Insomnia the modern man’s disease seems to have plagued everyone. The combination of unhealthy diet, not exercising and staying stuck to our electronic back lit screens for most of our time has put our circadian rhythm clocks completely off balance. So we have compiled a list of 15 ways that can help you sleep better by just making tiny tweaks in your daily routine. So that you can sleep better and live a healthy life.
1. Cut Down Sugary Beverages
What can we say we all love sugar and everything that contains it. But not only can excess amount of sugar destroy your health it can also create sleeping problems. Consuming sugar in any form right before bed is counterproductive to sleeping well through the night. If you are drinking around 1 litre of sodas in one day that is on an average 3 cans, you need to cut it down to half and stop consuming any sugar after 5 o’clock in the evening. This will give your body the time to metabolize and detox all the carbohydrates.
2. Cut Down Caffeine Intake
Like sugar can boost up your insulin levels, caffeine can boost up your adrenaline. If you drink a lot of coffee then you might think about cutting the intake down and just like sugar try not to drink any after 5 o’clock in the evening.
3. Morning Cardio
You will be surprised to know but your morning routine directly affects your evening routine. You should start with developing a morning routine this will give you a reason to get out of bed and stop you from snoozing your alarm. And this in turn will help you getting to bed easily in the night. You can start with a 30 minute routine and opt for anything from a walk with dog to jogging or a jazz exercise routine.
4. Eat Fruit
Before you go to bed try to consume a small amount of carbohydrates. This helps your body to produce melatonin which is a hormone that makes you sleep. The best way to do this is eat a small amount of fresh fruit like a handful of grapes or a small apple.
5. Melatonin Supplement
Sometimes your internal clock might need a hard reset if that is the case then taking a melatonin supplement can work wonders. You can take the supplement (consult your doctor for the dosage) one hour before you plan to go to bed. Taking it an hour before will help your body to unwind and give you time to brush your teeth and get your pajamas on and before you know you will be sleeping like a baby.
6. Drink Herbal Tea
Say no to sugar and caffeine and yes to herbal tea.
Yes herbal teas are the perfect way to unwind and relax you at the end of the day. Herbal teas come in many flavors so there is always a chance that you can find some that are your favorites.
7. Reading
Where diet and exercise play an important role in sleeping, a quiet mind is also an important factor. You can relax your mind before you go to sleep by doing some light reading while drinking a cup of herbal tea.
8. MAKE A LIST
Some people who are always charged and pumped up, to read at night might not be possible for them. So instead you can sit and make a list of all the things that you did that day and make another list of things that you need to do the next day. By doing this your mind would be able to relax as you won’t keep worrying about what you need to do the next day and you can concentrate instead on relaxing and unwinding.
9. Lift Weights
While cardio is good for your morning exercise routine, lifting weights in the evening can make the best bedtime routine. You can do some weight training after dinner if by any chance you don’t have a weight set then you can try a few cross-fit style exercises or just do some pushups and sit ups. By doing this muscles would be able to burn any lingering sugar in the bloodstream and this will help you to doze off more easily.
10. No Electronics In Bed
Smartphones and tablets are the new generation technology which has their infinite advantages but at the same time they have caused considerable damage to the sleeping habits. Put your phones on silent mode before you go to bed so that you don’t get any messages or calls that might make your brain start working and hence make sleeping impossible for you.
11. Have Sex
Those of you who have a partner might want to take advantage of this blessing for sleeping more easily. Having sex and getting an orgasm or even cuddling is a great way to release stress as it helps to release the hormones oxytocin and sertonin and both these hormones help you to feel relaxed and sleepy.
12. Stop Hitting The Snooze Button
When you keep on snoozing your alarm you are just perpetuating a bad sleeping cycle. As you know that you will snooze your alarm at least five times before you wake up so you go to bed late. Instead you should force yourself to wake up the first time your alarm goes off this might be exhausting but it will eventually lead you to go to bed on time.
13. Stop Smoking
Nicotine prevents you from sleeping as it is a stimulant. Many people who smoke experience withdrawal urge at night. Studies have shown that smokers are four times more likely to feel unrested after a whole night sleep than people who do not smoke. Apart from this smoking intensifies sleep apnea and other disorders related to breathing and these can also stop you from sleeping well during the night. You should not be worried about the fact that quitting smoking can keep you up at night this effect will pass away in around three nights according to experts.
14. Stay Cool
According to experts the temperature in the bedroom should be between 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. But you should also keep under consideration how you feel under the covers. When you slip between cool sheets it triggers a drop in your body temperature. This shift of temperature gives the body the signal to produce melatonin which helps you to sleep. Therefore it is always a good idea to take a hot shower or a warm bath before you go to bed. This raises the temperature of your body temporarily which gradually starts lowering in the cooler air giving your body the signal to feel sleepy. To get optimal rest once you get in your bed you should neither be feeling hot nor cold but just right.
15. Eliminate Sneaky Light Sources
Light sends powerful signal to your brain to be awake. The glow from your tablet, phone, laptop or any other electronic device on your night stand can pass through your closed eyelids and retina to the hypothalamus a part of your brain that controls sleep. This makes your brain delay the release of sleep promoting hormone melatonin. Therefore the darker your room is the more soundly you will be able to sleep.
