Good sleep is one of the most important things we need as humans. However, not everyone gets to sleep well. This can be attributed to a lot of factors, such as after effects of caffeine, late night movies, stress, uncomfortable bed and so on. However, we need a good sleep at night to function well during the day and achieve our maximum productivity. Sleep is natural, and as always, nature can never be cheated. This article will give tips on how to get the best sleep.
- Set yourself a bedtime: This is one of the most important tips you can get on how to get sleep ever. A lot of people don’t set a particular time for sleep. Most people sleep when they feel like, or when it’s late at night. However, it’s pertinent to have a routine and endeavor to stick to it, especially when you have a day job, and you always have to be in the best shape to function well. One way of doing this is by setting the alarm, that would notify you when it’s sleep time. Doing this, and sticking it to it for 2 weeks, will do the job. An activity repeated for 2 weeks, becomes a habit.
- Exercise: People sometimes get too occupied with work, that forgets to exercise and keep fit. One thing to note is that nobody is irreplaceable. It doesn’t even matter if you’re the best performing worker at your job. You’d be replaced should anything happens to you. The point is that your health comes first. A dead or sick individual cannot work. Physical exercise is a great way of getting a good However, endeavor your work out session is at least 3 hours to your sleeping time.
- Smoking and drinking: Research has shown that people who indulge in smoking and drinking are less likely to get a good sleep. This can be attributed to the stimulating effect of nicotine in cigarettes. Smoking can also lead to conditions such as asthma, and sleep apnea. If you’re a smoker, and not sleeping well, it might be best to avoid or reduce the rate of smoking. Also, alcohol consumption also increases the risk of not sleeping well. Although alcohol might make you sleep well initially, it causes sleep disorders in the long run.
- Make yourself comfortable: This is as important as setting a sleeping time. It might be difficult getting a good sleep if you’re not comfortable. One of the ways of making yourself comfortable is by ensuring your mattress is soft, pillows and bedding are well arranged. Also, you should wear light clothes, such as pajamas. The temperature level of your room has to be comfortable. Remove any form of noise, bright and harsh lights, to give you the optimal sleep environment, needed for your sleep.
- Relaxation: It’s important to relax, and take a break from your everyday routine. This could be reading a book, taking a cold or warm bath, swimming, and so on. This kind of activities will help calm the body and make sleeping easy. However, you should be careful if you choose to relax by playing computer games or other forms of electronic gadgets. The lights from these gadgets stimulate the brain and make it more difficult to sleep, especially at night.
- Right mattress: A lot of people overlook this tip, but it’s very important. Sleeping on the right mattress has a lot to do with the kind of sleep we get. The best kind of bed, are the soft ones. Hard mattresses make it hard and difficult to sleep. Endeavor to invest in getting a good bed, as they have an important role in determining how good we sleep, and eventually, how productive we’d be during the day.
- Food: People that work till late in the day, often tend to eat late, which invariably affects the kind of sleep they get. A good way of getting a good sleep at night is by cutting down on our meal size. More importantly, you shouldn’t consume heavy meals at night. Food experts have advised that people should eat their last meal of the day, at least, 3 hours before sleeping. Fruits, such as banana, mango are ideal for supper. The less and earlier you eat before sleeping, the better sleep you get, when you sleep.
- Make it a rule that your bedroom is just for sleeping only: The bedroom should be a place we sleep. Performing other activities in the bedroom such as watching television, eating and so on, might make it difficult to get a good sleep at night. You’d get good sleep when the only thing you do on your bed is to sleep.
- Eliminate stress: Stress is a huge factor when it comes to sleeping. People who worry and stress a lot do have difficulties sleeping. Endeavor to meditate and relax before getting in bed. You can prepare to-do-list, delegate tasks and write down your worries. This would go a long way toward helping you sleep at night.
- Posture: How you sleep is also an important factor in determining if you’d have a good sleep or not. Studies have shown that sleeping on the back is the best sleeping position. This posture reduces acid reflux and also eliminates back pain. However, if you’re a back sleeper, ensure you have a soft and puffy pillow to support your head. Sleeping on your side is also a good posture for your health, although you’d need a pillow to occupy the space above your shoulder. Lastly, sleeping on your stomach is the worst sleeping posture. This is because it prevents the neutral spine position, and also puts a strain on the joints and muscles. However, if you’re already used to sleeping on your stomach, endeavor to use a pillow, that would prop up your head.
- 20-minute rule: The rule is that, if you don’t get to sleep after 20 minutes of trying, you should get up to do something else, then return to bed when you’re feeling sleepy or tired.
References
Sleeping with Your Baby: A Parent’s Guide to Co-sleeping. (2007). Birth, 34(4), 355-356. doi: 10.1111/j.1523-536x.2007.00199_2.x
Williams, C. (2016). What’s the best way to get to sleep?. New Scientist, 230(3075), 36. doi: 10.1016/s0262-4079(16)30957-5
