Adequate sleep is essential for our well being. Benefits of getting a good night rest go beyond the refreshing and renewed energy we feel in the morning, there are mental and health benefits attached as well.
The many benefits of good sleep include:
- Reduces Stress: This is the most obvious benefit of sleep, it is natural to seek a good rest after going through stress.
- Lowers Blood Pressure: Good sleep helps keep the blood pressure in check.
- Maintain Weight: Good sleep is an essential tool in reducing weight and maintaining a good one.
- Improved Mood: Lack of proper sleep can make you irritated and set the tone for a moody
- Protects the Heart: Adequate night rest protects you from several heart-related diseases, including a heart
- Painkiller: Lack of good sleep has been connected with a low pain threshold. Minor injuries like twists in common areas like wrist, ankle, or knee are likely to feel better after a good sleep.
- Improves memory: Sleeping can improve and refresh one’s
- Good Energy and Vitality: With good sleep comes great energy for your day at work and other spheres. It is advised for an adult to get up to 8 hours of sleep every day to function
With these great health benefits, it is crucial to do everything we can to improve our night rests as failure to do so may be putting our health in grave danger. There are many reasons why you are unable to shut your eyes at night. These are ranging from food and lifestyle to drugs and addictions.
Your sleeping problem might be as a result of the following:
- Lights
This is the most important external factor that influences how much sleep we get. Lights affect our internal biological clock. Presence of light is a signal to the brain that it is morning while the lack of it sets the internal clock to that of night. It is important to switch off the lights before bed. Also, put off or dim the lights from any light emitting object in your bedroom.
- Using Gadgets on the Bed
Going to bed with your phone or laptop is a wrong signal to your brain. We spend minutes or hours on these gadgets without knowing because of their interesting and engaging features built to keep us glued for several hours.
- Messaging/Chatting
Engaging in chats or sending messages while in bed is a sure way to deprive you of sleep. Notifications of message replies and chats that could come in till early morning interrupts and disrupts your sleeping pattern.
- Naps
While it is good to get a good nap when we are stressed, naps that affect sleep at nights are damaging and not good for your health.
- Too Much Water
There are absolutely no side effects of drinking much water at any time of the day, drinking lots of water before bed will interrupt your sleep with frequent visits to the toilet. Drink as much water that quenches your thirst before bed, but make sure to urinate before going to sleep.
- Medications
See your doctor if you feel your prescriptions are disturbing your sleep. Reducing the dosage or not using them towards night time could be a solution. If the dosage is reduced and sleepless nights persist, talk to your doctor about an alternative prescription.
- Working / Mails
Doing office work close to the bed or reading work emails at bedtime is another potential sleep wrecker. Leave your work in the office and put your mind at rest, you can’t be sending a signal of work to the brain and expect the brain to process sleep instead.
- Coffee
This stimulant is notorious for its sleep wrecking ability because of the presence of caffeine. Caffeine takes between 12 to 24 hours to leave the body system, drinking coffee close to bedtime is a poor sleeping decision. If you stop evening coffee and still experience sleeping troubles, reduce your coffee intake altogether.
- Eating Close to Bedtime
It is advised to have dinner 2 to 3 hours before bed. Eating late and going to bed full is a sure way to wreck your sleep.
- Avoid Spicy and Fatty Foods for Dinner
These types of food have been related to acid reflux, and digesting fatty foods is cumbersome for the body.
- Alcohol
The ironical part of consuming alcohol is that most people who do so believe it will help them sleep, the reverse is the case. The intoxicating effects can help you sleep, but the resulting dehydration and hangover can give you nightmares instead.
- Lack of Sex
The natural reaction of the body after a night romp is sleep. People who have sex regularly have no problems shutting their eyelids. The reason you are not sleeping well maybe because of your sexual health.
- Lack of Activity
Living a sedentary lifestyle makes sleep hard to find. Engage in physical activities every day regardless of you lifestyle or work pattern.
- Lack of Exercise
There are too many benefits of regular exercise, and one them is good sleep. The muscles that were stretched in the morning naturally relaxes at night. It is very unlikely for someone who exercises regularly to have problems getting sleep at night.
- Video Games
Video games are stimulating and engaging, and it is very easy to be engaged with video games till the next day without realizing it. Don’t play video games close to bedtime.
- Cool your Bedroom
Important external requirements for good sleep are no lights and a cool temperature. Good sleep is connected to a cool temperature, as a hot room can interrupt your sleep with drenching sweats, try to bring the temperature down as much as you can.
- Pet in Bed
Some people are fond of sleeping with their pets, movements of the pet can wake you at more than once before morning. Find a special place for them, preferably.
- Alteration of Sleeping Routine
People who have the habits of waking early and sleeping early don’t need the alarm to get out of bed or medications to put them to bed. This is because their biological clock is in sync with their daily activities, altering one’s lifestyle or daily routine can wreck sleeping pattern and could take some time for the body to adapt to.
With these great insights, it is possible to improve our night rests for a healthier state of mind and body. Be conscious of these things and give yourself a good night rest. Your sleep in now in your hands and consequently your health.
