Consider all of the variables that can prevent you from getting a good night’s sleep, from work stress and family obligations to unforeseen problems like illness. It’s no surprise that getting a good night’s sleep can be difficult. While you may not be able to manage the things that disrupt your sleep, you can develop habits that will help you sleep better.
Here are 8 do’s and don’ts on how to get a good night’s sleep.
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1. Do Follow A Set Schedule for Sleeping
Every day, get up and go to bed at the same time. It’s best to keep the time difference in your sleep schedules between weekdays and weekends to no more than an hour. Your body’s sleep-wake cycle stays the same if you’re always at the same time each day and night.
In about 20 minutes, if you don’t fall asleep, get out of bed and do something to make you feel better. You can read or listen to things that make you happy. When you’re tired, go back to bed. Repeat as many times as you need.
2. Don’t Eat too Much
Stay away from going to bed hungry or full. Try eating at least 3 hours before going to bed to ensure you can fall asleep comfortable.
Eating healthily and letting your body get the nutrients it needs allows your brain to make the neurotransmitters it needs to get enough sleep.
3. Do Sleep In A Cool Bedroom
Our body temperature naturally dips when night falls, signaling that it’s time to settle down and get some rest. You’re promoting your body’s natural inclination to sleep by making your bedroom cooler. If the environment is excessively hot, that signal may be blocked, making it more difficult for you to fall asleep.
The generation of melatonin, which promotes sleep, is stimulated in rooms with temperatures between 60 and 68 degrees.
The stimulation of melatonin production is another way that keeping your room cool can improve the quality of your sleep.
4. Don’t Take Naps During the Day
Long naps during the day can make it hard to sleep at night. Try not to nap late in the day, and only nap for up to half an hour.
Naps that last more than 20 minutes can make you feel drowsy and have trouble remembering what you did. Wake up from a deep sleep this way. As soon as you don’t get enough sleep, the symptoms of sleep inertia tend to get worse and last a lot longer.
5. Do Regularly Exercise
Keep going to the gym to get a good night’s sleep. Do not stay out late at night. People should spend time outside every day, too.
Moderating vigorous exercise can help adults get to sleep faster and stay asleep longer at night by cutting down on how long they stay awake in bed.
6. Don’t Overthink it
Try to get rid of your worries or concerns before you go to bed so that you can sleep. Write down what’s on your mind and store it until tomorrow.
Meditation, as well, can help with stress, but it’s not the only thing. Many people who have insomnia and other sleep problems have stress, anxiety, and tight muscles in their bodies. This is why they don’t sleep well. To help them sleep, people relax the most, but it’s not the only thing they do.
7. Do Limit Screen Time
You might not be able to get a good night’s sleep because of the bright light from your gadgets because it prevents you from getting as much REM sleep. Keep your phone in “do not disturb” mode or in silent mode when you go to bed.
Text alerts, game notifications, and email buzzes are still going off even if you aren’t on your phone at the time. They might keep you awake at night.
8. Don’t Drink Alcohol
People who drink a lot of alcohol might feel tired at first, but it can be hard to fall asleep later on in the night. Alcohol does have sedative effects but it may cause breathing complications. This can make the sleeper at risk to apnea, especially if they drink heavily before bed
