Healthy Sleep Habits and Good Sleep Hygiene
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The most effective way to improve your sleep health is by paying attention to your sleep hygiene. You need to look after one to be able to rectify the other. A healthy sleep setup includes having a peaceful comfortable sleeping environment and keeping a functional sleep schedule.
The kind of bedding you sleep in can influence the quality of sleep you get. Additionally, having a comfortable mattress helps in relaxing your muscles and in preventing back pain. For instance, a mattress with an innerspring mattress helps provide greater airflow necessary for a more comfortable feel; compared to a thin and hard mattress, which would otherwise contribute to muscle cramps.
For you to improve your sleep you need to incorporate sleep hygiene policies that fit your needs. This way you’ll be able to sleep more peacefully all through the night and wake up the next morning feeling rested.
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What Is Sleep Hygiene?
Sleep hygiene means practicing healthy sleep habits. For you to enjoy good quality rest during sleep, it’s fundamental to have good sleep hygiene. The quality of sleep you get can have implications on your physical and mental health and your quality of life altogether.
What’s the Importance of Sleep Hygiene?
Adopting a healthy sleep routine has various benefits including, improved productivity, concentration, and overall wellness.
Your activities before going to bed also affect how you sleep; this includes the food you eat, drinks you take as well as your evening routine. According to research, the practice of good habits makes it easier for such positive exercises to be automatically adopted into one’s daily life because it turns into a natural behavior over time. In other words, humans have the ability to adopt good habits which will act to serve positive long-term interests. By adopting good sleep hygiene, you can avert sleep disorders such as insomnia and narcolepsy.
Below are 5 tips to improving your sleep habits and hygiene:
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Set Up a Consistent Sleep Pattern
Ensure you go to bed and wake up at around the same time each day. This helps set your body’s sleep sequence which after some time will allow you to wake up and fall asleep at the same time every day.
This can also help you avert daytime sleepiness which will allow you to accomplish more during the day.
2. Stick to a Calming Sleep Routine
A bedtime routine helps prepare your body for sleep and may help you fall asleep faster. You can begin your sleep routine about 30 to 40 minutes before your bedtime. The routine may include, working out or stretching for a few minutes or taking a warm relaxing shower.
Try to avoid stressful conversations or overly stimulating activities.
3. Turn Off Your Devices Before Going to Bed
Trying to sleep while scrolling through your device can hinder you from falling asleep; phones emit blue light, which can decrease the level of melatonin in your body.
Melatonin is the chemical responsible for your sleeping and waking sequence; when its levels drop, it becomes difficult to fall asleep.
4. Reduce Your Caffeine Intake
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Caffeine continues to be active in your bloodstream for as long as 3 to 6 hours after consumption. It would help if you could avoid taking any caffeinated beverages in the evening. Limiting your caffeine consumption to morning hours only helps you fall asleep easier when it’s time for bed.
5. Set Up a Relaxing Sleeping Environment
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Sleep in a cool, quiet, and dark room; which will help you stay asleep for longer. As mentioned earlier, a comfortable mattress is also significant to have quality sleep. Ensure the mattress you sleep in does not cause any harm to your neck and back.
A Worthwhile Transition
Trying these strategies can help you fall asleep more quickly and stay asleep for enough hours for your body to gain enough rest. This will be possible with the improvement of your sleep routine.
