Have you ever woken up feeling like you haven’t slept at all – so many of us do. A restful night’s sleep isn’t always gotten, as hard as we may try. Between 5 and 7 million Canadians don’t get enough sleep every day. They operate at a deficit all day long. Insufficient sleep is linked to chronic health conditions, work accidents, car accidents, and more. Here’s how to get a sound sleep.
Why do you need quality sleep?
Sleep isn’t just about rest. It is crucial for brain and body health, nourishing both and maximizing performance. Through sound sleep, we get those health benefits as well as increase our concentration, attention, and creativity. We have the same experience feeling headache and stress when getting up in the mornings if we lack sleep or had a low-quality sleep.
Reduce your caffeine intake
The best sound sleep medicine is to avoid caffeine and other things which are keeping you awake. Caffeine after 3 o’clock in the afternoon increases the likelihood you won’t get restful sleep. Drinks including caffeine such as coffee, tea and coke can affect the quality of sleep. Too much coffee can make your heart beat fast and much coke will end up overweight.
Have a sleep environment
All the sleeping tips in the world don’t amount to much if you aren’t creating an environment conducive to sleep. Consider buying blackout curtains, using an eye-mask, keeping the temperature in the right place, and removing distractions like a TV. We can try everything that affects our senses, and essential oil diffusers play an inevitable part for improving sleep. Lavender is known to a lot as a healer to help sleep. Dropping 3 to 5 drops in diffuser will create a pleasant and peaceful environment for a sound sleep. Lavender True Organic Essential oil is mainly used in aromatherapy for its relaxant properties, for instance, sedative, calming and nervine.
Shut down screens two hours before bedtime
How to sleep better is to separate yourself from electronics. If possible, shut down all screens roughly two hours before you have to sleep. Instead, read a book or listen to a podcast. The radiation from electronic devices affects the mind and sleep to a great extent. Alternatively, consider blue-light blocking glasses to limit exposure to the blue light emitted from laptops, tablets, and smartphones. This will help your mind settle into a relaxed, restful state.
Exercise
Start exercising at least 30 minutes a day five times a week and see the difference that makes. Looking for advice on how to fall asleep instantly – it’s exercise. Exercise actually relaxes and warms the body throughout the after-workout period. This can help with sleeping. You’re also challenging your body which helps to put it into relaxation mode come bedtime. However, remember not to exercise intensely before sleep, because it will make you excited and find it hard to sleep.
Stick to a sleep schedule
Go to sleep every night at the same time. Be strict. Whether it’s a weekday or weekend, make it routine to go to bed and wake up every day at the same time. Even if this exhausts you for a week, it’s going to pay off within a few days. Habits can be developed but it takes time. It’s hard work but this is how you regulate your schedule and get your sleeping back to the place it needs to be.
Take a bath before bed
Make it a nighttime ritual to get some hot bath time in. The warm temperatures will soothe you into a state of relaxation and further help bring on feelings of drowsiness. This can also be a way to avoid those pesky smartphones and tablet screens, if you must.