There are so many reasons that some people are not able to sleep well at night – this includes family matters that are troubling, to work related stress and needed personal health problems. It is no wonder that getting quality sleep can be difficult for some people.
There will always be factors in your life that will make it virtually impossible to sleep properly. However, there are certain habits that you will be able to adopt that will allow you to sleep. Let’s begin with these tips.
1. Stick to a consistent sleep schedule
Sleeping no more than eight hours is a good place to start. Healthy adults should sleep seven hours, at the very least, on a daily basis. You won’t need to sleep eight hours or more to be fully rested.
By setting a schedule to sleep at the same time every day, including weekends, this is a good place to begin. By being consistence, you can naturally develop the habit of a consistent sleep wake cycle.
If you find yourself lying down for longer than 20 minutes, you should get up and do something to distract your mind. You can listen to music or simply read a book. Once you are tired, you can go back to bed. You should do this until you are able to use the schedule to develop proper sleeping habits.
2. Pay attention to your diet
Going to bed completely full, or extremely hungry, can affect how you sleep. Avoiding large meals, especially within hours of bedtime, is always recommended. You could become very uncomfortable by doing so, which will interrupt your sleep patterns.
Avoiding alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine is important. If you do smoke or consume coffee, do this hours before you go to bed. Although alcohol can help you relax, and can also disrupt your sleep schedule.
3. Create a quiet and restful environment where you sleep
The room that you sleep and should always be quiet, dark, and relatively cool. Invest in a new mattress if you have had yours for a while, find this year’s most comfortable mattresses in this guide. Most people find it difficult to fall asleep if there is a light on. You could use lights emitting screens before bedtime, but this can also be problematic. To create this environment, it would be better to use room darkening shades, a fan, and earplugs.
Calming activities just before you go to bed are highly recommended, including meditation or a hot bath, to help you sleep.
4. Avoid naps
Sleeping at night can become problematic if you take one or more naps during the day. You will want to avoid naps, or at least limit them to know more than a few minutes a day.
If you have a schedule that requires you to work at night, you should take a nap late in the day to still get plenty of sleep.
5. Do physical activities daily
The best way to fall asleep regularly is to make sure you are doing regular physical exercises. However, they should not be done prior to going to bed.
Just spending a few minutes outside, walking around, is a great way to get the exercise you need to help you sleep.