Many of us may have issues sleeping from time to time, have trouble falling asleep or simply can’t achieve a deep sleep. In this article, we’ve listed 5 simple tips that could help give you the best slumbers!
1. Be smart with daylight & darkness
You may have heard about Melatonin, otherwise known as the ‘sleep hormone’ that naturally occurs in our body. Melatonin helps regulate your sleep-wake cycle. To put it simply, Melatonin is secreted more when it’s dark, making you sleepy, and less when it’s light making you more alert. So to aid the already existing natural process of our bodies, to help fall asleep quickly or keep your sleep longer, it is important to keep your sleeping environment as dark as possible to allow Melatonin to do its job. The best way to do this is with sunblock curtains, these will make your bedroom completely dark even if there are strong city lights outside or for those early sunrise rays. In case you’re travelling and away from the comfort of your own bed, putting on a sleeping eye mask to block the unwanted light will help a lot. These simple actions will help balance your melatonin release and improve sleep quality and duration!
2. Establish a Sleep Routine
Everyone has different routines depending on their personal lifestyle, and these habits and routines affect your sleep. Some of us love to get up early in the morning while others are happy as night owls.
Whether you’re an early riser or not, the most important thing is to establish a calming sleep routine that works for you and that can make you experience a deeper sleep. The first step to doing so is by keeping a consistent sleep schedule. Arrange your time so that you will go to sleep at the same time every day, even on weekends if possible and set your bedtime to get at least 7 hours of sleep. This will set your internal clock and create ease in falling asleep, however if you are someone with difficultly falling asleep, go a step further by listening to relaxing sounds before bed like soothing instrumental music or rain sound. Lastly, doing exercise regularly ensures your body relax and sleep deeper although careful not to exercise too late because it may prevent you falling asleep. Practice good habits that fit with your lifestyle to give yourself peaceful sleep.
3. Pay Attention to what you Eat & Drink in the Evening
One thing that can really hinder a good slumber is your food intake in the evening. It’s obvious that a late afternoon coffee or a greasy meal at dinner may interfere with your sleep that night. With a large meal before bedtime, your sleep might be drastically impacted as your body is not resting as it should but working extra hard to digest. And in addition to your food consumption, it’s also super important to pay attention to your caffeine intake. Swap out coffee or Green tea which are full of caffeine instead with warm milk or herbal tea like ginger, chamomile, and peppermint which are more calming. And lastly, try to watch the clock for your dinnertime as eating too close to bedtime can have long-term health outcomes as well.
4. Avoid too much Screen in the Evening
Television, Mobile and Computer screens are part of our daily life, with some of us spending hours and hours on them everyday whether for work or pleasure. One strong habit people have is to watch TV or browse social media on their smart phone before bedtime. Some recent studies have shown that spending too much time on screen in the evening can badly affect your sleep. A 2014 study by Harvard researchers found that screen users secreted less melatonin and had a delayed sleep cycle by more than an hour compared to those who read books and newspaper before sleep.
The sleep-wake cycle is interrupted and individuals may feel groggy in the morning. So to ensure a better sleep, it is advised to put away your screens 1 hour before bed, and wake up in the morning feeling completely refreshed!
5. Create a Soothing Environment in your Bedroom
We’ve established that darkness, no screen, good sleep routines, food & drink intakes are paramount to a good quality sleep. So there is one last point we want to bring to attention for a good sleep, which is the bedroom environment itself. A bedroom should be a cocoon of calm, cosiness and comfort, when in it you must feel yourself unwind completely. Whether that means having a soothing wall colour, a few indoor plants, a scented candle, the importance is to find what makes you feel good. One thing for certain, the bed where you sleep is key, so invest in a quality mattress, high-quality pillows and comfortable bed sheets. A good mattress and fluffy pillows provide proper support for your back and neck while high quality bedding will bring you ultimate comfort. Opt for 100% Cotton Sheet Sets to have breathability and choose high thread count sheets to ensure incredible softness against your skin. Bring comfort and beauty in your bedroom to allow your mind to relax and a pleasant sleep through the night!
