words Alexa Wang
Many people have trouble sleeping at night and they can start to think that falling asleep is an impossible dream. The usual eight hours of sleep can seem like something that they will never get back.
However, controlling your sleep cycle is easier than you think if you understand how to maintain a healthy lifestyle. To take away your suffering at night, we will provide you with this simple guide to help keep a proper sleep cycle.
Stay in Sync with Your Circadian Rhythm
The key to establishing a healthy sleep cycle is to stay in sync with your circadian rhythm. In other words, you should create a sleep-wake schedule as consistency in sleeping is better than altering your bedtime every day. At first, you will need to go to bed every night at the same time and set an alarm to wake you in the morning. After some time, your body will adjust and will follow the schedule without any prompts.
You should remove any abnormal sleeping habits such as sleeping late especially on. When you don’t have work, you may want to catch up on the lost sleep from the week but this can disturb your sleep cycle. It is better to take a fifteen to twenty-minute nap to re-energize yourself than to oversleep. Moreover, you need to fight the drowsiness that may fall on you after eating a heavy meal. You can do that by distracting yourself and not giving in to the tiredness.
Control the Kind of Light Around You
A naturally-existing hormone that is controlled by light and helps in maintaining the sleep-wake cycle is melatonin. Its secretion is stimulated by darkness, and the more that is produced, the sleepier you will get. You can control your sleep by adjusting your exposure to light.
For instance, you can let sunlight in first thing in the morning to help you wake up. You should bathe in the sun as much as possible all day; however, wear your sunblock to protect yourself against the harmful rays.
And, limit your exposure to any light at night especially before going to bed. This includes avoiding any kind of screen one to two hours before sleeping. However, most people won’t do that even though they know that the blue light emitted can induce insomnia. To solve that issue, blocking blue light can help in improving your sleep even if you use your phone near bedtime. You can do that by installing light-altering software, changing settings on your device, or wearing glasses that don’t allow this light to pass through.
Stay Active in the Morning
Staying active will help you exert enough energy to keep you awake during the day and sleepy at night. The intensity of the workout is directly proportional to the sleep quality. You won’t notice improvement after just a couple of exercises, it takes some time for your body to become adjusted.
Make it a habit to walk, run, or lift weights daily until you beat your insomnia. However, it is better to exercise early during the day because you can experience sleep difficulties if you work out vigorously before bedtime. It is beneficial to perform sleep-inducing exercises late at night, such as yoga or stretches.
Create a Comfortable Bedroom
You will be unable to sleep well if the environment around you isn’t comfortable. That’s why you should focus on creating a peaceful bedroom that induces sleep the minute you enter it. The most important aspect to check is your mattress and pillow as they are vital in the relaxation process. When your body is well-supported, you will have no pain during the night, and you will have a good night’s sleep.
Noise can wake you from the deepest phases of sleep, so you have to eliminate any nearby sounds. If you cannot control people around you, you can use earplugs to isolate yourself from your surroundings. Some research supports sleeping at a cool temperature because the heat makes you stay awake longer. They also recommend aromas that calm the mind such as lavender.
Monitor What You Eat and Drink
An unhealthy habit that a lot of people have is eating late at night. It doesn’t only keep you awake, but it can also lead to weight gain. If you are hungry, you can grab a light snack such as fruits and vegetables without any spices. When it comes to what to drink, you need to steer clear of caffeine for at least six hours before bedtime. It won’t necessarily keep you up if you drink it too late, but it will disrupt your sleep causing you to wake up every couple of hours.
Keeping a healthy sleep cycle requires some dedication and effort to change your lifestyle. It is easy to get rid of past habits and develop new ones if you make up your mind and stick to it. Every time you think that it is hard, remember how much you are suffering because of sleep deprivation. The above guide can give you insights on helpful methods that can improve your night’s sleep and keep you energetic during the day.
