Sleep is the most important part of our life. It is critical for good health and mental well-being. However, due to our busy lifestyles, millions of us do not get enough sleep—which is a root cause of many problems like lack of attention, irritability, digestive issues, poor judgement, and drowsiness during the day. It can also affect your physical health and your behaviour. Therefore, getting good, restful sleep can improve both physical and mental health and will enhance your quality of life.
In this article we will discuss about how we can improve the quality of sleep and help you develop better sleep habits so as to increase your efficiency in day to day life.
- Eat right:
What you eat and how late you eat can also affect how you sleep. Eating large meals or drinking alcohol can cause indigestion, which in turn can cause trouble falling asleep, and disrupt your sleep cycle. Instead have a light dinner and eat a couple of hours before bed if you can.
- Avoid substances such as nicotine and caffeine:
Caffeine is a stimulant that can keep you awake. So avoid caffeine products such as coffee, tea, chocolate, cola, and some pain relievers for four to six hours before bedtime. Similarly, smokers should refrain from using tobacco products too close to bedtime as it can also affects the quality of sleep.
- Black out light:
We’re not out to bash tech, but even the illuminated alarm clock you sleep next to can limit the effectiveness of your rest. In order to keep your melatonin levels in check, try and avoid bright light an hour before bed. A couple of easy changes you can make to block out light is turning off ceiling lights, avoiding TV in bed, and setting your handheld devices to night mode is you use them after dark.
- Exercise daily:
Believe me, exercise works wonders if you’re trying to improve sleep quality, it can both help you fall asleep easier and improve your sleep quality. Exercise has been shown to improve sleep for people with sleep disorders, including insomnia and obstructive sleep apnoea. Exercise may also bolster sleep in other ways, because it reduces stress and tires you out.
- Take time for sleep:
Very often, sleep is the first thing busy people compromise, so simply making time to sleep will help protect our health and well-being. For this, prepare a daily sleep schedule for yourself. Try to stick as closely as possible to your routine on weekends to avoid a Monday morning sleep hangover. Best you can do is, remove all technology from the bedroom before you turn off the lights. Even better, avoid the bright lights emitting from your smart phone for a full hour before bed.
As you commit to better health, you also must allow yourself the rest you need. Keep your room as silent as possible because a completely silent room will help improve the quality of your slumber beyond that initial stage. It’s not what you want to hear, but turning off your gadgets before it distracts you from the sleep is a good place to start.
Overall, sound sleep is essential for good health because it allows the body to rest, repair and rejuvenate. During sleep, the body produces and releases hormones that regulate growth and appetite, and support immune function. Lack of sleep has been linked to a range of health problems, including obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and mental health disorders. Getting enough restful sleep can improve mood, concentration, memory, and overall quality of life. It is recommended that adults get 7-9 hours of sleep per night to maintain optimal health.
