10 Tips to Sleep Better at Night

Our lives are already so busy that the time we get to unwind and de-stress, we are loosing it to technology. I myself am a victim. There are soo many days when I can actually go to sleep by 9 but “one last Facebook post”, “one last twitter update”, “just 5 mins of web surfing” or the monster of it all ” lets just finish this one episode on Netflix” ruins it all. It is supposed to be five minutes and the next time my eyes gaze the clock it’s almost 11. “I will not do it tomorrow”, I promise to myself as i try to close my eyes when my mind is still wandering the sets of the last watched episode making me think maybe i should watch just one more episode to find out who did it.

The next day you wake up as if a truck hit you last night and then the blame game starts and you promise yourself that tonight you will sleep early but as the night approaches the “just 5 minutes cycle” starts again. Apart from technology there are other things which affect the sleep too. Here are some tips which will help you get a good night sleep.

DITCH YOU PHONE/IPAD/TABLET :

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We all know it but still can’t resist it. Keep your electronics at bay. If within reach not only will you keep going back to them but they emit light which confuses our brains into thinking that it’s still morning and it suppresses the release of the sleep hormone Melatonin.

 CAFFEINE : coffee The effect of caffeine is different on different people. If you are someone who gets affected by it a lot then try having your last cup by early afternoon so you have enough time for it to get out of your system. If you can handle caffeine, it’s still better to have it atlas 4 hours before going to sleep. If you really crave something warm to soothe you, try a glass of milk or better yet some herbal tea. Anything with Chamomile and lavender will help you relax. My favorite night-time teas are Yogi Bedtime Tea — 16 Tea BagsTrader Joe’s Herbal Tea Well Rested No Caffeine 20 Bags   and Traditional Medicinals Organic Cup of Calm Tea, 16 Tea Bags (Pack of 6)

BIG HEAVY MEALS : 

 Do not eat a large meal before bedtime. The food does not get enough time to digest and may lead to acid reflux or indigestion. Gaia makes an excellent Tea-Gas & Bloating – 16 Tea Bags for those days.

WATER :

Do not drink a lot of water before bd. The frequent trips to the bathroom will disrupt your sleep. On the other hand do keep a pitcher or glass of water on the nightstand so that if your throat feels dry you can just take a sip without leaving your bed.

ZEN ROOM :

Make sure that your mattress and pillow are comfortable and there are no distracting noises or lights in your bedroom. Also I like to diffuse essential oils (Lavender, Chamomile, Mandarin, Lemon Balm) which helps to soothe.

TEMPERATURE :

It takes longer for our body to relax if the temperature is too hot or too cold. Make sure the thermostat is set to cool as studies have found that 65-70F is the ideal temperature range for a good night sleep.

 

LONG NAPS :

Avoid taking long naps in the afternoon. Though short power naps do help but if you have a hard time falling asleep then cutting out the naps is the best idea to else it can lead to insomnia.

NATURAL VITAMIN D: 

 Make sure to spend sometime in the sun. New research shows that getting some sun exposure during the day helps to wind up better at night.

EXERCISE: 

People who exercise tend to fall asleep easily and stay asleep too. It does not matter what time you workout so if working out at night is your thing…go for it.

 

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SCHEDULE :

 Try going to bed and getting up in the morning the same time. This will help you sleep better and stay asleep too as your body clock will adjust itself accordingly.

 

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