When it comes to peak health and performance, most people think of fitness and nutrition as the two big factors, but the third is often neglected – sleep.
As a matter of fact, a night of quality sleep is arguably more critical than proper exercise and nutrition. Without a good night’s rest, the negative effects can be immediate, from lower concentration levels to mood swings, slower cognition and weight gain, just to name a few! Conversely, a quality sleep regimen can also reap instant benefits.
Unfortunately, living in this digital age where the lines between work, personal time and rest are pretty much blurred, sleep is too often the first to be compromised, resulting in the lack of recovery, and getting a burnout.
So, how can you sleep easier at night? Here are 8 quick and helpful sleeping tips that you can start to consider, and apply to your everyday routine right away!
8 Tips To A Better Sleep
1) Avoid or eliminate your exposure to bright or blue light emitted from your screens and digital devices, ideally at least 2 hours before you turn in.
2) Reduce your consumption of caffeine in the day, and try to stay off caffeine totally nearer to your bedtime.
3) Develop a consistent sleeping schedule by aiming to turn in and wake up at the same time on a daily basis.
4) Be sure to set your bedroom temperature to a comfortable level, which is optimally around 70°F (or 21°C).
5) If you experience occasional sleeplessness or jet lag, consider taking natural melatonin supplements at bedtime, which can help promote relaxation and sleep. Melatonin supplements are usually in tablet form, and work with your natural sleep cycle.
6) Ensure enough time for you to unwind and relax before turning in. That means avoiding scheduling stressful activities, such as work meetings, too late into the evenings. Spending too much screen-time that evokes intense emotions such as horror shows may not be the best idea of relaxation either!
7) Try not to overeat at night, and where possible stay off alcohol and sugar, on top of caffeinated beverages as mentioned earlier.
8) All in all, a balanced lifestyle is key to getting a restful sleep. Exercise regularly (aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a week), and maintain a healthy diet.
To conclude, if you have yet to view sleep as a critical aspect of your health, it is perhaps time to give it some serious thought. One study after another points to the benefits of quality sleep, which include reduction in stress, betterment of mood, maintenance of weight and improvement in brain function among many others.
Simply pick a couple of tips from the above list and give it a go for a night of easier sleep!
