Sleeping properly is something that not all of us give enough thought to. When our brain and body have the opportunity to rest, it gives us the energy to handle the day ahead. Not only that, but good sleep can provide our brains with better functionality and focus.
Here are seven different habits that will help you get better sleep and make you more productive in the days ahead.
Take a Bath
Having a warm soak, either in a bathtub or hot tub (check out the aqua rest 300 select premium) can have a plethora of positive impacts on the body and mind. Primarily, it helps to reduce stress experienced throughout the day. Reducing stress calms the mind and makes it easier to slip into REM sleep.
Taking a bath can also help to loosen up tight and sore joints and muscles, leaving your body feeling more relaxed and prepared for a better night’s sleep. Try making it a habit to soak in the tub prior to bed and you should notice a major impact in sleep quality.
Work Out
While working out may not be the most enjoyable of experiences for everyone, there are obvious benefits to be had. Getting our blood pumping has many positive impacts on the body but it can also be highly beneficial for your sleep patterns as well.
Working out during the day or in the evening can be a wonderful way to energize your body. Moreover, the experience can help reduce stress and put your mind at easy. It is not uncommon for people in high stress jobs to go for a vigorous workout at some point during the day. Doing so should make finding rest at night easier.
Reduce Stress
When we are stressed out, our thoughts can race and prevent us from focusing. That even includes being unable to focus on getting a good night’s sleep. Taking steps to reduce those stress levels – having a dog is a wonderful thing – can make it easier to wind down at the end of the day, giving your mind the peace, it needs to rest.
When stress becomes a dominant factor in our lives, it can manifest in many ways; a lack of sleep is just one. Try to mitigate the stresses in your life and you should see a marked improvement in the way that you sleep.
Increase Bright Light Exposure
Our bodies have a natural time-keeping clock built into them known as the circadian rhythm. This has an impact on our bodies, brains, and even hormones, helping us to stay awake when we need to be and telling the body when it is time to rest.
Having more exposure to natural sunlight or even bright light during daytime hours can help to keep that rhythm healthy. This can mean an improvement in energy levels while providing better nighttime sleep duration and quality.
Reduce Blue Light Exposure
While exposure to light during the daytime can be highly beneficial, exposure to light at night can have a opposite impact. This is all due to the circadian rhythm and that light can trick your brain into thinking that it is still daytime.
All of this can have an impact on our hormones like melatonin, which is necessary to help you relax and get a deeper, better overall quality of sleep. Blue light comes from electronics like televisions, computers, and smartphones and can have a negative impact on the quality of your sleep at night.
Limit Caffeine Later in the Day
While caffeine has a ton of benefits and 90% of the US population consumes it in some form, enhancing energy, focus, and performance, it can be quite detrimental to a quality night’s sleep.
Consuming caffeine later in the day can stimulate the nervous system and may keep the body from naturally relaxing when night falls. Having caffeine up to 6 hours before a regular bedtime can significantly worsen the quality of sleep that you enjoy. While caffeinated drinks are very enjoyable, try cutting them out in the afternoon to improve your quality of sleep at night.
Reduce Long or Irregular Naps
As we get older, naps become the forbidden treasure. We rarely have time for them but fantasize about the potential of getting to rest for just a little bit. By sleeping during the day, your internal clock can become confused.
While napping for 30 minutes or less can provide a boost of energy, sleeping for longer can make you feel more tired than you did before. On top of that, it can negatively impact sleep patterns later at night. Avoid naps unless you can keep it under 30 minutes or so.
