Sometimes, the best part of the day is hitting the sack and going to sleep. Days can be stressful, painful, exhausting, or even terrifying and it is always a good thing to have quality sleep. You would think that it would be a simple concept, but it may be a little more complicated than you think. As a matter of fact, here are ten things that you probably didn’t know about it.
FIRST THING
Do you remember when you were a kid and needed a bedtime? Well, it may be time to bring that back in your life again. A crucial part of sleep it to remain cognizant of how much you get. So, giving yourself a bedtime can actually have immense effects on your health.
SECOND THING
Just before you are going to go to bed, it is a good idea to have some winding down time. This can be anything from taking a shower to reading a journal. The entire purpose of this is to relax your mind, and if you do this then you will see improvement in your sleep.
THIRD THING
It is always good for you to set a routine wake-up time, as this will allow your body to adjust to a circadian rhythm. Also, once you are awake it is a good idea to avoid lying in your bed. If you do this, then it will help your bed space remain as your sleeping space.
FOURTH THING
To get yourself up, it is a great idea to use an alarm clock. Many of you probably already know this, but also know that it is key for your body to remain in a pattern. This will allow your body to know how much sleep it has, and will only benefit you in the long run.
FIFTH THING
The worst part about losing sleep is that you can never catch back up on it. This is why it is key to get around seven to nine hours of sleep every single day. This amount of uninterrupted sleep is required for adults to remain as functional as they can throughout the day.
SIXTH THING
It is not a good idea to use electronics right before you go to bed. The reason for this is because the backlight on these devices will give off a blue light in front of your face. This will then, in turn, wash out melatonin, which is the hormone in the brain that triggers sleep.
SEVENTH THING
You may not be aware of this, but eating healthy can seriously affect your sleep. If you maintain a good balance of nutritious foods, then you will notice an improvement in your sleeping.
EIGHTH THING
You should also be aware of what foods are sleep inducing, and what one’s are for wakefulness. Pasta, corn, potatoes, and white bread are common foods that induce sleep. However, nuts and seeds, proteins, cheese, yogurt, and fish are common foods that provide wakefulness.
NINTH THING
If you think that something is wrong with your sleep habits, then you need to perform a self-check. You can ask yourself when the last time you consumed caffeine was, if you ate a huge meal before bed and if you had enough to eat before going to sleep.
TENTH THING
Exercise is a great way to remain healthy, obviously. However, you need to be careful about what time of the day you are exercising. Try and stay away from doing it close to your bedtime, and do it earlier in the day. This is a very simple strategy to follow, but it can alter your sleep drastically.
