We need to sleep well. After a good night’s sleep, out body gets much needed rest. When we sleep there are less demands on our heart. Many good hormones get released during sleep that can slow breathing, and relax other muscles in the body.
When you are sleeping, the brain regulates the cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and immune functions. Furthermore, good sleep also helps the storage, reorganization, and access to information, and consolidates remembrances by favoring the activity of memory.
Insufficient sleep can lead to insulin insensitivity and metabolic syndrome, which increases your risk of diabetes and heart disease. Recent researches suggest that people who do not get 7 to 9 hours of sleep face many mental and physical problems later in life.
If you’re struggling, there are several ways to improve your sleeping habits in order to have a healthier life:
- If you want to fall asleep quickly and sleep well, it is advisable to avoid stimulants such as caffeine (i.e. coffee, tea, coke, chocolate), nicotine, and alcohol. It is also better to avoid high protein or heavy, fatty meals that will demand your stomach to work more than usual.
- Practice relaxation techniques before going to bed to reduce stress. Listening to relaxing music, performing breathing exercises, a hot shower or a warm bath, or reading a good book will also help you to relax.
YOU MAY LIKE TO READ: Sleep Paralysis Can Be Treated Using Meditation-Relaxation Therapy: Study
Fall asleep to relaxing sounds and wake up with the Sunrise Alarm. New tools built into the Clock app and Bedtime mode are here to help you get a more consistent sleep. Learn more: https://t.co/3EQXxOzM74 pic.twitter.com/n7r6Xq3G5l
— Android (@Android) August 20, 2020
- Reduce thinking and worrying in bed. Unclosed eyes pass false information to the mind that there’s some work still left in the day.
- Try to avoid sleeping on your stomach. It is bad for your back and neck. Try sleeping straight with your hands-free and fist open.
- Train your body, make it a habit to get up and sleep at the same time every day. This alerts the body’s internal clock alert during the day and sleepy at night. Make it a habit to sleep 7 to 8 hours every day.
Having trouble in sleeping during #lockdown?
Learn to combat #insomnia with these tips. #Insomnia is when you are dissatisfied with the quality or quantity of your sleep. #MentalHealthAwareness #Mentalhealth #MentalhealthduringCovid19 #StayPositive_StaySafe #StayAtHome pic.twitter.com/It9YnqaMzj— NDMA India | राष्ट्रीय आपदा प्रबंधन प्राधिकरण 🇮🇳 (@ndmaindia) April 17, 2020
- Avoid using a mobile phone before sleep as the blue light emitted by your cell phone screen restrains the production of melatonin, the hormone that controls your sleep-wake cycle.
- There’s a lot of research suggesting taking a shower before bed helps you get to sleep. As it cools down our body and gives a signal to the mind to have rest.
- Sleep on a firm mattress to avoid back and neck problems. As per the pillow, choose a soft, low pillow that gives the neck proper support.
- Rely on the routine: go to bed and get up at the same time each day. An irregular bedtime, frequent naps, late-night activities, or weekend sleeping-in can scramble your body’s normal sleep/wake schedules.
- According to the National Sleep Foundation, cleansing before bed can help clear your skin and reduce breakouts, guard against wrinkles and help night creams and moisturizers work more effectively.
Practicing these habits surely improves your sleep cycle and makes you fall asleep in 15-20 minutes i.e. the time the average person takes to fall asleep. See your doctor and discuss your sleep problems with them.0