18 Tips and Tricks for a Better Sleep Hygiene
Low sleep quality and disturbed sleep patterns can be highly frustrating and negatively affect our lives. Unfortunately, sleep-related issues have become a common problem in the modern world. Without proper rest, we wake up exhausted and unable to complete even the simplest daily activities, which reflects on our health, family, relationships, and work. However, with some minute changes in your daily habits, you can start getting a good night's sleep in no time and notice improvements on every level. Read this article and apply top science-based tips on how to sleep better and wake up energized every morning.
Stick to the Same Sleep Schedule
When your body gets used to a fixed sleep pattern, it won’t have trouble shutting off at a specific time at night. To set up the pattern, try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends.
Avoid Naps
Short daytime naps have many benefits, but if you sleep too much during the day, your body won’t feel the need to rest at night. To improve sleep quality, limit power naps to 20 minutes or skip them entirely.
Add Exercise to Your Daily To-Do List
Exercise isn’t only good for improving your looks. Your mind will unwind, and your body will feel the need to rest if you’re active for at least 30 minutes during the day, so make sure to find the type of exercise you enjoy and stick to it daily.
Eat an Early Dinner
Eating dinner right before bed may postpone sleep if your body finds it hard to digest food. Try eating dinner earlier, so your stomach can finish most of its work before you go to be.
Pay Attention to Nutrition
You don’t necessarily have to follow a specific diet to improve sleep quality, but eating healthy can significantly affect all parts of your life, sleep included. Avoid heavy meals and extremely sweet or salty food before bed, and focus on portion size. Kitchen tools like the INEVIFIT Kitchen Scale can help you measure ingredients and ensure your bedtime meals don’t overload your stomach.
Sleep in a Cold Room
If you’re wondering how to get better sleep, check your room temperature. Experts claim it’s better to sleep in a cold room, so try to keep your bedroom temperature lower by opening the windows or adjusting the AC before bed.
Decrease Water Consumption Before Going to Bed
Drinking lots of water during the day is excellent for our health, but if you keep doing it in the evening, you’ll feel the urge to visit the bathroom more often and won’t be able to fall asleep. Use the first half of the day to reach your daily water intake so that your body can get rid of the excess liquid by the time you go to sleep.
Control Water Balance
Water balance control can also help with proper water intake and quality sleep. Use a smart scale daily to measure water balance and increase or reduce your water intake accordingly. Enough water at the right time will help your body function properly, which will have an overall positive effect on your health and, consequently, your sleep.
INEVIFIT EROS Smart Body Fat Scale
Invest in Your Bed and Pillow
Buying a good bed, pillow, and mattress isn’t a whim. Once you feel the benefits of top-notch products and experience the best sleep of your life, you won’t spare money for bedroom renovation ever again.
Expose Yourself to Daylight
Daylight directly affects our circadian rhythm and tells our body whether it’s time to wake up or go to sleep. If you’re constantly indoors, your circadian rhythm may be disturbed. Make some effort to go out at least 15 to 30 minutes during the day, and your ability to fall asleep should improve in no time.
Create a Sleep-Friendly Atmosphere
Some other factors aside from the room temperature also affect our sleep quality. External lights can prevent you from falling asleep, so try to block them with window blinds or curtains. If your neighbors are loud or you live in a noisy neighborhood, use earplugs to ensure peace and quiet while sleeping.
Don’t Use Tech Gadgets an Hour Before Bed
Ask anyone how to improve sleeping, and most people will tell you to cut off screen time before bed. Our phones, tablets, computers, and even TVs emit blue light, confusing our circadian rhythm and sending our bodies a message that the day hasn’t ended yet. Consequently, we may have difficulty falling asleep hours after looking at these devices. For this reason, turn off that TV and put your gadgets away at least an hour before bedtime.
Limit Alcohol Intake
Although some people believe that alcohol helps them fall asleep, it’s actually the other way around. Alcohol can decrease melatonin production and ruin our sleep patterns, so it should never be used as a sleep aid. On the contrary, you should avoid it to preserve a healthy sleep schedule.
Plan Caffeine Intake Timing
Caffeine can be great in the morning when you want to wake up as it affects your nervous system and boosts your energy level. Due to these characteristics, your sleep pattern may be affected if you consume caffeine late in the day, so make sure to avoid it in the evening or late afternoon.
Take a Shower or a Bath
A warm shower or bath can help you relax and get all cozy, so sleeping is the only thing you feel like doing afterward. Finish the day by treating yourself to a home-spa day, and you'll be more likely to get good sleep at night.
Check Your Hormones
Sometimes, people may have an underlying health condition preventing them from falling asleep. This usually has something to do with our hormones, and a regular medical check-up should reveal whether you should take your sleep issues more seriously.
Come up With A Bedtime Routine
A bedtime routine can send a signal to our body that it’s time to sleep and make the process easier. Try reading a book, meditating, or practicing any relaxing activity before bed to tell your body it’s time to shut down for the day.
Take Melatonin To Fall Asleep More Easily
If you’ve tried all the recommendations above and found none of them helpful, ask your healthcare provider about melatonin supplements. If you get the green light, go to the nearest pharmacy and look for a liquid melatonin formula for faster absorption. For best results, take it 30 to 60 minutes before bed so it has time to soothe your nervous system and put you to sleep.
Final Thoughts
Bad sleep habits can harm our physical and mental health, and we should do everything in our power to sleep as well as possible. So, if you’re struggling with getting proper rest, now is the time to make a change. Test some of the tips for improving your sleep patterns, and your body and mind will pay you back with better performance in no time.
