Improving sleep is an essential part of self-care and improving the quality of your life. Here are 5 tips for sleeping better.
1. Keep a schedule.
Setting a timer before bed to go off every day as a reminder is a great way to practice and solidify a routine of going to bed. The more often you sleep at a specific time, the more your body and circadian rhythm will adjust, helping better regulate your body function.
2. Drink chamomile tea.
Drinking chamomile tea before bedtime is a popular practice to promote relaxation and improve sleep quality. Chamomile tea is made from the dried flowers of the chamomile plant, and it has been used for centuries as a natural remedy for various ailments, including insomnia and anxiety.
3. Breathe deeply before sleeping.
Engaging in deep breathing exercises before sleep can be a helpful practice to promote relaxation and prepare your body for rest. Deep breathing, also known as diaphragmatic breathing or belly breathing, involves taking slow, deep breaths that fully engage your diaphragm. Here's how it can benefit your sleep:
4. Darken your room.
Darkening your room before bed is an effective strategy to promote better sleep. Creating a dark sleep environment helps signal to your body that it's time for rest and can enhance the production of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles. Here are some tips for darkening your room before bedtime:
5. Lights and screens OFF!
While it should be obvious, lights and screens are highly disruptive to the body's ability to sleep. This is for 3 main reasons:
- Melatonin production: Exposure to bright lights, especially blue light emitted by electronic devices, can suppress the production of melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate sleep-wake cycles. By turning off lights and screens, you allow your body to naturally increase melatonin levels, signaling that it's time to sleep.
- Circadian rhythm alignment: The blue light from screens can disrupt your body's internal clock and delay the onset of sleep. By avoiding screens and bright lights close to bedtime, you help align your circadian rhythm, making it easier to fall asleep and wake up at the desired times.
- Mental stimulation: Engaging with screens, such as smartphones, tablets, or computers, can stimulate your brain and make it harder to relax and unwind before sleep. Turning them off allows your mind to transition into a calmer state, aiding the process of falling asleep.
Hope these tips help to improve your quality of sleep!