Improve Your Sleep Routine for Higher Quality Rest

What happens when you are not doing anything is just as important when you’re awake.

Getting a good night’s sleep is just as important as your diet and workout routine. Without proper sleep, it can negatively affect our hormones, performance, and brain functioning. It can also influence your weight. Therefore, a good sleep pattern is crucial in overall health and well-being. 

These tips can help you sleep better and improve your health.

Natural sunlight and light during the day can help keep your circadian rhythm on track. This has a positive effect on energy and performance during the day as well as sleep performance at night. 

Blue light relates to phones, computer, televisions, and such. To reduce blue light exposure, you can wear blue light glasses, stop watching tv 2 hours before bed, or download apps that block blue light on your technology. 

A normal person can have 2-3 cups of coffee a day and still have a decent sleep schedule. Try to avoid caffeine after 3-4 PM to rid that caffeine in your body before sleeping.

Power naps can be seen as beneficial but try to avoid long naps. This can throw off your circadian rhythm and make it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep at night. However, if your body is used to naps during the day, your sleeping may not be affected as much.

Being consistent with these two times can aid in overall sleep quality by getting our circadian rhythm on track, this includes on the weekends. 

Those few drinks out on a Friday night may seem to help you fall asleep when you get home, but it hurts your sleep performance. Alcohol is known to increase symptoms of sleep apnea and disrupted sleep patterns; it also alters the body’s melatonin production. 

Take a nice bath or shower before bed to relax. Other ways to relax include diffusing some lavender in your room, using black out curtains to avoid lights at night, or maybe reading or journaling. Whatever your favorite way to relax is, try to do it before sleeping.

If you are still having issues with sleeping, trying a melatonin pill or supplement may be a good idea. Please discuss this with your doctor as well as it may affect regular prescriptions of medicine. Melatonin is naturally produced in our body, but a lack of production will have an effect on a good night’s sleep.