How Do You Improve Your Sleep Habits?
Everyone seemed to agree that getting enough good sleep is as important as eating well and exercising. After all, poor sleep negatively affects your brain’s ability to function, as well as your hormones and performance level. Lack of sleep can also cause weight gain and increase the risk of disease.
But getting a good night’s sleep optimizes your health in all ways. So, how do you improve your sleep habits?
Improving Your Sleep Starts During the Day
Because your body has its own internal clock or circadian rhythm, your body knows when to stay awake and when to sleep due to bright light exposure. Increasing your exposure to natural daylight or bright light during the day can improve sleep quality and length.
Reduce Light at Night
At night, light exposure is the opposite of beneficial, fooling your brain into thinking it is still daytime, reducing melatonin and other hormones that help you relax. To prevent this, avoid the blue light emitted from smartphones and computers by wearing blue light blocking glasses, or better yet, simply turn off the TV, phone, computer, and any bright lights a few hours before heading off to bed.
Diet Helps Improve Sleep Quality
One of the most basic tips to improve sleep quality is to stop consuming caffeine later in the day. The reason: caffeine will stimulate your nervous system, preventing you from relaxing, and remaining in your body for six hours or more.
Avoid alcohol consumption before bed, too, as it can also disrupt healthy sleep patterns.
On the other hand, taking a melatonin supplement can help with sleep. In fact, melatonin can help you to fall asleep faster and more deeply. Many other herbs are available that can help you improve sleep quality, too.
Regular Exercise
A regular exercise routine during daylight hours is also key to improving the quality of your sleep. And it doesn’t have to be anything excessive. A regular walk can work wonders.
Avoid Napping
Long daytime naps can also confuse your internal body clock, and make it harder to sleep at night. 30 minutes seems to be the maximum amount of time that can be beneficial for nappers.
Be Consistent
If you try to get up and go to sleep at consistent times of day, that also will help to improve your long-term quality of sleep. Remember, your body acts like a clock – you can help set it correctly.
Improve Your Sleep Environment
Making your bedroom more conducive to sleep will also help improve sleep quality. This includes reducing external noise and light; and setting your thermostat so that it is neither too hot or too cold if possible. Studies have shown that increased body and bedroom temperature can adversely affect sleep quality. A setting around 70 degrees is often the most beneficial.
Naturally a comfortable bed or mattress is also important to improve your sleeping environment. A good quality pillow and mattress pad can do the trick, too.
Relax – Just Do It
It’s also important to establish a relaxing pre-sleep technique before bed, whether that is taking a warm bath, meditating, listening to quiet music, or reading a book – whatever works best for you.
Overall, applying these techniques should help you sleep longer and better. And because sleep is so important to your health and well-being, incorporating a few of them – or all of them! – in your regular routine can greatly improve your quality of life.
Improve Your Sleep Habits and Health with Longevity Herbs
Improving your sleep habits can make you healthier and happier – and so can products we offer at Longevity Herbs, some of which can help with sleep issues, too.. If you’d like to learn more about Longevity Herbs, just browse our product selection online or ready out and contact us today.
