Improving the quality of your sleep is the key to enjoying a long list of other benefits. Being able to sleep well at night allows you to wake up in the morning feeling completely refreshed. You have extra energy to go through the day and better stamina to tackle all the challenges. You will even find focusing and remaining sharp easier when you get sufficient and high-quality sleep at night.
Improving and maintaining the quality of your sleep is all about making small adjustments to your sleeping habits and sticking with a pattern that works. If you are looking for ways to improve the quality of your sleep at night, these eight proven tips will get you started right away.
1. Go Easy on the Caffeine…
Do you know that caffeine can continue to affect the body hours after you finish the cup of coffee? Caffeine can stay in circulation for up to 8 hours; when you consume a high concentration of coffee, the circulation time can be as long as 10 hours.
To instantly improve your sleep, avoid drinking coffee or other caffeinated beverages after 4 p.m. It is a simple change to make, but it is a change that will immediately boost the quality of your sleep to the next level.
2. …and the Alcohol Too
Alcohol can disrupt your sleeping pattern, especially since it affects the way your body produces melatonin. This hormone is what helps us sleep better at night. Consuming too much alcohol in the evening will also affect your body’s circadian rhythm and make it difficult for you to go to bed.
It is okay to have one or two drinks on the weekends, but anything more than that – especially consuming alcohol every night – is something you want to avoid. Similar to reducing your caffeine intake, this too has an immediate effect on the quality of your sleep.
3. Create a Comfortable Sleeping Environment
Doing a quick bedroom makeover and making your bed more inviting are the kind of investments you want to make to boost the quality of your sleep at night. For starters, you want to make going to bed as easy as possible.
This means decluttering the bedroom and removing things that complicate the process of going to bed. I’m talking about those decorative pillows that you have to remove before you can lie down; yes, they have to go.
4. Choose the Best Mattress
While you are making changes to the bedroom, it is also recommended to get the best mattress. A good mattress can support your body in the right position, allowing you to remain comfortable throughout the night and sleep better.
There are a lot of factors to consider when choosing the best mattress according to your specific needs and preferences. You can find out more about those factors and how to choose the best mattress from this source.
5. Set the Mood
Lighting is the next big element to tweak. There is a reason why you sleep better at night when there are no exposed, direct lights in the room. Even when the eyes are closed, harsh lights hitting the eyelids still send stimuli to the brain, which disrupt your sleep without you realizing.
If you want to keep the bedroom lit, use concealed LED strips and other soft light sources. You also want to choose warmer lights to further set the mood. Set the room lighting just right for your comfort – dimmer lighting is better.
6. Take a Shower
Taking a warm bath before going to bed is highly recommended. Taking a warm bath or a shower works really well for adults who are having difficulty sleeping at night, simply because it helps you relax after a long day.
Showering or taking a bath before going to bed also makes you feel clean and fresh. You will be in a better mood, allowing you to be in the right mental state for a deep sleep. You can add taking a warm bath into your pre-sleep routine.
7. Develop Your Own Routine
Speaking of a pre-sleep routine, you also have the option to take it a step further and develop your own routine that you do before going to bed. You can add any activity you like to the routine, from washing your face and taking a warm bath to reading a book and having a glass of chocolate milk.
The routine acts as a trigger that tells your brain to get ready for bed. Stick to a pre-sleep routine for at least two weeks and your brain will start preparing your body for a good night’s sleep as soon as you start winding down.
8. Exercise in the Morning
One last tip you can try to improve the quality of your sleep is exercising in the morning. Taking a 30-minute walk after waking up in the morning is a great way to tell your body that you are ready for the challenges of the day. That separation of activity does more than you realize. When your body and mind have clear boundaries that separate an active day from the evening, you will start feeling fresher and more focused during the day while improving the quality of your sleep at night.
Of course, all of these tips are easy to apply. If you are serious about improving the quality of your sleep, these are the tips you want to try first.
Photo by Sylvie Tittel
