Trouble sleeping? Here are 5 ways to improve your sleep!
Everyone had Monday mornings where they felt absolutely gassed out from the weekend. The first thing that may come to mind, helping you conquer the day, is to have a coffee or have a nap in the afternoon to compensate for the lost sleep. But exactly that may hinder you to feel good in the morning. In this article, I’ll tell you 5 tips on how to improve your sleep, so that your Monday may become a fun day!
1. Going to bed at the same time every day
According to sleep expert Matthew Walker, going to bed at the same time every day, will help you with insomnia, sleep inertia and sleep deprivation in general. But this is not the only benefit you will experience. Other side effects are that you will feel more refreshed and you will be in a better mood in general. Also, it may help you plan your day.
2. Sleep in a cool room / ventilate your room before going to bed
It is said that sleeping in a well-ventilated room helps with recovery in your sleep. As the quality of the REM (Rapid Eye Movement) Phases , the part of sleep which helps your brain recover and process things you have experienced throughout the day, are affected by the room temperature. Temperatures far under or above 18°C may lead to restlessness and can hinder your ability to memorise. This is especially important when studying for the next exam. Another thing that may help you keep cool when going to sleep is cotton bed sheets which keep you cooler.
3. If possible, use your bed for sleep and sleep only
Maybe you’ve been in the situation that you had an early lecture but just didn’t want to get out of bed. The first thing that may come to mind is that you could just follow the lecture while still in bed. Exactly this may inhibit your ability to fall asleep at night as your brain now also associates the bed as a place where you work and sleep. Studies have shown that when you use your bed just for sleeping it will help you relax at night. So, the next time you are tempted to just open your laptop and just join the lecture from your bed, stand up and a join the lecture from your desk.
4. Try to decrease blue light before going to bed
Something you might already have seen on your mobile phone is the option to activate “night mode”. With this model you can control the amount of blue light that is emitted from the device, therefore helping your body generate more Melatonin, a sleep hormone which automatically builds up when exposed to darkness. You can find this setting on most mobile phones which a time that you can set so that you automatically don’t get exposed to too much blue light. The same can also be found on your PC, which is especially handy when you need to finish work for the project that is due tomorrow, and you want to be able to fall asleep so you’re ready for the next day.
5. Don’t eat before going to sleep
You may have already been in the situation before, where you are close to bedtime and suddenly you feel the urge to grab something from the fridge. This could be a beer or just a leftover pizza from your lunch. Anyway, these snacks will hinder your ability to get a good rest sleep. Therefore, try to avoid eating close to bedtime especially spicy and rich foods . Those will especially inhibit you when trying to fall asleep as they may make you feel bloated and unwell.
I hope this list of things will help you optimise your sleep habits.
If you want to know more about sleep optimisation, I have collected some sources which you may find interesting.
Good night people!
How to cure Sunday night insomnia: www.veryhealth.com
30 days to better sleep: www.verywellhealth.com
Book of Matthew Walker, “Why we sleep”: Amazon link
