Sleeping Habits to Practice for Rest You Need

How we feel during the day is largely dependent on how much sleep we got the previous night. A restful night of sleep starts your morning feeling fresh, energised, and motivated.

Sleep is a vital activity for the mind and body. If you get proper sleep of eight hours or more, it will rejuvenate you physically. Sufficient sleeping hours will also help you in thinking clearly, and make you more productive. 

Improper sleep at night causes low daytime energy, emotional distress, sluggishness, and even low metabolism if continued for a long time.

To understand the importance of sleep and sleeping habits, observe the day after staying up the whole night. Similarly, analyse the impact on thinking when you wake up early in the morning.

Below we explain the need for developing good sleeping habits and getting the much-required rest every night.

How to Develop Better Sleeping Habits

Natural Sleep-Wake Cycle

Syncing your body with the natural sleep and wake cycle is crucial to sleep management. Following a regular sleep schedule will make you energized and rejuvenated. 

To time the body as per the natural clock, try to sleep and wake up at the same time regularly. Go to bed when you genuinely feel tired. If you get proper sleep, you will not require alarms to wake you up and you will feel fresh in the morning. 

Your sleeping habits should not change much on weekends. If you feel tired, compensate by taking a power nap for ten to fifteen minutes in the afternoon.

A healthy and timely breakfast helps in improving good sleep habits. Our body clock understands the time to wake up and eat when it’s following a regular schedule. 

The Dark Side of ‘Blue Light’

Melatonin is made by your pineal gland to tell your body that it is time to sleep now.  When exposed to bright light, your pineal gland cannot secrete enough melatonin, thus affecting your sleeping hours and sleeping routine. Dark and dim surroundings with low light secrete more melatonin and make you sleepy and vice-versa. 

You can control and manage melatonin hormone in the following ways: 

• Wake up early to go outside, take some sunlight on your face. You can sip a cup of coffee outside or jog or even eat morning snacks outside. Waking up early is also one of the sleeping habits that better your health.
• Take work and study breaks in the sun.
• Choose drapes that are airy, and windows that are large and open to let the most sunshine enter.
• Avoid devices at least an hour before bed in order to avoid the blue light emitted by them. 
  

FUN FACT: People in colder countries use light therapy boxes to get the necessary dose of the sun!

Insomnia: Improving Sleep Habits 

Insomnia is a sleep disorder where people cannot sleep properly due to a change in schedule, place, stress, etc. If you are going through episodes of insomnia, you must consider following insomnia improved sleep habits for better mental and health impact.

• Reduce intake of caffeine and tea. Do not drink coffee or tea for at least four to six hours before bed for good sleeping habits.
• Limit alcohol to one or two drinks and not in the late evening as it could cause sleep disorders.
• Avoid heavy meals and too much water intake just before bedtime.
• Maintain sleeping routine and body clock
• Get sunlight into the home and exercise regularly
• For stress problems, work during the most productive time of the day, keep a notepad and write about the problem
• Practice yoga and meditation and try to minimize the use of digital devices at the time of sleep.

These are some of the best sleeping habits for improving conditions of insomnia. 

Other Practices for Good Sleep Management

The most integral element to good sleep is the mattress you fall asleep on. Ensure that it’s comfortable, spacious, and supportive of your whole body. 

You can take a look at our range of mattresses while  we tell you some other tips for better sleep:

• If you are using digital devices like tablets, smartphones, laptops, etc, at night lower the brightness and activate night mode. It will be less disruptive for sleeping.
• Try to avoid late-night television shows and programs.
• The bedroom should be dark at the time of sleeping; it helps in getting good sleep. Even if you have habits of waking up at night for whatever purpose, a dark room will help in resuming sleeping.
• Apart from these sleeping habits for improved rest, you also need to exercise regularly.
• Exercise regulates metabolism, blood circulation, and stimulates cortisol. 
• Diet and timing of meals are also vital considerations for improving sleeping routines. Eat healthy food, do not stuff yourself, and avoid refined carbs and sugary foods.
• Another major point is the sleeping environment. Keep your bedroom noise-free, spacious, cooler to get sound sleep and required rest.
• A bonus tip- maintain a sleep diary to monitor your patterns of behaviour before and after sleep!

That’s all for today. Refer to these tips and sleeping habits because a hard day’s labour needs a good night’s sleep.