Sleep is a glorious thing. It can make you feel rejuvenated; it can take away the worries of your day, it can help you heal. Sleep is a mystery, and yet no one can deny how great a good night’s sleep feels. Achieving that blissful sleep, however, can be quite illusive. Just as a great night’s sleep can have you waking refreshed and ready to take on the day, a bad night’s sleep can have the opposite effect. Rid yourself of bad night’s rest and start these habits that will improve your sleep immediately:
- Remove Electronics from Your Bedroom
One of the biggest culprits to poor sleep is the very thing that we old so dear – our electronics. Specifically, the light of the screens we see, and more importantly, the endless scrolling that can end up eating away at our time by the hours before we notice it. Remove your television and electronics from your room (minus your alarm clock, of course!) and you’ll find your nighttime routine is already improved.
- Optimizing Your Circadian Rhythm
As previously stated, the light from our electronics can greatly disturb our sleep. This is because the blue light that is emitted from our screens mimics the daylight outside. Our bodies are naturally predisposed to waking up with daylight. This is referred to as our circadian rhythm. When you want to have a good night’s rest, you need to either avoid electronics or use the night mode on them so that, from sunset to sunrise, your screens are a warmer light that will help your body’s internal clock get back on track.
Tip: If you need to wake up quickly in the morning, this very same blue light from your screens can work wonders!
- Slow Down and Focus
For the same reason that you should remove your electronics from your bedroom, you should also aim to slow down. Try avoiding your phone or the television for a few hours before bed. Instead, adopt a more focused routine. You could read, for instance, create, play music, and so on. The more focused you need to be during the task, the better. This will help detract you from the stresses of the day and help you center yourself.
- Better Your Bed
Of course, all the routines in the world cannot help you if the problem with your sleep is your bed. To improve sleep patterns, a therapeutic mattress is highly recommended as it offers support due to its memory foam; you should also find sheets that work for you. Cotton and linen, for example are breathable and absorb moisture well, allowing you to have a comfortable sleep. Silk, however, is kind to your skin (why some people opt for silk pillows) but isn’t very breathable. Polyester and blended sheets tend to cause uncomfortable sleeps, as they don’t absorb moisture nor are they as breathable as natural products.
A bad night’s rest can be caused by so many different things. From stress to dehydration, the list is extensive. Changing your nightly routine can help you not only perfect your sleep, it can also help your health and your happiness.
