Do you wake up in the morning tired, groggy, and moody? Do you envy people who are chirpy and happy in the morning when you are feeling the blues? Well, know that the quality of your sleep and emotional wellbeing are correlated. Researchers agree that the deeper and longer we sleep, the more physically active, productive, and emotionally stable we are the following day.
During sleep, your body relaxes and works on recuperating and repairing itself and the brain to give you the energy required for the following day. When you toss, turn, and struggle to fall asleep, you essentially cut short your sleep cycle and diminishing the opportunity for your body to repair itself.
So, how can you get the most out of your sleep? Consider the following seven tips and enjoy better sleep at night and improve how you feel during the day.
Establish A Consistent Sleeping Cycle
Your body’s internal clock, known as the circadian rhythm, releases hormones to induce sleep or wakefulness and repeats this cycle approximately every 24 hours. When we sleep, our bodies go through stages of sleep, from ‘dozing off’ to deep sleep to wakefulness. For your body and brain to rejuvenate, you need to have slept through these sleep stages. Therefore, establish a consistent sleep routine of when to go to sleep and when to wake up. The schedule will help you regulate your sleep-wake cycle and promote quality sleep. Sticking to this routine is essential to getting the most out of your sleep.
Expose yourself to Early Morning sunlight
Getting enough sunlight between 8 am and 10 am can be effective in increasing your sleep quality. Early morning sunlight influences your body’s internal clock and helps to regulate your sleep pattern and wakefulness.
Exercise For Better Sleep
Regular physical exercises done during the day can help you to sleep faster and more soundly. Aerobic exercises promote the production of serotonin, a hormone that stabilizes your emotions and decreases stress hormones. After you exercise, you feel tired. As your body temperature cools down, you feel drowsy and fall asleep faster when you go to bed.
Exercising stimulates endorphins hormones which increase brain activity and can keep you awake. So, avoid engaging in vigorous exercises 60 to 90 minutes before going to bed.
Consume Lighter Meals at Night
Avoid eating a large meal late at night as it can slow down your body’s metabolism and increase the likelihood of you tossing and turning at night. Having a light meal for dinner, at least 2 or 3 hours before your bedtime, will assist to slow down your body’s metabolism in preparation for sleep.
Therapy for Better Sleep
There are different therapies that can help us sleep better. One of them is called “white noise therapy.” This means listening to soothing sounds like rain or gentle waves, which can cover up other noises that might disturb our sleep. Another helpful therapy is “aromatherapy.” This involves using pleasant-smelling oils like lavender to help our minds and bodies relax. A newer option that’s gaining attention is red light therapy. This therapy uses special low-intensity red lights. These lights have been found to influence our body’s natural sleep hormone called melatonin. Normally, our bodies produce more melatonin when it’s dark, making us feel sleepy. Red light therapy can actually encourage the production of melatonin even when it’s not dark, which can be useful if you struggle with falling asleep.
Avoid Caffeine and Nicotine That Interfere with Sleep
Avoid taking any caffeine or nicotine drinks or products at least four to six hours before going to bed. The stimulating effects of caffeine (found in coffee, tea, and carbonated fluids) and nicotine (found in tobacco products) take hours to wear off and affect the quality of your sleep.
Create a Relaxing Atmosphere
Ensure that your bedroom is dark, quiet, relaxing and maintains cool temperatures. Consider removing electronics like the TV, computers, mobile phones from your bedroom. If your room is not dark enough, hang up blackout curtains, or wear an eye mask to block light.
Invest In a Good Mattress
A good firm mattress and pillow impact your quality of sleep. If you already don’t have comfortable bedding, get the best mattress in a box to improve the quality of your sleep. Check out Chiropractor approved mattresses to assure the soundest sleep.
Conclusion
Since sleep is a big part of how you spend your life, take back control of improving the quality of your sleep. Implement some or all the above suggestions and improve your sleep, brighten your emotions, productivity, and mental health.
