Did you know that only 35% of adults report getting 7 or more hours of sleep per night?
That’s sad, because the number of health benefits available to adults who manage to get their shuteye each night is staggering. Conversely, negatives that can come from neglecting sleep are equally scary.
But what are the keys to getting a good night’s sleep? What should you be doing in your busy life to ensure that you’re falling asleep on time and staying asleep? And if you have other things to consider, like a busy work schedule or a family at home, how on earth can you expect to sleep as much as is ‘suggested’?
In this article, we’ll look at how to sleep peacefully, offering 7 simple tips you can use to stop tossing and turning and get more rest so you can rock the next day – no matter what your commitments are.
Why Does Sleep Matter?
We aren’t trying to preach, but sleep is crucial. When you’re creating an ideal lifestyle for yourself, you should always factor it in.
Among the many benefits of good sleep, you can expect your brain to function better, less body fat to accumulate, maximize your physical performance in the gym or life, and decrease your risk of having a stroke or heart attack.
Alternatively, poor sleepers tend to gain weight, get stressed out, or even depressed. This increases the possibility that they suffer from one of the chronic diseases that plague Americans. Hopefully, that’s enough evidence for you to keep reading.
Now, let’s take a look at 7 simple tips to help you improve your sleep quality and maximize those benefits.
1. More Bright Light
It may not seem linked, but the more sunlight you see throughout the day, the more likely you are to be ready for bed when it comes time at night. This is due to a naturally occurring process we all have called our ‘circadian rhythm‘, which is more or less an internal clock that’s keeping track of our days and when we should be ready for sleep.
People with diagnosed insomnia were able to improve sleep quality by 83% when they simply were exposed to more bright light throughout the day.
And if you suffer from insomnia, there’s even some research that shows CBD oil may help to alleviate that problem; visit the site to learn more.
2. ..But Reduce Blue Light
In contrast to tip #1, another key to falling asleep and staying asleep is to reduce the amount of blue light (think about the scrunch your eyes make any time you check your phone in the middle of the night) you are exposing yourself to.
In the opposite way, blue light tricks our circadian rhythm and body into thinking it’s not time to go to bed yet. The lights from your cell phone or laptop trick your body into thinking it’s still time to be outside and moving. Our bodies release hormones that help us stay awake for that reason.
Read a book or have a conversation with a loved one instead of soaking in tech right before bed.
3. No Alcohol Before Bed
It’s said that a nightcap can make for a great night’s sleep, but research actually finds that that isn’t true. Booze can actually limit your ability to sleep deeply and mess with sleeping patterns.
And besides alcohol not being the healthiest thing in the world to consume on a nightly basis, you won’t sleep well once you fall asleep, either. Alcohol alters our ability to produce melatonin, which will prevent us from being able to sleep well.
4. Drink Less Coffee
Hey, we love coffee too. But if you’re having trouble sleeping, it might be time to look at your caffeine consumption.
Coffee can stay in your blood for up to 8 hours. If you really aren’t in the mood to kick the habit, at least consider cutting it out in the afternoons so that your body can wean itself off. You might find that you enjoy it more if you only have it in the morning, anyway.
5. A Colder Room
If your bedroom is too hot, it can actually prevent you from sleeping deeply. In terms of how to optimize sleep, simply set the thermostat at somewhere between 68-70 degrees Farenheight.
The temperature in your room may be more of a factor in deep sleep than external noise or other disturbances.
6. Eat Earlier in the Day
When you go to sleep, you’re asking your body to still do a lot.
While we sleep, all sorts of natural recovery processes take place, from growing hair and fingernails to the regeneration of cells. Even though you’re sleeping, there is still a lot of work to be done, and not a lot of time to do it.
If you go to sleep with a full stomach, your body is actually not able to work as efficiently on these things and help you recover. After all, some of your energy must be allocated to helping digest whatever you ate. This may be why you wake up feeling groggy.
7. Relax!
When it comes to how to sleep peacefully, the key is to have some type of routine before bed that can help you relax and get ready for sleep. If you carry the day or work into your bedroom, stress or anxiety can prevent you from being restful enough to get some shuteye.
Whether you meditate, shut your phone off, read a book or simply take a few deep breaths, try to transition into your bedroom in a state of relaxation so you can quickly get to sleep.
Ready for Your Good Night’s Sleep?
A good night’s sleep is proven to make you a healthier, happier, less-likely-to-be-diseased kind of person. We’d say that’s a worthwhile tradeoff for a few hours of less time throughout the day.
Use these tips to get some extra sleep so you can start to maximize your health and life. And of course, feel free to contact us with questions. Happy sleeping!