How to Sleep Better
By Madhusudhan Tammisetti
Sleeping has a direct effect on mental and physical health. A good night's sleep can help rejuvenate your body from the day's hectic work. If you fall short of your sleep quota, it can take a toll on your productivity, emotional balance, daytime energy, and weight.
Getting quality sleep might look like an impossible task when you're awake at 3 a.m. in the early morning. But you've more control in getting good quality sleep than you realize. Just as your daytime productivity depends on how well you sleep, the cure for the shortfall of sleep depends on your daily routine.
Unhealthy lifestyle choices and daytime habits can lead to difficulty in sleep. It adversely affects the immune system, mood, creativity, brain and heart health, vitality, and weight. A few changes in your daily routine may help you sleep better at night, boosting your health and improving how you feel and think during the day.
Keep in Sync With Body's Natural Sleep-Wake Cycle
If you follow a regular sleep-wake schedule that's in sync with the body's natural sleep-wake cycle, you'll feel more energized and refreshed than if you sleep the same amount of time at irregular times.
Try to sleep and wake up at the same time each day. This optimizes the quality of your sleep and sets your body's internal clock. Choosing a time of sleep when you feel tired helps you not to toss and turn at night.
Try to avoid sleeping long hours. The more you sleep, the more you experience jetlag-like symptoms. If you had to work late at night and want to make up for the lost sleep time, take a quick nap in the daytime. This way, you don't disturb the natural sleep-wake rhythm.
Exercise During the Day
Regular exercise helps sleep better at night, and you feel less sleepy during the daytime. Regular exercise helps in fighting insomnia and sleep apnea.
If your exercise is more vigorous, you may spend more time in a deep sleep. Even light exercises, such as a 10-minute walk, may improve sleep quality. You may not see immediate results of regular exercise, and it may take from a few days to a few months to see the results. So, be patient and exercise regularly.
Eating Habits
What you eat and what you drink may affect how well you sleep, mainly just a few hours before bedtime. Smoking nicotine and drinking caffeine can disrupt your sleep. Also, try to shun big meals at night. Lessen spice or acidic content in foods before bedtime as they can cause heartburn or stomach trouble, which may disrupt your sleep. Avoid alcohol before bed and cut back on refined carbs and sugary foods.
Simple changes in lifestyle and dietary habits may boost your sleep quality and positively affect your overall health.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Murfreesboro, Tenn.