Tips for the Best Sleep of Your Life
By Sara Butler
If you’re struggling to get adequate sleep each night, then you’ve probably tried most of the home remedies out there. So why are you still tossing and turning every single night? Well, there are some habits that can impact sleep you may not even be aware you’re doing! Here are some tips you can try to help you get back on track!
Watch the Caffeine
You already know that sipping coffee or tea right before bed is going to keep you awake due to caffeine, but what about earlier in the day? It turns out that the caffeine you’re having in the late afternoon can have an impact on your ability to fall asleep at night.
The kicker is that caffeine may be lurking in places you didn’t realize, such as flavored waters or orange sodas. Make sure any drinks you have in the afternoon are caffeine-free, and stay away from anything with it after lunch.
Try Some Sleep Superfoods
You don’t want to eat a heavy meal right before bed – that’s a bad idea! Instead, try to have a snack that will help lull you to sleep with its nutrients. Tryptophan is a big one – it’s an amino acid that helps your body to produce serotonin for sleep.
Some great ideas include cottage cheese with bananas, graham crackers and milk, or cereal with yogurt. If you snack on those a bit before bedtime, you may find that you have an easier time drifting off to dreamland.
Take a Shower Earlier
A hot shower or bath may seem relaxing but if you’re trying to sleep soon, then you may want to try it earlier. There’s some evidence that raising your body temperature before bed can hinder your ability to fall asleep. You can unwind with a hot bath or shower after work if you want, just make sure it’s not right before you’re going to bed!
Stretch
A little yoga before bed can go a long way. That’s because yoga helps to reduce muscle tension, steady breathing, and stretch your muscles without causing your heart to beat faster. Learn some simple yoga moves you can do right before bed and you may notice that dreamland is a lot easier to slip into!
These tips can help to get you started in the right direction and help you sleep better at night. Give them a try starting now!
To learn more about your health and wellness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Lubbock, Tex.