A good night’s rest is always refreshing, but getting a good night’s sleep may be very difficult for some people. If you are currently having difficulties with falling asleep or enjoying restful sleep, it should delight you to learn that the quality of your sleep is entirely within your control.
Researchers have identified various ways and habits known as “sleep hygiene” that can help anyone to effectively maximize their sleeping hours, even for those who have difficulties in sleeping or are suffering from insomnia.
Insomnia is a sleep disorder that regularly affects millions or thousands of people worldwide. In short, quite a number of people with insomnia find it very difficult to sleep or stay asleep. Often times, insomnia leads to day time sleepiness and causes a feeling of tiredness, fatigue or makes a person mentally and physically unwell. Sleep hygiene may be the best way to get the best sleep you need.
Some simple tips on how to get the sleep you need
1. Schedule your sleep timings
Learn to sleep and get up at the same time everyday by choosing the time you normally feel tired so you don’t toss and turn around. It will also help activate your body’s clock to effectively optimize the quality of sleep you will actually get.
2. Exercise
Exercise helps in metabolism and stimulates body hormones such as cortical. There is really no problem if a person chooses to exercise in the morning or afternoon, but exercising too closely to bed hours may interfere with one’s sleep. It may take some time for the results to show up, just be patient and focus.
3. Complete your tasks before bed-time
Try to finish activities or workloads three hours before bed time.
4. Avoid caffeine and alcohol
Avoid taking caffeine and nicotine during bed hours. The effects can last for more than ten to twelve hours after drinking. Even smoking can disrupt one’s sleep. Alcohol can interfere with one’s sleep cycle.
5. Avoid high-fat meals
Having dinner a few hours before bed time is better.
A good sleep comes from a great commitment either through a ritual or something that spells out one’s working time and sleeping time. As William Blake puts it, “Think in the morning, act in the noon, eat in the evening, sleep in the night”.
Image courtesy of: biogenix.com.
