How to Get Better Quality Sleep
Sleep is imperative for keeping yourself healthy.
This is because several of your body’s systems take sleeping as an opportunity for development and repair. Quality
sleep, for example, benefits your immune system because it enhances your T cells’ capability to defend your body by eliminating infected cells. That's why Statistics Canada underscores sleep as being vital for everything from your mental and physical performance to your mood. This makes forming healthy sleep habits a necessity.
Here are the essential tips that can get you started:
Stick to a sleep schedule
A consistent sleep schedule makes it easier for your body to stay asleep in the hours your body has learned to rest. If you have irregular sleep cycles, limiting daytime naps to 20-30 minutes can help make sure that you’re tired and sleepy when it’s already time for bed. Taking naps longer than 30 minutes causes your body to need less sleep
Lose weight
Weight loss improves your body’s blood sugar regulation. In turn, this lowers the chances of you developing sleep disorders such as restless legs syndrome and periodic limb movement. Overall, it can help you sleep fuller.
Losing weight, though, doesn’t have to be anything complicated. In fact, weight loss plans are most effective when you don’t restrict what you eat. This way, you can still eat your favorite foods in controlled amounts.
Just make sure to include more nutritious options in your diet, like fiber-rich fruits and vegetables, lean meat, complex carbs, and unsaturated fats.
Take coffee and meals earlier
Drinking coffee late in the day or having a huge meal before bed can both lower the quality of your sleep. Caffeine is a stimulant that’s meant to keep you up and boost your concentration and energy levels. It stays in your system for 10 hours at most, so if you drink it in the late afternoon or early evening, you will be too energized or alert to fall asleep.
As such, try not to drink coffee after lunch. On the other hand, there is a huge chance for those who eat large meals before bed to have difficulty staying asleep. Like with coffee, you might want to schedule your meals and follow that
schedule to a T.
Avoid gadgets before bedtime
Your gadgets emit blue light that inhibits the production of the sleep hormone melatonin. This could ultimately throw off your body clock for several days. Additionally, using your gadgets and consuming social media content can stimulate your brain into wakefulness and alertness. The best practice here is to log off 1 to 2 hours before you sleep so that you give your body and mind the time to wind down. Instead, you can try reading a book or journaling to help you wind down after a long day.
Spray sleep-promoting scents
Making your bedroom more conducive to rest can help improve the quality of your sleep. One way you can do this is by using a lavender pillow spray. Lavender is
generally regarded as an anxiolytic, a sedative, or as an aromatherapy option.
This is because the flower’s scent interacts with a neurotransmitter called GABA, which slows down your brain activity. It also relaxes your heartbeat and muscles, making it easier for you to fall asleep.
Sleep is crucial for the body to optimize its functions. While unhealthy sleep habits may seem difficult to get out of, the best healthy habits out there are simple to do and are key to getting better sleep quality.