Sleep is a necessary process for our bodies so ensuring we get enough quality sleep is vital for our overall health. While we sleep, our bodies and minds undergo crucial restorative processes. Physically, while we sleep our muscles repair and rebuild, our hormones regulate, and our immune system strengthens. Our brains clear toxins, build new pathways and consolidate memories. Ensuring you get a good night’s sleep can drastically improve your physical and mental health, so we wanted to share 10 tips to help improve your sleep:
1. Go to bed and wake up at the same time
Having consistency in the time you go to bed and get up can help with your sleeping pattern. Establishing a consistent sleep schedule, where you go to bed and wake up at the same time each day, is crucial for maintaining a healthy sleep-wake cycle. This helps to regulate your body’s natural circadian rhythm, helping to increase overall wellbeing.
2. Don’t exercise too close to bedtime
Regular exercise that raises your heart rate and that you enjoy is paramount to living a healthy life, but it’s important to avoid exerting ourselves within the final 2-3 hours of our waking hours. Exercise releases endorphins such as adrenaline which can interfere with falling to sleep. Giving your body time to unwind and our heart rates to decelerate can make it that bit easier to drift off to sleep.
3. No alcohol before bed
Consumption of alcohol before bed can disrupt your sleep. Although it might initially make you feel drowsy, alcohol can interfere with sleep later in the night, leading to fragmented sleep, waking up during the night, and a lower overall sleep quality. It can also suppress REM sleep, the restorative stage of sleep. For a more restful night, it’s best to avoid alcohol consumption in the hours leading up to bedtime.
4. Don’t nap too late in the day
Napping can be a great way to catch up on rest, but timing is key. Napping too late in the day can interfere with your ability to fall asleep at night. Late-day naps can reduce your sleep drive, making it harder to feel tired when bedtime rolls around. For optimal sleep, it’s best to keep naps short and to schedule them earlier in the day, ideally before mid-afternoon, to avoid disrupting your nighttime sleep.
5. Take a break from screens
Many of us use screens in our everyday lives, whether that’s for work, social media or watching TV. But it’s important to reduce stimulation so our brains can unwind before bed. Stretch, read, journal, listen to a podcast, or audiobook for an hour or so before going to bed. This can help make you feel more tired, allowing you to fall asleep with ease.
6. Dodge caffeine
Caffeine is a stimulant found in coffee, tea, chocolate and more. Consuming caffeine too close to bedtime can hinder your sleep and make it harder to fall asleep. The effect of caffeine varies from person to person but try to avoid caffeine at least 4-6 hours before bed.
7. Make your bedroom a peaceful place
Create a bedroom that is cosy and relaxing. Maybe light a candle, keep the lights low ensuring your bedroom is dark, cool and quiet. Have no screens an hour before bed, if your room is bright try using an eye mask and crack the window open to keep the room at an optimal temperature.
8. Warm bath before bed
A warm bath before bed can promote a better night’s sleep. The warmth can help relax muscles and drop your core body temperature, signalling sleep for the body. The ritual of a warm bath can also help with relaxation, reducing stress & anxiety, preparing the mind and body for a restful sleep.
9. Expose yourself to sunlight during the day
Exposing yourself to natural light helps your circadian rhythm. Morning sunlight suppresses the production of melatonin, the sleep hormone and signals your body that it’s time to be awake. This all helps to set your internal clock for the day, making it easier to sleep at night. Try to aim to get outside for at least 30 minutes a day, preferably in the morning. Dim the lights in the evening rather than having full lights on, this can help make you feel more tired and signal your body that it’s time for bed. You can use a sunlight alarm clock in the winter to help promote natural light for you to wake up, feeling less groggy when your alarm goes off in the winter mornings.
10. Don’t eat dinner too close to bedtime
Eating a large meal close to going to bed can disrupt your sleep. Your body needs time to digest food properly and laying down not long after eating can also cause heartburn and acid reflux. When your body is focussing on digestion it can interfere with the body’s process to fall asleep.
Prioritising sleep has a positive effect on both your physical and mental health. By incorporating these ten tips – from establishing a consistent sleep schedule and optimising your bedroom environment to managing caffeine intake – you can significantly improve the quality of your sleep and, in turn, enhance your quality of life.