Tried everything? Upside down? On the living room couch? In a tent in the garden? Well, the best advice for getting a good night’s sleep is go back to basics. Keep it simple. Relax and nod off with these 5 tips for better sleep:
Keep a Regular Sleep Schedule
It’s not always easy but try to set a bedtime that you can stick to every night, as well as a time when you wake up. Your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle, known as your circadian rhythm, is a delicate thing. Keeping a consistent sleeping pattern is vital if you want to feel as refreshed and energetic as possible during the day.
Relax
Do you find yourself going over lots of things or just simply faffing around before bed? Cut it out! Take it easy. You will sleep more deeply if you make a conscious effort to unwind before bedtime. Keep noise to a minimum, keep your room relatively cool and avoid any bright lights. This includes LCD screens, laptops, ipads etc – try reading a book instead. For an extra relaxing evening take a warm bath before you retire to the bedroom.
Eat Well and Drink Less
Shock horror – no 3am kebabs allowed! In fact, it’s best to stay away from unhealthy food altogether if what you crave most is untroubled sleep. Maintaining a healthy diet will help your body to settle at night - fatty foods take a lot of work for your stomach to digest and may keep you up. In the run up to bedtime try not to eat big meals, avoid caffeine and unfortunately, a nightcap is best avoided too. It might send you to sleep quickly but alcohol is proven to reduce overall sleep quality.
Choose a comfy bed
There are many varying styles and shapes so make sure your bed is comfortable. You should have enough room to stretch and turn comfortably. If you often wake up with a sore back or an aching neck, you may need to invest in a new mattress or a try a different pillow. Experiment with different mattresses and pillows that provide more or less support.
Find a buddy!
Let’s face it, everyone loves a cuddle. Many sleep researchers believe that couples sleeping on the same bed may live longer and be in better health that people who sleep by themselves. Sleeping with a partner may be a major reason why people in intimate relationships tend to be in better health.
Try a few different things and see what works for you. Sleep tight.
Image by Sterin used under the Creative Commons license.
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