Mar 15, 2020
Image: A good night's sleep - clipartpanda.com
Getting enough good sleep is a baseline requirement for good health according to mom.com. A nightly reset, where the brain is allowed to rest and also organize the events of the day (which is how we develop long-term memory), reduces risks for heart problems, diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure and weakened arteries—especially in women. The National Sleep Foundation recommends seven to nine hours of sleep per night. If you're having trouble getting enough quality sleeping hours, try making a few of these changes. (DISCLAIMER: Check with your doctor if you can't get a good night's sleep)
Follow a Meal Schedule
Start by getting on a regular meal schedule, which gives your body plenty of breaks from active digestion. Also, consider moving your highest calorie meal to the middle of the day. Big meals prolong digestion, which interferes with sleep.
Cut Back on Coffee
If you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, and if your sleep is restless, caffeine may be interfering. Often with age, our ability to recover from the effect of caffeine diminishes, so it may be time to give up late-night coffees—or even late-afternoon ones. Try it for a week and see if you don't wake up feeling more rested.
Cut Back on Sugar
Hormones are what signal fatigue and help us fall asleep. They're also responsible for signaling hunger and maintaining our blood sugar levels. So, the more sugar we consume, and the more frequently we consume it, the more our hormones get involved in keeping our systems in check. Consuming sugar late at night, which makes our blood sugar levels spike and then crash, means we might be getting hunger signals when we should be in deep sleep. Moreover, sugar crashes through the day could tempt us into a late-afternoon nap, which makes us less tired for actual bedtime. If you're not sleeping well, cut back on sugar and highly refined carbs and see whether you don't feel better in the morning.
Cut Back on Alcohol
A drink once in awhile isn't the worst idea if you're having trouble falling asleep. Many studies have shown that a nightcap for non-alcoholics is an easy, non-detrimental sleep aid. But too much alcohol can throw seratonin production into chaos—and make it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep.
Drink Tart Cherry Juice
Tart cherry juice—among other nonalcoholic, low-sugar drinks—has been shown to help combat insomnia, which meant subjects fell asleep more easily and woke up less during the night.
Drink Lavender and Camomile Tea
Though studies show that the effects of herbal teas, such as lavender and camomile (or a combo) teas, had somewhat limited impacts on getting more sleep, the effect of a calm routine with a warm, non-caffeinated beverage could help you get in sleep mode more predictably. Entering sleep in a more relaxed state aids in the quality of sleep you get. Even if tea isn't a cure-all in terms of sleep, it's also not detrimental.
Drink Milk
Sleep-aid claims about the tryptophan released in a warm glass of milk before bed may have been overstated. However, a recent study found that if you eat carbs along with your warm glass of milk, the sleep-inducing hormone tryptophan, which is released in the warm milk, has a better chance of reaching the brain. The study also found that the mere ritual of warm milk had a calming and therefore sleep-inducing effect on the subjects. Give it a try!
Get More Magnesium
A number of studies have found a link between a low level of magnesium and sleep disorders. While supplements may deliver the magnesium boost you need, there's scant evidence that this is your silver bullet. Eating more foods that are rich in magnesium, such as almonds, leafy greens, legumes, whole grains, fish, chicken and beef.
Increase Vitamin B12
Though B12 vitamins aren't in themselves a cure for sleep disorders, getting enough of the essential nutrient supports nervous system health. This, in turn, clears the way for better sleep and less disruption throughout the night.
Stop Eating in Bed
There are a number of reasons to stop eating in bed, one of which is that little particles from the food get in your sheets and may cause you to itch or otherwise be to uncomfortable to fall asleep or stay asleep. Another reason is that eating right before you fall asleep raises your body temperature, also causing discomfort. If your go-to snack is on the more acidic or heavy side, you may experience acid reflux or that bloated and overfull feeling, which makes it hard to fall asleep. High-sugar snacks in bed mean your blood sugar is going to spike and crash, which in turn convinces your body that you're hungry again in the darkest hours of the middle of the night.
No More Tech at Night
The evidence is clear: Tech use before bed is getting in the way of quality sleep. While putting phones and tablets in night mode can help diminish the effects, to really see an improvement you may need to stop tech use up to three hours before hitting the sack. If you're not sleeping well, trade your Kindle for a paper book for a week and stop catching up on your shows in bed.
Listen to Calm Music
Listening to calm music can lower your heart rate, lower the production of cortisol and take your mind off the stresses of the day—all changes that your body undergoes when falling asleep. Why not help it along with a playlist you can rock-a-bye to (rather than your morning one, which you can rock out to)?
Try Meditation Apps
A number of studies have shown that mindfulness and meditation combat insomnia and low-quality sleep. Even a short five-minute guided meditation—find them on YouTube or download free or upgraded apps on your phone—can improve sleep.
Align Your Spine
Good sleep posture is key to quality, healthy sleep. To achieve good posture, use the right pillows to support your head and neck without curvature of the spine. To keep your spine aligned correctly, use body pillows to keep your ears, shoulders and hips aligned.
No Pets in Bed
If you love sleeping with your pet, there are studies that show it may not be the worst thing for you or your pet. But if you're not waking up feeling rested and you can't figure out why, put the pup elsewhere for a few days and see if that doesn't change things. Dogs wake up, scratch themselves and move around to find better positions at night. This can disturb your sleep, sometimes without you even knowing.
Get Better Sheets
Getting the right sheets can make a difference in how you sleep, especially if you're prone to being warm or if you have sensitive skin. If you're not sleeping well, consider trying a different type of bed linen, maybe sheets that wick moisture, super soft and cooling ones or flannel, if you like softness and warmth.
Get a New Mattress
An ideal mattress reduces pressure points on the body, areas where body's weight against the mattress reduces or cuts off blood flow to capillaries, which signal to the body to roll over. Frequent rolling over interrupts sleep. A soft but supportive mattress with a quilt top can reduce the number pressure points, though every body is different. Choose thoughtfully, especially when picking a mattress with a partner, who may have different needs.
Use Earplugs
Few of us sleep in complete silence, especially if our bed partners snore or talk in their sleep. Ear plugs have been shown to improve the quality of sleep by blocking out these disturbing noises. For parents with young children, take turns wearing earplugs. At least one of you can wake up feeling rested each day.
Wear a Sleep Mask
Sleep masks, like ear plugs, reduce interference from the outside world and, in the case of low light, allow the brain to produce sufficient amounts of melatonin, the hormone that helps us relax into long, deep, luxurious sleep.
Keep a Journal
Going to bed with trouble and stress on your mind is a good way to keep from falling asleep. A racing mind is not conducive to drifting off to la-la land. However, writing in a journal for a few minutes each night—or unloading a to-do list for the next day—can ease the mind and get it ready to settle in for the night.
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