Sleep Tips for Better Health
By Sara Butler
Sleep is an important part of your continued health and wellness, but getting a good night’s sleep isn’t always easy. Here are a few tips to help you fall asleep and stay that way so that you can be well rested and at your healthiest.
Schedule It
When it comes to your internal body clock, it will always work best when you can maintain a steady sleep schedule. Make sure to create a bedtime that allows you to get about eight hours of sleep and then stick to it. Create an alarm to help you get to bed around the same time. You might be tempted to sleep in on the weekends, but that’s a mistake. You should try to go to bed at around the same time each day and wake at around the same time each day too. As long as you’re consistent, you’ll find it easier to go to sleep and wake up each day.
Create a Restful Environment
Your bedroom should be a sanctuary, created just to help you meet your sleep needs. That’s why you should try to limit the amount of light in the room, such alarm clocks and lights. You want the room to be as dark as it possibly can be. You should also make sure it’s cool and don’t keep a television in there, either. Your brain needs to associate your bed with rest, not Netflix.
Exercise Regularly
Regular exercise is good for your overall health as you probably know, but it’s also important to your sleep quality. If you can exercise daily, then you may be able to sleep better at night, according to the National Sleep Foundation. Try a brisk walk before dinner or a gym session in the morning so you’re tired by the time bedtime rolls around.
Don’t Try to Force It
Sometimes, no matter what you do, sleep just won’t come. If you are lying in bed and find yourself tossing and turning, then get up out of bed for a few minutes and do something. Maybe read a book for a little bit or do some other relaxing activity in another room to help reset, then try to go to bed again. Just keep the light as dim as possible so you don’t wake your brain up too much.
Sleep is essential to your good health and continued wellness, so make sure you're doing what you can to get good quality sleep each night.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Weston, Fla.