Sleep Hygiene: 7 Golden Rules

Sleep is a biological imperative. But not all of us are lucky enough to get in the recommended eight to nine hours every night. Getting enough sleep isn’t as simple as it sounds for most of us.

Sleep hygiene is how we live our lives, making it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep. It also helps us feel more alert during the day, which means we need less time to recover from our daily stressors.

With the right strategies and techniques, it’s easy to implement these seven golden rules of sleep hygiene and see an improvement in your overall restfulness.

 

1.   Make Your Bedroom Sleep-Friendly

Simply put, your bed is for sleeping and nothing else. Don’t do homework in bed, don’t watch TV in bed, and don’t read in bed.

If you do these things in your bed, you’re conditioning your brain to think of it as an active place when it should be reserved only for resting.

The right bed also plays a major role in your sleeping habits. Tired of waking up sore and cranky? Tempur Pedic beds can offer more comfort and support to help you sleep better.

 

 

2.   Pick a Bedtime and Stick To It

Do you find yourself waking up early, even on your day off? That’s because your brain has been trained to wake up at the same time every day. Consistency is the key to getting enough sleep. Set a bedtime and stick to it the best you can. Do you find yourself waking up early, even on your day off?

That’s because your brain has been trained to wake up at the same time every day. Consistency is the key to getting enough sleep. Set a bedtime and stick to it the best you can. Plufl provides you with supplementary information on how to get yourself fully rested.

In fact, creating a bedtime routine, such as washing your face and brushing your teeth, can help prompt your brain to get ready to sleep.

3.   Keep Your Room at the Right Temperature

The optimal room temperature for sleeping is between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit. Anything warmer is likely to make you feel too hot, and sleeping in a cooler room can help you rest easier. The best way to do this is by investing in a good fan.

Too much light is another factor that can disrupt your sleep cycle. Invest in blackout curtains. They’re a great way to reduce light in your room.

 

 

4.   Watch What You Eat

Avoid eating a large meal before bed. A full stomach can make it difficult to fall asleep. Instead, eat something light and small before bed, like a small bowl of cereal or a piece of toast with nut butter.

Eating a light snack before bed can improve the quality of your sleep. It can also help to prevent hypoglycemia, a condition that can cause you to wake up in the middle of the night.

Avoid eating spicy foods, dairy products, and heavy, fatty meals before bed, as they can cause indigestion and keep you awake.

5.   Limit Caffeine Intake

If you drink a lot of coffee during the day, it might be making it dificult for you to fall asleep. Cut back on your caffeine consumption as much as possible.

Additionally, don’t drink caffeine after 2 P.M. if you want a good night’s sleep.

Alcohol can also cause difficulty sleeping.

6.   Exercise Regularly

Exercise can help you sleep more soundly, so make sure you get in a workout daily. Regular exercise has been proven to help people sleep better and feel more relaxed.

When is the right time to exercise? Conventional advice was previously suggested at least three hours before you go to bed. However, a new study suggests exercising up to one hour before bed is fine.

Exercising before bed can actually interrupt your sleep. When you exercise, your body releases certain hormones that make you feel energized and awake. That’s why it’s important to exercise at the right time of day to reap the sleep-related benefits.

 

 

7.   Skip the Afternoon Naps

After a long day of work, it can be tempting to take a nap before dinner. However, doing so disrupts the previously-mentioned bedtime consistency. If you must nap, keep it short.

Getting enough sleep is vital for your health and well-being. Sleep hygiene can help you get better sleep by making your bedroom more conducive to sleep and reducing the number of things that disrupt your sleep. And while it may seem like a lot of work, the benefits are well worth it.