DID YOU KNOW THERE ARE WAYS TO ACHIEVE GETTING GOOD QUALITY SLEEP?
We know for most getting the right amount of hours of sleep is hard especially when you are hounded by your daily workload. For some even getting to fall asleep is a difficult task as well.
Sleep is one of the most essential basic needs of humans. For many of us, even when we have the time to sleep we are unable to. I will be going over ways on how to get to sleep much more easily and have a better quality of sleep overall. There are some categories we need to look at when fostering adequate sleep; environment, before sleep routines, and daily habits.
ENVIRONMENT
Try to avoid well-lit areas when inducing your sleep. "Excess light exposure can throw off your sleep and circadian rhythm." (Suni, 2020) Personally, I enjoy sleeping with all my blinds closed and completely enshroud in the dark.
Your bed matters! You may think this is a no-brainer but once you feel the difference of how your bed is adjusted towards your body's needs you will have wished you have changed your bed and bedding years ago.
Peace and Quiet. Many of you can not fall asleep with any sound or noise coming from outside your doors."Keeping noise to a minimum is an important part of building a sleep-positive bedroom." (Suni, 2020)
It's too hot to sleep! Like myself, I find it much harder to sleep when I feel hot. Many of you may feel the same way, or maybe even prefer the warmth. Nonetheless, finding the right temperatures for yourself will help you get to sleep.
I personally have no experience with this but another tip to help you ease into your sleep is with aromas. Specifically, Lavender, "This RCT supports the use of lavender and sleep hygiene as safe, accessible, and effective interventions for self-reported sleep issues in college students."(Lillehi et al., 2015)
ROUTINES
Many of us have some sort of sleep routine, I will be listing a couple of simple routines you can do before you go to bed to help ensure a good nights rest.
Lighting. As was mentioned in the last section, lights make a big difference before going to sleep. "Avoiding bright light can help you transition to bedtime and contribute to your body’s production of melatonin, a hormone that promotes sleep." (Suni, 2020)
Technology. Try to stop the use of your device, as much as possible as it may hinder you from falling asleep. “The light from these devices can also suppress your natural production of melatonin.” (Suni, 2020)
Give yourself time! Do not just try to force yourself to sleep, wind down, and relax. Before bedtime, let yourself relax for 30 or so minutes.
HABITS
In this section we will be providing tips that you can apply to you day to day lives.
Move. Do not be stagnant all day long. I have noticed how fast I fall asleep when I have been moving and working throughout the day.
Eating right before bed? We suggest not eating for many reasons besides not being able to sleep right away.
I need my caffeine! Caffeine can be a viable option when you want to stay awake for hours on end. With that said, it may not be smart to drink caffeine before or a couple hours before bed. “Caffeine can have a disruptive effect on your sleep. The most obvious effect of the stimulant is that it can make it hard for you to fall asleep” (Heffron, 2013)