Holidays are over and it's time to get back into that sleep routine. Here is five simple tips to improve your sleep routine.
Maintain a steady routine
If you are looking to make
sure you sleep soundly at night, the best way to go about it is by maintaining
a steady sleep routine. This means you should try and sleep and wake at about the
same time daily.
This aids your body’s
internal mechanism and also increases the quality of your sleep. To achieve
this rhythm, try as much as possible to go to set your bedtime at a period when
know the body will be tired.
To fully enjoy the benefits
of a steady sleep cycle, you should be willing to sacrifice your weekends for
sleep-ins in order to conserve enough energy to move around during the week.
Takes naps when it is
absolutely necessary
Making sure we sleep soundly
at night means we should be willing to let go of or willing sacrifice some the
things we enjoy a lot, and in some cases that’s a lovely nap. This isn’t a
certainty as you might wake up feeling relaxed and well rested or you could
wake up tired and unconscious of the current time.
Irrespective of the way you
feel when you get up from your nap, it can also have an adverse effect on your
sleep at night, as it might delay your sleep time leaving you with an
inadequate night’s rest.
Try as much as possible to
avoid napping at odd times during the day, no matter how tempting it might feel,
as it is in your best interest to ignore the feeling.
Keep your phone and other
devices away
Surfing the net before going
to bed adversely affects the way we rest at night. How do you avoid this? Simple!
Keep your phone away.
For those who haven’t heard,
the light from your mobile devices tend to affect the brain a lot longer than
you think. Experiments have revealed that those who use their phones before bed
experience irregular sleep patterns due to reduced level of the sleep hormone
(melatonin) being released in the body.
Stress yourself to the limit
The best way to ensure you
sleep soundly at night, is to ensure the body is physically tired and exhausted
before going to bed. This is because while working your muscles are being
stimulated and as such would make you sleep faster when you are relaxing. Also
try as much as possible to avoid working out late at night, as this might
disrupt your sleep patterns. Ensure you conclude all stressful activities at
least 3 hours before your bedtime.
Relax before going to bed
Try as much as possible to
relax before going to bed at night. It is essential you clear your mind and hit
a level of relaxation before dozing off. It helps to reflect and meditate as
this help to clear the head and allows one to feel relaxed before actually
sleep. This ensures you sleep soundly at night.
