Tell me what would you prefer, a good night’s sleep or just no sleep or few hours of impoverished sleep? The choice is obvious and we all crave for sound sleep. But many of us simply struggle to get our proper share of sleep and so during day time feel fatigued and drowsy. The sane rhythm of our life goes astray if we do not get regular and proper sleep. Sleep is more than a necessity, it is a prerequisite to stay alive in sound body and mind.
But if you already have been suffering from terrible sleep deprivation how can you get back your normal sleep? Is there any reliable treatment or some magic formula for it? While your mind continues to revel on it we offer here 10 time tested tips to get sound sleep at night.
1. Regularise sleeping habits
Most people simply do not feel sleepy just because they are very irregular about it. You need a sleeping time and except slight deviation because of any emergency you should stick to it. We have a body clock within that feel sleepy during nighttime and when you respond to this internal clock and go to bed at a fixed time of the night everyday, you are bound to feel sleepy when going to bed in that hour.
2. Choose comfort beds and mattress
For a good nights sleep it is extremely important to sleep on a comfort mattress and bed. Beds are something directly related to your comfort and sleeping posture and naturally you cannot compromise on this. Bed space is extremely important to ensure comfort and room for your body to toss and turn. If you sleep on single bed ensure that it is spacious enough for your body postures to accommodate properl.
3. Eat healthy and light
Dinner has a lot to do not only with your nighttime metabolism but with your sleep as well. A heavy dinner with several courses of menu making rounds is strictly avoidable if you suffer from sleeping problems. There are certain sleep aggravating healthy vegetables like Broccoli or Kale leaves or Asparagus that you can include in your daytime food. A oatmeal and a glass of warm milk can be an ideal nighttime combination of food and drink.
4. Avoid daytime naps
Many of us think taking a quick nap after lunch can help us stay refreshed and energetic and there is some amount of truths in it as well. But if that small nap lingers over an hour or two it can actually interfere with your nighttime sleep. It is particularly true with people suffering from insomnia or poor quality of sleep during night. If you feel too much tired and feel to have a rest, take a nap for maximum 10 to 30 minutes. Obviously people engaged in night shifts have to take sleep in alternate hours.
5. Physical exercise is a must
What does regular exercisedo? It helps you drain out the stress and let your muscles stay fatigued and relaxed. This helps feeling sleepy as soon as you get on the bed. Do some physical activities and exercise regularly to get enough sleep.
6. Manage stress
Stress, particularly the one we are familiar with at our workplaces is the number one culprit responsible to snatch our sleep. When you are under work pressure, the fight or flight mechanism of your body and nervous system becomes active and this agitated nervous condition takes too much time to cool down.
How can you manage stress effectively? Well, there are too many approaches in this regard but the most effective is a deep breathing technique that can supply fresh oxygen to your brain from time to time. Take full deep breath at slow pace and exhale it slowly. Continue the same exercise for several times during the day. Doing yoga and meditation can also be tremendously helpful in this respect.
7. Limit intake of caffeine and nicotine
Do you know caffeine can interfere with your sleep even after twelve hours of drinking it? Nicotine can also do the same. Even if you are not facing the problem not it can happen anytime with prolonged habit of drinking caffeinated drinks like coffee or tea and smoking cigarettes.
8. Follow these bedtime habits
Some bedtime habits are sleep inducing and when you make them your own, they can significantly contribute to your sleep quality. Reading something relaxing besides a soft bedside light or listening soothing music in low volume or stretching yourself a little with some easy yoga exercise, all these and many others can induce sleep quickly.
9. Enhance your bedroom environment for sleep
Though it is not always our hands, still we can induce some relaxing elements in our bedroom to make ourselves feeling sleepy. Bedroom should be at the quiet part of the house with sufficient exposure to fresh air. At nighttime it should offer a darker and cool atmosphere.
10. Limit your exposure to digital activities and stimulating media
Say no to your Facebook messages or addictive YouTube videos or mobile games at least an hour before you go to bed. Avoid watching any suspense or action thriller on TV that will make you feel all worked up and drive away your sleep.
Written By: Jenna Thorne