Poor sleep can have a huge impact on your daily life, affecting how you feel and also reducing productivity throughout the day. On top of this, bad or insufficient sleep increases stress levels which can contribute to anxiety and other mental health issues. So, what are some ways that we could improve the quality of our sleep? Read more about techniques for getting a better night’s sleep below!
Light and dark affect your sleep patterns dramatically. Both the amount of daylight you see during waking hours and the light levels in your bedroom at night plays a major role.
During the day, it’s important to ensure you are exposed to as much natural sunlight as possible so that you can regulate what is known as your body’s internal clock-your, the circadian rhythm! This helps with hormone levels throughout the day, which impacts when it is time for a person to wake up or sleep through all other regular rhythms such as eating times! Bright daylight helps improve this regulation process by having better energy from morning till night, or even those who already get an adequate amount of rest but gets more benefits because their daily routine was regulated by bright lights! Studies have shown huge improvements for people suffering from insomnia and other forms of disorder (like ADHD) after seeing brighter light therapy than before-but studies also show that bright light therapy has been beneficial for those who are getting just one solid eight-hour block per 24 hours too!!
Blue light from electronic devices like laptops and tablets can trick your brain into thinking it's still daytime, which can mean you take longer to get tired at night. To avoid this problem, try using an app on your phone or tablet that filters blue light when you're reading in bed.
Our brain knows that nighttime is sleep time! When the sun goes down our body produces more melatonin so we feel sleepy. The ideal hour for darkening a bedroom would be 9 pm – 10 pm; however, if darkness doesn't properly set in until later than this, then blackout curtains from Curtains London are effective ways of cutting off excessive amounts of light before bedtime (they effectively block out all types of lights).
The type of food you eat and drink can have a big impact on how well you sleep at night. Caffeine is incredibly beneficial, but it should not be consumed too late in the day because it remains in your bloodstream for 6-8 hours after drinking a mug of coffee. Some people are genetically more sensitive to caffeine than others, so learning about what works for your body helps with planning accordingly. It's also good not to eat too much before going to bed as studies have suggested that eating might delay HGH release from the brain, and melatonin secretion which will influence how quickly we get sleepy, and our quality of sleep respectively. The type of foods eaten may also affect whether or not one gets enough restful sleep. Foods such as bananas that contain magnesium, which has been shown by several studies to help us fall asleep easier should be included in our diet, rather than consuming added sugars like those found in cookies or cakes etc., pistachios, almonds, etc.
One of the most common reasons people struggle to sleep is due to stress or anxiety, or simply not being able to switch off from thoughts of the day. There are lots of different techniques that can help you relax and unwind before bedtime. A hot bath helps your body release tension and increases blood flow while reading a book allows for distraction and lessens overthinking about workday stressors. A simple routine such as taking a warm shower followed by massaging your feet will also signal to prepare yourself for restful slumber!
