How To Sleep Better Simple Tips for Sleeping Better
The majority of people don’t actually get a true good night sleep, yet it is something that is essential to help us function properly in our daily life. It is something that we all need but sadly, only a lucky few manage to get. There are many different reasons why the majority of us don’t get the sleep we need or why we have trouble sleeping and this page is designed to provide you with a few tips and tricks to help you get a better night sleep and feel rejuvenated. Every individual is different and not all the tips for sleeping will work for everyone. Try them all and see which work best for you and discover what helps you sleep better.
How Eating Sweets Affects Sleep
Yes, we all like a sweet or two but the problem with sweets is that they are full of sugar. The sugar rush gives you energy and if you are hoping to go to bed, you’re not going to want to sleep that much. Try not to eat sweets or any food that is high in sugar before you go to bed. If you feel you need to have something late at night, try a cup of hot milk instead. However, eating late at night and going to bed on a full stomach is not recommended and will interrupt your sleep pattern. It is recommended to try and not eat anything after 7pm, as this will be much more beneficial to you.
The Circadian Rhythm (Body Clock) And How It Affects Sleep
All animals and plants have a Circadian Rhythm which are basically designed to adjust to the environment and are triggered by such things as daylight. All humans have a Circadian Rhythm and it is commonly known as the ‘Body Clock’ or ‘Biological Clock’. This means that our bodies are programmed to go to sleep when it is dark and then get up when it gets light. Whether we like it or not, that is how our bodies are programmed and we should listen to our bodies and give them the rest they need.
You should get to bed at a reasonable time (between 9-10pm) to ensure you receive the full benefits of your body rejuvenating. The reason for going to bed between 9-10pm is because from the hours of 11pm – 1am, your body and organs (adrenal glands, liver and your gallbladder) are undergoing a rejuvenation process, which has its own rhythm pattern programmed. If you are not in bed asleep during these hours and are awake, your body never really gets the chance to rejuvenate and nor do you!
Turn Off Lights To Sleep Better
Remember the Circadian Rhythm we previously mentioned, well even the smallest of lights can disturb your sleep pattern and the last thing you want when you are trying to get to sleep, is a light stopping you. Now this sound very obvious but it is amazing how many people do not realise how this affects your body and do not take this into consideration when looking at ways on how to get a good night sleep.
Melatonin is a sleep hormone that your body naturally produces when there isn’t any light available. The amount your body produces can vary throughout the year due to the longer and shorter days and the amount our bodies produce decreases with age.
So, when you go to bed, ensure that all the lights are off and if necessary, put on your eye mask and keep it on to get the full benefits!
How Drinking Water and Liquids Affects Sleep
We are all fully aware that we should drink a set amount of water throughout the day and yes, you should certainly try to meet that quota. However, this quota of water should be spread out throughout the day and not in one large intake. If you are someone that religiously drinks the suggested amount of water throughout the day, there may be times when you don’t. This means that you may feel as though you need to drink a large amount in one go later at night to reach the suggested daily intake. The problem with doing this is that if you drink any liquid just before you go to bed, you run the risk of waken up during the night to go to the toilet. This will then interrupt your sleep and you will never get back to a normal deep sleep. The best advice is not to drink anything at least 2 hours before you go to bed.
Exercise and How It Can Affect Sleep
Exercise is essential to keep our bodies healthy but the later you do it at night, it can affect your sleep and disturb your sleep pattern. Exercise releases many chemicals in our bodies which give us energy and obviously if you exercise at night, the last thing you want before you go to bed is to be wide awake bursting with energy! If possible, doing your exercise early in the day will make you more tired in the evening and should help you sleep better later on through the night.
How Food Allergies Can Affect Sleep
Food allergies can play a big part in people losing sleep and having their sleep patterns disturbed. There are a large number of people who have allergies to a large number of different types of food. Even though these types of food may not agree with us 100%, sometimes we just can’t resist having a nibble and putting up with a little discomfort. If you suffer from any type of food allergy, it is a good idea to try and avoid them and if you can, try to avoid them for a month or two. Avoiding them for a long period of time will allow you to monitor your sleep to see if these foods are actually interrupting and disturbing your sleep pattern. If you can, try to find substitutes for the foods you have allergies to and hopefully, these will help you get a much better night sleep.
The above tips are all things that affect your sleep and following the guide should hopefully help you sleep better.