7 Daily habits to help you get better sleep

 By Sophia McDermott, Lifestyle Coach & Fitness Expert. 

Everything is becoming increasingly accelerated and wIth constant bombardment of information due to the internet, emails, apps, and social media our sleep is suffering. We often turn to our phones at night before bed and the consequences if this is resulting in Insomnia, nightmares, sleep paralysis and a general lack of enough sleep.

This is becoming an epidemic as it affects so many of us. We are going about our day suffering due to chronic lack of sleep which in turn affects our health, mindset and overall well being.

How to get better sleep?

To alleviate and solve this problem, doctors have turned their studies to this area and identified some daily habits that have had positive effects on the quality of sleep. If you also suffer from any of the problems mentioned above, check out the habits listed below and see if they help  you. If so, try adding them to your daily routine.

1. Have a routine with the right time to go to sleep and to wake up, prioritizing at least 7 hours of sleep a day;

2. Reduce your consumption of caffeinated beverages throughout the day, particularly later on in the day. the same goes for alcoholic beverages;

3. At bedtime, ensure that the environment is very dark, ventilated and at the ideal temperature for your body;

4. Avoid long the  “naps” later in the day. Switch to a power meditation in the middle of the day to clear your mind, energise and reset.

5. Do not practice intense physical activity late at night right before bedtime; It takes too long for your nervous system to wind down and be in a sleeping mode.

6. Avoid blue light before bed, which is the light emitted by cell phones, computers and tablets. Avoiding watching television moments before bed can also help. Grab a book and read with a lamp on instead.

7. Create relaxation rituals, with incense, aromatic candles, a bath with salts, essential oils and calming music. Creating a relaxing environment with dim lights is the best way to prepare your body for sleep, but to also promote a truly restful sleep where your body can recharge, replenish and restore. 

https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/about_sleep/sleep_hygiene.html

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-hygiene