice hot cup of chamomile tea. The antioxidants in those foods will aid with natural rest.
In order to keep your circadian rhythm in check, expose yourself to natural sunlight in the morning and avoid bright lights in the evening. This will help to keep your body clock in check and let you know when you should be awake and when you should be ready to head for bed.
Not only will bright lights late in the evening affect your natural sleeping rhythm by confusing your brain as to what time of day it is, but it is also important to be mindful of your exposure to blue light. Blue light is what is emitted by computers and phone screens; it also depletes your body's melatonin.
There are apps available to block the blue light from both your computer/laptop and your cell phone. Besides the useful apps, glasses are also available that can block this light. Unwind about an hour before bed. Let your body know that you are bringing your day to an end. Turn off the television. Get comfortable and lose yourself in a good book.
As difficult as it may seem, turn your bedroom into a sanctuary for sleep. Remove all electronic items. Take out the television, computer or laptop and don't allow your phone in your room. This encourages your brain to associate your bedroom with sleeping.
The most important thing is that your brain knows when you go to bed, it's not to work on reports on your laptop until you fall asleep face down on your keyboard. Once your mind is able to draw these clearly defined lines of behavior in certain rooms, it will lend to quicker and more peaceful slumber.
While you're removing the distractions of electronics, don't forget to adjust the lighting and temperature. Sleep studies have shown that sleep improves without the distractions of light and noise. Temperatures are vital for a sound sleep because increased body or room temperatures negatively affect your quality of sleep; more-so than even surrounding noises.
Try a few of these tips and find which ones are most effective for you. Your healthy and restful self will thank you for it.