Sleep! We all take sleep daily, but I don’t think anyone of us would ever wonder what actually sleep is. Sleep is a condition or state of our body and mind which occurs for several hours, where our eyes are closed, the nervous system is inactive, postural muscles are relaxed, and the consciousness is suspended practically. Broadly, sleep is divided into two types, and These are REM and NREM. NREM, the Non-Rapid Eye Movement occurs first and then transitions into Deep sleep. In this phase, heart rate and body temperature decrease, and hence, the brain uses less energy.
However, the question is, what about those among us who can’t sleep easily and are deprived of this gift? There are many people who cannot sleep properly, and there are other conditions due to which you cannot sleep. Insomnia is a poor sleep condition, which may be due to stress, anxiety, depression, and poor sleeping habits. Now there are many ways by which you can improve your sleep not only in quantity but also in quality. Poor sleep can have severe negative impacts on your health. So, your sleep is very important for your body and brains’ proper functioning. Let’s check out what are the ways you can use to overcome this problem.
Lower Your Room Temperature
The humans’ body temperature varies during sleep and in waking condition. When you sleep, the temperature of your hands and feet increases, and the core temperature decreases. It is difficult to fall asleep if the temperature of your room is higher. Setting your room temperature to a lower degree might help you sleep. However, individual preferences can vary depending upon personal choice. So, you should find the temperature which best suits your body. Just before sleeping, taking a shower can also help as the body cools down, and this sends signals to your brain to go to sleep. You would even notice that you feel sleepy after taking a shower as I’ve several times.
Relaxing Music & Headphones
Music can significantly affect the quality of sleep. It can also help to improve sleep disorders. There are different kinds of music that help to induce deeper and more restful sleep. This can be sedative music, Buddhist music, or any soothing music, and water fall music also makes you feel relaxed as well as calm. This helps to produce a really calm sleeping pattern. Moreover, when trying to sleep using music, you can also use headphones as you might be sleeping with someone else in the room and not want to disturb them. Also, several excellent sleeping earphones can help you enhance sleep quality due to their design and immersion. So, don’t hesitate to give them a try.
The 4-7-8 Breathing Technique
The 4-7-8 breathing technique is a simple but powerful way that helps to promote relaxation and bringing calmness. It can also make you mindful just before sleeping. The method consists of a particular breathing pattern that helps to relax your nervous system. It can also be practiced as you can meditate any time you want. Firstly, touch the tip of your tongue on the backside of your upper teeth. Now completely exhale through your mouth. Now close the mouth and inhale through the nose and count four in your heart. Hold your breath and count till seven. Now open and exhale completely, making a sound and count till eight. Repeat the whole cycle three times, and this would help you to relax and fall asleep quickly. You would
Get a Schedule
The human body has its regulatory system referred to as the sleep and wake cycle that runs according to an internal clock in a regular fashion. Once your body adjusts to this schedule, It becomes easier for you to fall asleep at your particular clock time, every day. You need to get sleep for seven to nine hours daily. This timing forms the optimal duration of sleep for adults. Moreover, take 30 minutes for yourself to relax in bed and you can prepare yourself to sleep.
For those who are unable to establish a regular sleeping pattern due to a hectic schedule and household chores, experts recommend to take natural supplements to help sleep soundly without jeopardizing your health.
Practice Yoga, Mindfulness and Meditation
When you are stressed, it is more difficult for you to sleep. Yoga, mindfulness, and meditation are handy tools that help your mind and body to relax. Other than that, these are also very helpful to induce good sleep. Yoga helps to enhance breathing patterns and also release stress. Melanin levels are also enhanced by meditation. Additionally, mindfulness improves your focus. Opt for any one of these techniques and practice it, you would notice that not only you would feel relaxed but also improvements in your sleeping patterns.
Avoid Naps during the Day
Insomniac people die to poor sleep quality at night, tend to stay sleepy during the day. This results in taking naps during the day. However, short nap duration is liked to an improved focus and alertness. However, there are studies that show that long and late naps can lead to poor quality of sleep during the night and even can cause sleep deprivation. Studies have shown that people who frequently napped during the day often have poor sleeping if you need a nap whatsoever, try to keep the nap timing not exceeding 30 minutes.
Now if you can’t really help but sleep during the daytime, some doctors recommend the use of medicinal marijuana. You may be surprised but there are a lot of benefits of medical marijuana for sleep conditions. With its relaxing properties, it can assist in treating both physical and mental health problems that may be affecting your ability to sleep well.
Watch, when you eat What
The food you eat just before bed has a role in effecting your sleep. According to research, high carbs meals can affect your sleep. It can induce sleep speedily but results in a sleep that is not restful. On the other hand, meals that have high fats help to induce a more relaxing and deeper sleep. Therefore, keep a close eye on what you eat just before bed.
Exercise
Physical activity is critical and helpful for you to produce healthy sleep. Regular exercise can increase the quality of sleep and boost serotonin and also reduce the levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. However, moderate-intensity exercise is helpful. Do not try to overdo the intensity of exercise as it may cause excessive fatigue and leads to poor sleep. The time od the day, when you exercise, is also crucial to the quality of sleep. Early morning exercise is generally more useful for sleeping patterns.
Electronics
Electronic devices produce blue light. Our brain, due to the blue light, interprets that it is the daytime, and it becomes active rather than slowing down, preparing to sleep. If you want to sleep early and timely, try to put off the devices at least two hours before going to bed. If you’re going to sleep, just turn off your television and other gadgets at a time, suppose 10 pm. This also takes away all the distractions so you can sleep peacefully.
Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy makes use of essential oils. Aromatherapy is especially useful for people who have trouble falling asleep. It induces relaxation and allows you to sleep properly.
In case you’ve any query or a method to share, which helped you achieve better sleep, don’t hesitate to leave a comment.
