After a busy day, everybody deserves a well-rested sleep. However, it may not be easy for some to sleep well during the night due to several reasons. Some reasons for not having a good night’s sleep include sleep apnea, excessive anxiety, drug addiction, unhealthy habits, and chronic diseases. Regardless of all these reasons, one can strive to get peaceful sleep throughout the night by considering the following tips.
1- Replace Your Mattress
Investing in a comfortable mattress ensures better chances of sleeping well. An old and uncomfortable mattress can result in you having back pains and headaches. Since a mattress can be expensive, you can choose to replace it after a few years. Avoid neglecting your mattress to a point where it becomes thin and worn out. Also, airing your mattress and cleaning the rest of your bedding helps to avoid itchiness and bad odors disrupting your sleep.
2- Create a Calm Space
Ensure your bedroom is dark or dimly lit and quiet during the night. Avoid bright lights as they can discourage your sleep. Also, avoid having televisions, phones, or laptops in your room, especially if you are about to sleep. Painting calm colors on your bedroom walls can relax your mind and enhance sleep.
3- Have a Sleep Schedule
Choose a particular time to sleep and wake up every day. Ensure that you stick to this time, and your brain will get used to the sleeping schedule. If you are having trouble adjusting to your assigned sleeping time, you can listen to soothing music or take a relaxing bath a few minutes before sleep. Maintaining your sleeping and waking hours will greatly help you in napping better.
4- Have a Proper Diet
Taking care of what you eat before sleeping will reduce the chances of not sleeping well. Eating the right amount of food and taking some time before hopping to bed will ensure that your tummy is comfortable and you will be able to rest. Avoid overeating or going to bed hungry, as discomfort can discourage sleep. Also, avoid taking drinks like energy drinks, coffee or tea before sleeping as they cause brain alertness, preventing you from sleeping.
5- Avoid Taking Long Naps During the Day
Short naps that last a few minutes can be refreshing during the day, especially if you feel overwhelmed with work. However, long naps that last for hours can disrupt your night’s sleep. Therefore, avoid long day naps to help you rest well at night.
6- Avoid Stressful Thoughts
You may sometimes overthink or worry about what you have not accomplished during the day or at night. To ward off these intrusive thoughts, you can have a diary where you can write what you did not finish and do it the next day. Also, having a schedule for each task can help you achieve more and sleep better at night. Additionally, doing yoga and meditation reduces anxiety and stress.
7- Consult With Your Healthcare Provider
If you have extreme insomnia, you can visit your health practitioner, who can administer sleep supplements. Sleep supplements like melatonin and lavender have a hormone that enables the brain to relax, and you can sleep better. These supplements also come in handy when adjusting to a new environment and you can’t get enough sleep. Ensure that the sleep supplements have no major side effects before taking them.
8- Engage in Physical Activities
Working out and exercising during the day can help you sleep better. Engaging in physical activities helps to reduce anxiety and ensures the body feels relaxed. However, it is not advisable to exercise during the night as it may trigger the brain’s alertness and disrupt your sleep.
Lack of enough sleep can cause grogginess, eye bags, bad moods, and low energy. Therefore, you should ensure that you sleep well throughout the night. By following the above tips, you are assured of getting better sleep.
