Healthy habits - Good sleep habits (Part 1)

It is obvious that sleep is an important part to human health being. Let's check out to find good sleep habits to adopt!

What are good sleep habits?

Good sleep habits are often referred to as good sleep hygeine. There are many things that can be done to improve sleep. While most of these are common sense, life is very busy and we often don't think about them. Here, we will give you some guidelines for what you should and should not do for a good night's sleep. Many people have trouble with their sleep. If you are one of them, some of these simple things may help.

What should I do in the evening?

Try to go to bed at the same time each night. The body has an internal clock and hormones that control sleepiness and wakefulness. This clock works best if there is a regular sleep routine. When working well, you will feel sleepy at bed time. Try not to ignore this by staying up, as this is a window of opportunity for sleep. Going to bed too early can also disturb your sleep. In the hour before going to bed, it is important to have a relaxing sleep routine. This may include a warm bath, reading quietly or a warm milk drink. Going to the the toilet is important to avoid having to get up in the night.

Are there things that I should not do in the evening?

Caffeine should be avoided for at least 4 hours before going to bed. This isn't just coffee and tea. It is also found in colas and soft drinks. Smoking also makes it difficult to go to sleep, so there should be no cigarettes before going to bed or during the night. Alcohol might help you get to sleep, but it will make it harder to stay asleep. It makes sleep problems like snoring and sleep apnoea worse as well. Activities that are stimulating should be avoided in the hour before bed. This includes moderate exercise, computer games, television, movies and important discussions. Being in brightly lit environments or the blue light of the computer can reduce evening levels of the a sleep-promoting hormone, melatonin. Don’t fall asleep on the couch during the evening as it reduces your sleep pressure and makes it harder to fall asleep when you go to bed.

What about meals and sleep?

It is important to not be hungry at bedtime. But having a full stomach makes it difficult to sleep. The evening meal should be at least 2 hours before bedtime. Some people find that having a small snack at bedtime helps them to sleep better.

How to get a better sleep tips (2)

3. Wind down and clear your mind

Your residual stress, anger, and worry from your day may make it difficult for you to sleep well or keep you awake. So try to handle stress and maintain a positive outlook.

Some simple relaxation techniques:

Deep breathing: close your eyes, try taking deep and slow breaths, make each breath deeper than the last

Progressive muscle relaxation: start with your toes, then tense all muscles as tightly as possible, then completely relax.

Visualize a peaceful place: close your eyes, imagine a place that is peaceful and calming for you, concentrate on how relaxed this place makes you feel.

4. Improve sleep environment

Keep your room cool, dark, comfortable and quiet

Cool: your bedroom temperature may affect your sleep. Most people tend to sleep better in a slightly cool room (around 18 degree Celsius or 65 degree Fahrenheit) with adequate ventilation.

Comfortable: Your bed should be comfortable. There should be enough space to stretch or turn comfortably. Pick a comfortable pillow and mattress.

Quiet: avoid and eliminate noise from traffic, people, barking dogs. 

How to get a better sleep tips (1)

1. Be smart about your eating and drinking habits

Your eating habits play a vital role in the quality of your sleep. It’s relatively important to take care of what you put into your body in the hours leading up to bedtime.

What to avoid?

- Avoid big or heavy meal before 2 hours leading up to your bedtime. A full stomach may disturb your sleep as your stomach needs to digest so many things. So it may keep you up.

- Cut down caffeine.

- Stay away from alcohol before bed. It may interfere your sleep cycle.

- Avoid drinking too many kinds of liquids in the evening. It causes frequent bathroom trips throughout the night.

Which kinds of nighttime snacks work to help you sleep?

Believe or not but a light snack before bed may promote your sleep. While in some cases, it may it lead to indigestion. So experiment your food habits to decide your optimum evening snacks

You may try:

- A banana

- A small bowl of whole-grain with low sugar cereal

- A half of a turkey sandwich

- Granola with yogurt or milk.

2. Do regular exercises

Exercise elevates your body temperature, speeds up your metabolism, and stimulates activating hormones. Regular exercises may keep you feel less sleepy during the day. It increases the amount of time that you spend in the deep. And even light exercises such as walking for 10 minutes a day may improve your sleep quality.

This is not a quick fix as it may take several months of regular exercise before you can experience full sleep effect.

The right time to do exercise is in the morning or afternoon. You should try to finish workouts at least 3 hours before your bedtime. Exercising too close to hours leading up to bedtime may have bad effect on your sleep.