If you are struggling to have a good night’s sleep or fall asleep at all, you are not the only one; it happens to many people across the world. Guidelines advise that you aim for 7-8 hours of sleep a night, but with many people living busy lives, it can be hard to achieve this. Sometimes, your life or day to day stresses can get in the way, causing you to lay awake for hours instead of getting any shut-eye. Below are five ways to get a better night’s sleep that will improve your overall well-being in no time.
Reduce your caffeine consumption in the evening
Do you have a coffee an hour or two before bed? This can be the reason you don’t sleep as well. In fact, consuming caffeine up to 6 hours before bed can result in an unsettling sleep, something that will surprise many people. It doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be able to enjoy your evening treat however, instead, consider swapping to decaffeinated coffee as it does not contain caffeine, helping improve your sleep. If you want to cut out coffee altogether, consider changing your routine and opt for something such as health naturals in the evening. This way, it will help promote sleep instead of making you stay awake for longer – you’ll feel much better when it comes to winding down.
Try not to go on your phone before you sleep
So many of us quickly browse our mobile device just before rolling over and trying to sleep. You may not have realized this, but you are risking a more interrupted sleep by doing so. Your phone’s bright light causes your eyes to be more alert, resulting in you feeling less tired. If you struggle not to use your phone before bed, try putting your screen brightness down or using the blue light filter to make the light less harsh on your eyes.
Reduce the amount of liquid you consume before bed
Needing the toilet is uncomfortable during the day and even more so at night when asleep. If you drink too much liquid in the evening, it can affect your sleep quality, waking you up and making you get up to the toilet it is then even harder to get back to sleep. This can affect some people more than others, so if you find yourself waking up, it is worth changing your drinking habits in the evening.
Try to keep to a good sleeping pattern
You may not realize it, but by having a regular sleeping pattern, it promotes a better and deeper night’s sleep. By sleeping simultaneously, your body will adjust and get used to knowing what time you will go to bed and be prepared to fall asleep once your head hits the pillow. Try not to vary your sleeping pattern too much as the more you do, the more it will interrupt your routine, causing you so have a bad night’s sleep.
Keep a diary of how well you slept
If you are struggling to get a good night’s sleep, you should consider keeping track of your sleep in a dairy. By doing this, you can start to see if any patterns emerge, which might be the reason for your restless night. Track what you are eating before bed, time of dinner, and what you did that night. These factors can help indicate what changes you might need to make to help with your sleep.
With the pandemic currently affecting everyone, it can cause stress, leading to an unsettling night’s rest. Having a good night’s sleep is essential for your mental health and how you feel during the day. Just getting an extra 30 minutes in bed can make a significant change helping you feel less sluggish and more optimistic about the day to come.
