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10 Steps to Sleep Better: Improve Sleep Quality for a Healthier Life

  • Practices and Routines

  • 8/1/2024

  • 6 minutes

10 STEPS TO SLEEP BETTER

We are living in challenging times and you may think that with the hectic pace of modern-day life, sleep might feel like a luxury you can't afford. However, from a medical perspective, it's absolutely essential to get good sleep if you want to keep your immune system strong and keep your body and brain healthy. 

Yes, lack of sleep can ruin your health, cause weight gain, weaken your immune system, and produce chronic stress. However, sleep is what most of us look forward to at the end of a long or busy day. Unfortunately, many of us are not getting enough. Scientists are beginning to understand its major impact on our health as well as the destiny of our brains. So, how does sleep affect our brains?

Sleep may play a unique role in the development of many cognitive decline diseases. The quality of your daily sleep may in fact increase or decrease your risk for those diseases. Yes, we now know that quality sleep is fundamentally important for a healthy immune system. Sleep appears to determine your hunger, your metabolic rate, your weight, your immune system and believe it or not, the way you think, your choices, and even your emotional state. This means that sleep influences many aspects of our brain function.

LET'S DISCOVER OUR FAVORITE 10 STEPS TO SLEEP BETTER.

STEP 1: ALLOW YOURSELF AT LEAST 7 TO 9 HOURS OF SLEEP

Like nature's clock, having a consistent bedtime and wake-up time, even on the weekends, is one of the most important steps to enjoying a perfect night of sleep. This step is vital because it helps set the perfect rhythm of your body's circadian cycle. When you wake up and open your eyes, the light that is coming in resets the circadian cycle every single morning. As you do this consistently, you are programming your brain to know what do and when to do it every single day. Decide to stick to one sleep schedule seven days a week, and you'll be well on your way to improve the way you sleep.

STEP 2: AVOID ALCOHOL WITHIN 3 HOURS OF YOUR BEDTIME

It may not be an issue to enjoy an occasional alcoholic beverage in the evening. However, if you want to try that glass of wine or beer too close to bedtime could affect the quality of sleep, because your body is still digesting alcohol when you lie down. Ideally, give yourself about 3 hours between your last drink and lights out, so that the alcohol can be digested properly. This will help limit any negative effects on your sleep.

STEP 3: AVOID CAFFEINE BY 2:00 PM

You might feel the need to reach for the pot of coffee when the afternoon slump hits around 2:30 PM but following that practice could impact the quality of your sleep. Remember, the effects of caffeine lasts 6 to 8 hours, so stopping caffeine by 2:00 PM is important if you're planning a bedtime that's around 10:00 P.M or earlier. Did you know that an 8 oz cup of coffee has around 100 mg of caffeine? So, having a cup of coffee at 4:00 PM means you still have 50 mg of caffeine in your system at 10:00 PM!

STEP 4: GET SUNLIGHT AND HYDRATE IN THE MORNING

Sunlight stops the release of melatonin in your brain. Melatonin is the natural hormone that regulates sleep. Sunlight helps the brain and body to wake up setting the pace of your circadian cycle. Within the first 30 minutes after you wake up, drink at least one glass of cool (never cold) water to hydrate your system. Walk outside or open a window to get some direct sunlight.

STEP 5: EXERCISE REGULARLY

Getting exercise during the day will help strengthen your circadian cycle, promote daytime alertness, and even help you feel sleepy when it's time to turn out the lights. However, avoid intense physical activity before bedtime, because intense physical activity can raise your body temperature and disrupt sleep. When possible, give you time to relax before bed.

STEP 6: COOL YOUR ROOM TO BETWEEN 18C AND 22C AT NIGHT

Your sleep cycle follows your body temperature cycle. In the evening, your temperature falls. This drop is a signal to your brain that it is time to sleep. Sleeping in a cooler environment encourages this process, helping you get to sleep quicker and easier.

STEP 7: AVOID BLUE LIGHT AT NIGHTTIME

Blue light emitted by electronic devices like cell phones, TVs, and computers blocks your brain's production of the hormone melatonin. Too much exposure to blue light around bedtime will disrupt you sleep. If you can't avoid screens late at night, use blue light blocking glasses for 2 to 3 hours before you go to sleep.

STEP 8: PRACTICE MEDITATION BEFORE BEDTIME

Practicing meditation before bedtime is one of the best practices to getting your mind and body relaxed and ready for sleep. If you have never tried meditation before, we, at Hästens, have plenty of resources available in the RESTORE App. Breathing meditation, progressive muscle relaxation and guided meditation soundtracks in the RESTORE App are great choices that many people are using today.

STEP 9: GET TESTED FOR SLEEP APNEA

Sleep apnea is a fairly common sleep disturbance, and roughly 70% of people with sleep apnea go undiagnosed. When it comes to getting all the benefits that sleep has to offer, it's not just about how many hours you spend asleep, but what's happening during those hours. If you are not waking up feeling rested, consider looking into a sleep study to see if sleep apnea is an issue for you.

STEP 10: ASK YOUR DOCTOR ABOUT SUPPLEMENTS FOR SLEEP

There are a number of supplements that could help you improve the way you sleep throughout the night. Consider talking to your healthcare provider about the various nutritional supplements that may help you with sleep. As an example, some people may benefit from magnesium and melatonin.