Most people have experienced sleepless nights.Sleeping well directly affects your mental and physical health. Fall short and it can take a serious toll on your daytime energy, productivity, emotional balance, and even your weight. Yet many of us regularly toss and turn at night, struggling to get the sleep we need.
Getting a good night’s sleep may seem like an impossible goal when you’re wide awake at 3 a.m., but you have much more control over the quality of your sleep than you probably realize. Just as the way you feel during your waking hours often hinges on how well you sleep at night, so the cure for sleep difficulties can often be found in your daily routine.
Unhealthy daytime habits and lifestyle choices can leave you tossing and turning at night and adversely affect your mood, brain and heart health, immune system, creativity, vitality, and weight. But by experimenting with the following tips, you can enjoy better sleep at night, boost your health, and improve how you think and feel during the day.
1. Get up at a fixed time every day
Weekends are a good time to supplement sleep, but people suffering from insomnia should develop the habit of getting up at the same time every day, allowing the brain to adjust the sleep cycle to improve mood and sleep quality, and know when to complete the sleep process and when you should be ready to get up.
2. Reduce caffeine intake
Need a cup of coffee to wake yourself up? Caffeine raises adrenaline and blocks sleep-inducing chemicals in the brain. It is a powerful stimulant. Its impact on the human body can last up to 24 hours and disrupt sleep that night. Moreover, it may lead to cognitive and emotional disorders the next day. People naturally tend to drink coffee or energy drinks in an attempt to make themselves more awake, which results in a vicious circle.
3. Avoid using electronic products before sleeping
Most people have their electronic devices all the time. Laptops, tablet computers, TVs and phones, these electronic products emit short-wave blue light. In fact, sunlight also contains a high concentration of blue light. When the retina is exposed to light, it will stop secreting melatonin that induces sleep.. It is conceivable that when using mobile phones and tablets before sleeping, you will be exposed to blue light which will interfere with your ability to fall asleep and affect the sleep cycle.
4. Stop working at night
Sometimes people have to work late. Working at night keeps the brain in a stimulating and alert state, and it is really difficult to fall asleep at night. We should try to avoid working at night, especially avoid using electronic products, and to relax ourselves and reduce worries by doing meditation, sleep yoga, breathing exercise, or simply listening to relaxing music.
5. Regular exercise
Maintaining regular exercise habits can improve your sleep quality and help you to relax. At the same time, exercise stimulates the body's muscles and makes the body in a state of excitement. Therefore, you must complete the exercise three hours before going to bed to slowly relax your body. Although exercise is not recommended before going to bed, proper yoga exercises every night can stretch your muscles, calm your mind, help you fall asleep, and improve sleep quality.
Finally, if you are experiencing a serious insomnia issue, you may consider seeking professional counselling as it may be related to your stress or other emotional issues, which you need to manage and cure.