Did you know that sleep can reduce stress and increase wellness? It’s time to review your sleep hygiene so you can stop daydreaming of better sleep and actually get it.
According to the CDC, over a third of all Americans don’t get enough sleep. This is a concern because sleep is a chance for your body to recharge and reset. When your body doesn’t get that chance, you are less likely to perform your tasks well and more likely to run the risk of illness.
Sleep rejuvenates memory processes and improves memory retention as well as improves decision-making processes 1.
Sleep also acts as a vital support to your immune system. According to the Sleep Foundation, sleep plays a crucial role in the immune system and contributes to both innate and adaptive immunity. It works because breathing and muscle activity slow during sleep, which means your body can transfer the energy it would have used for those activities to bulk up the immune system2.
There are many ways to improve your sleep. From nighttime routines to, you have lots of options to ensure you get the ZZZs you need.
Be Consistent
Bedtime routines help signal to your body that it’s time for bed. A consistent schedule regarding the time you go to bed and the time you wake up helps your body fall into a pattern of habit that works (or sleeps, in this case) for you. Nighttime rituals are part of that consistency. Taking a warm bath, stretching, allowing yourself time for meditation, or reading can all be part of your wind-down routine that, when done consistently, signal to your brain that it is time to sleep. You can implement music or some sort of ambient sound like white noise or rain falling to help with your sleep routine. You can also take supplements like the yoga-in-a-bottle magnesium or CBD oil that encourages relaxation.
Prepare Your Space
Making your bedroom a sleep sanctuary provides your brain with those signals necessary for your brain to know that it is lights out. There are many ways you can prepare your space:
- Set the thermostat so that the temperature is where you find you sleep most comfortably
- Invest in comfortable mattresses, bedding, and pillows that support your neck properly so that you aren’t waking up with a kinked neck or sore back.
- Have good ventilation in your room
- Use a diffuser with lavender oil
Ditch the Devices
Surfing the internet, reviewing work emails, or watching Netflix in bed stimulate the brain and make sleep more difficult. Bringing work into your bedroom space impairs the ability to get a good night’s rest because it increases stress and anxiety. Additionally, the blue light from the screens on your electronic devices activates the brain rather than allow it to relax.
Nix Bedtime Snacks
Eating before bed can lead to indigestion that can interrupt restful sleep. Refrain from eating anything heavy within two hours of bedtime. On the reverse side of this, going to bed hungry can lead to stomach discomfort that can get in the way of good sleep. If you must eat, keep the meal or snack light and healthy.
Get Exercise
It might seem like a strange addition to the best practices list for sleep hygiene, but exercise throughout the day is a vital help to nighttime sleep. Aerobic exercise releases endorphins that allow the body to relax.
If sleep is restless due to overactive nerves or stress, you may want to try magnesium. Magnesium is a vital mineral that enhances your natural cellular and electrical impulses to help you sleep better.
By making your bedroom a sleep sanctuary, and preparing yourself both body and mind with a sleep routine, you guarantee yourself the sweet dreams that allow you to wake up refreshed and ready for adventure!
