Improve Your Sleep with These Tips
By Rachel Carver
How is the quality of sleep you are getting these days? According to the National Sleep Foundation, healthy adults need between seven and nine hours of sleep each night. The sleep each person needs also differs slightly depending on factors such as physical activity and your overall health.
Dedicating this much time to sleep sounds wonderful in theory but can sometimes be hard to put into practice. However, with these tips, you might find it easier to fall asleep and get the sleep you need.
Wind Down
If you fall into bed after rushing through those evening chores, chances are you will not fall asleep before some tossing and turning. However, finding something to do that relaxes you about an hour before you want to be asleep can take your mind off of your day and transition you to sleep mode. Find a good book, journal, or take a bath. Avoid activities that keep you awake.
Don't Judge
We all get to bed late some days for a variety of reasons. Instead of worrying about the sleep you will miss, focus on making the sleep you will get count. Tell yourself one night of less sleep will not negatively impact the rest of your week.
Wash Away the Day
A warm bath or shower is a great way to remove the day's stress and relax your body and mind. It can also improve your sleep quality and keep you asleep longer. Just make sure to shower at least an hour before bedtime to give your body temperature time to return to normal.
Avoid Mindless Scrolling
We all do it. It is tempting to lay down with your phone and check social media for the latest world happenings. However, this is often when you see something that triggers your emotions, stressing you out or irritating you. Even looking at your emails one last time can take you on a different path, pulling you into a task and keeping you awake. Try to avoid screens during the hour before your bedtime.
Prepare Your Sleep Space
Especially right now, our bedrooms often serve as a work and sleep space. This makes it harder to transition between being awake and being asleep. Try to use your bed only for sleeping. Keep it ready for you to lay down and close your eyes.
Don't Snack too Close to Bedtime
It is tempting to grab your favorite snack as a way to relax before your shut eye. However, eating and drinking too close to bedtime causes our body to focus on something else instead of preparing to sleep. Excessive late night snacking is also linked to high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes. A glass of wine before bed sounds nice, but alcohol can disrupt your REM sleep cycle. Try to enjoy your alcoholic beverage earlier in the evening so it does not keep you awake.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in North Little Rock, Ark.