Getting a good night's sleep is as crucial as regular exercise and a good diet.
Plenty of research shows that not getting good sleep can display negative effects on your brain function, your hormones, exercise performance, your weight, and your skin.
Good sleep is good for the soul and the outside as well.
It's not uncommon to have problems with getting good sleep. Plenty of people are affected by not getting a good regular sleep. If you want to optimize your health, getting good sleep is a must.
Enjoy these 8 helpful evidence based tips to help you sleep better at night.
1. Don't consume caffeine too late in the day.
I know, we all LOVE our caffeine buzz. However, when it's consumed late in the day, it can actually stimulate our nervous system and won't allow your body to naturally relax in the evening hours. In fact, you should reduce all intake of caffeine up to 6 hours before you fall asleep. (source: PubMed Central)
Did you know that caffeine enters your blood system and can stay in your blood for up to 8 hours? So, you know, around 3 pm, put the coffee mug down. Your sleep cycle will thank you.
2. Be consistent with your sleep schedule.
Having a consistent sleep schedule can help aid you with long term sleep success. Irregular sleep cycles can alter your circadian rhythm and your ability to produce the correct level of melatonin that it needs (source: National Institute of Health). Your body should produce enough melatonin to help signal your body to sleep. If you're struggling, try to get in a habit of setting yourself some alarms to signify bed time and awake time.
3. Take a supplement like Power Down.
Look into using a supplement to aid you into your sleep. Avoid ones that contain melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone. It's not a vitamin. Melatonin can also alter the effects of other medication, like certain high blood pressure medications, and potentially, birth control (source: WebMD).
4. Make a comfortable sleep space.
Optimize your bedroom. Things like outside noise, temperature, and even furniture arrangement can cause harm to your sleep schedule. Make sure your bedroom is a quiet and peaceful space. Use white noise machines, light dimmers, and and even face your alarm clock a different way to reduce the direct brightness towards your eyes.
5. Eat earlier in the evening.
Eating late at night can affect the natural release of HGH and melatonin (source: PubMed Central). Do as your granny does, eat earlier in the evening.
6. Have a pre-sleep routine.
Utilizing relaxation techniques can be helpful in treating insomnia. Listen to music, read a book, take a hot bath, or meditate. Try new relaxing things until you find one that works for you.
7. See a doctor
Ruling out things like sleep apnea can be helpful. Sleep apnea can cause inconsistent sleep and difficulty breathing. People that have sleep apnea will stop breathing repeatedly during their sleep (source: WebMD).
Sleep apnea is pretty common. 24% of men and 9% of women have it (Source: National Institute of Health). If you have always struggled with sleep, definitely see a doctor.
8. Exercise regularly.
Just don't do it before bed! Exercise is one of the best science proven ways to improve your health and rest. A study showed that exercise halved the amount of time it took for older adults to fall asleep. It also increased their sleep time by 41 minutes. (source: National Institute of Heath).
Let's Get Some Sleep.
Sleep is important. It's important to our health and our day to day grind. Work on getting 7-8 hours per night. It can reduce your risks of heart disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes (source: WebMD). Make it a high priority and you won't regret it!
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