1. Improve Your Bedroom Environment
Have you ever had one of those days when you felt tired and even jumped on your bed but failed to sleep? This can be due to the poor bedroom environment. What does this mean? It simply means that you have not made your bedroom a relaxing environment for sleeping purposes only. Your bedroom should be a soothing space that is comfortable for boosting sleep.
To achieve this, here are some tips you can apply to boost your bedroom for sleeping: –
• Setting a comfortable temperature – It is essential to keep and maintain your bedroom at an ideal temperature for sleep. According to research, the optimum temperature that supports sleeping is 20 degrees Celsius.
• Decrease noise pollution – It is wise to make the bedroom as quiet as possible. This is especially important if you live in a noisy area. You can either insulate your room or invest in noise-canceling earplugs or headphones. You can even invest in white noise-producing machines or fans.
• Switch off the lights – Exposure to light may interfere with your sleep pattern. This is especially true if it produces blue light. If it is not possible to switch off the light, consider investing in blackout blinds or sleep masks.
• Invest in high-quality beddings and mattresses – The bed you buy must be comfortable and supportive. Decide which Ikea platform bed to buy with this guide. Do not forget the bedding as well. Research has shown that quality mattresses improve the quality of sleep by 60%. This is why experts recommend replacing the bedding after a few years.
2. Maintain A Regular Sleeping Schedule
Experts recommend maintaining a sleeping schedule. This means waking up and sleeping at a particular time each day, including weekends. This helps set your circadian rhythm for a regular cycle. Many types of research have proven that an irregular sleep cycle can interfere with the production of melatonin. This is a hormone that signals the brain that it is time to sleep. Another study has shown that people who sleep late during the weekends report poor sleep overall. It is understandable how challenging it can be to maintain the same sleep pattern every day, but consider having a bit of consistency, which will make a huge difference.
These are tips that will help you maintain a sleep schedule: –
• Allocate time for sleeping – For an adult, the recommended sleep time is 7 – 9 hours. For this reason, consider setting aside at least 8 hours for sleep. Try as much as possible to limit the sleep schedule on weekdays and weekends by no more than one hour.
• Set a fixed waking up time – Try as much as possible to maintain the same time to wake up every day including the weekends.
• Adjust your sleep schedule gradually before a specified event or task – For example, if you are required to adjust your sleep for travel purposes or work, consider doing it slowly. Consider making little by little adjustments of 1 – 2 hours every night. This simple task will allow your body to adapt to the new schedule.
3. Increase Your Sun Exposure Time
Experts recommend exposing yourself to more natural sunlight during the day. This technique has proven to improve the quality of sleep. Exposure to sunlight improves the circadian rhythm. Circadian rhythm is a person’s internal body clock and is responsible for essential functions and processes. The light from the sun is known to influence it. Moreover, sunlight affects the body’s production of the sleep hormone known as melatonin.
Experts say that exposing yourself to morning light at about 8 a.m. and afternoon light at about 3 to 4 p.m. can help improve the quality of sleep. It will make a person fall asleep quickly. Another research shows that 2 hours of light exposure increase the amount of sleep by 2 hours. Another study shows that exposure to sunlight helps people sleep and reduces depression and stress. If you, therefore, find yourself not getting enough natural light, consider using artificial light sources.
4. Decreasing exposure to light in the evening
Although sunlight helps boost the quality of sleep, lights in general have the opposite effect. This is why experts recommend decreasing exposure to light when you are preparing to go to bed. Night-time light exposure has been proven to decrease the quality of sleep. That is because it will affect the circadian rhythm, which will make the brain think that it is still daytime. A majority of nighttime lights have been known to produce blue light, which is the most disruptive type of light.
The good news is that there are several ways to reduce blue light exposure at night. These include:
• Wearing glasses that block out blue light in the evening
• Downloading apps that will help decrease blue light produced by your smartphone
• With computers, consider installing software like f.lux to remove blue light
• Avoid using your smartphone, TV, or laptop 2 – 3 hours before bedtime
5. Avoid caffeinated beverages late in the day
Your body does not need caffeine to function. However, it can give it a kick, and that is a fact. The other news is that moderate caffeine intake is not associated with any recognized health risks. However, because caffeine is known to stimulate the nervous system, it can make it difficult to fall asleep. It has the potential to elevate the blood for up to 8 hours. For this reason, drinking caffeinated beverages such as coffee six hours before bed can affect the quality of sleep.
The best way to prevent all this is to avoid caffeinated beverages such as chocolate, coffee, and others in the afternoon (2 or 3 pm). If you must drink coffee in the evening, try decaffeinated versions.
