7 tips to get a good night’s rest
Ever wake up in the morning feeling tired as if you didn’t get any sleep the night before? There are many factors that may have contributed to your restless sleep, and some of them could be prevented. Here are seven tips on how to sleep like a log:
1. Make Sleep a Priority!
Setting up a sleep schedule and sticking to it will help you get a better night’s rest overall. According to sleepfoundation.org, between 7 to 9 hours of sleep is recommended.
2. Exercise
Adding exercise to your daily routine is good for you. Exercising as little as 20 minutes a day can improve the way you sleep. Don’t have a gym membership? Check out these at-home exercises. Try to avoid physical activities three hours before your bedtime..
3. Lights Out, Devices Off
Light tends to distract the mind’s relaxation time.. It’s a great idea to turn off devices such as your phone, tablets and laptops to avoid any sort of light distractions.
If you need your phone on to have your alarm go off, just set your phone on “Do Not Disturb” mode, which should help prevent any distractions that might cause the screen light to turn on. In darkness, our bodies naturally produce melatonin, a hormone that helps our bodies with the sleep and wake cycles.
4. Develop a Sleep Routine
Creating and adjusting a sleep routine can be a little tricky at first, but once you get into the pattern of sleeping at a certain time, your body will adjust. This will make it much easier to fall asleep, as well as getting a good night’s rest.
5. Napping
Who doesn’t love napping? Taking naps are actually really good for your health, but be smart about it. Avoid napping right when you get done eating, like after-dinner drowsiness also known as food comas. Those naps will keep you up all night. When you do nap, limit yourself to 30 minutes of napping and try to keep it before or during early afternoon, otherwise you may be tossing and turning at night.
6. Eating
Hungry at night but don’t know what to eat? Don’t worry, it happens.. Give these snacks, suggested by Reader’s Digest, a try to relax your brain and allow you to have a restful night:
- Small bowl of whole-grain cereal
- Banana
- Granola with either fat-free milk or yogurt
- Walnuts and Almonds
- Chamomile tea
- Tuna
- Honey
7. Room Setting
As we previously mentioned, keeping light out from your bedroom at night really helps ease the mind and keeps you relaxed. Having a quiet space with the perfect temperature where it’s not too cold nor hot, will really get you to sleep like a baby. And if you decide to get a little creative with your sleeping atmosphere, why not try having whispering strangers help you sleep?
Hope you find these healthy tips helpful, if you have any other advice that can help get you a great night’s rest, let us know in the comment section below!