It may be alright to experience sleeping troubles from time to time. However, if it is becoming a daily thing, it may not be healthy and may even lead to a more serious complication.
Lack of proper sleep can not only result in sleepiness and tiredness but it affects cognitive function as well. This means people may experience difficulty in focusing, memorizing, decision-making, and problem-solving—which are all crucial in somebody’s daily life.
Getting enough sleep is just as vital as eating healthily and exercising, so make sure to give it the right attention that it deserves. Here are some tips to help people get a restful sleep:
1. Avoid caffeine during the night
The body can benefit a lot from caffeine. It increases energy, alertness, improves brain function, boosts weight loss, and many more. Having said that, these benefits are the last thing people with sleep problems want at night.
Needless to say, caffeine keeps someone awake. Unless they work the night shift, they should not drink coffee, chocolate, soda, or anything that has caffeine in them—food included—close to bedtime.
2. Consider homeopathic treatment
An article from Harvard Health Publishing defines homeopathic remedies as a legal healing alternative that in some cases may have value. Homeopathy uses highly diluted substances that often have no active ingredients to treat patients.
It is a holistic medicine discipline that is based on the idea that “like cures like.” And, the practice believes that the body can heal itself by treating it with the same substance that caused the symptom.
For instance, a person suffering from sleeplessness due to drinking too much coffee will be given a coffee made into a homeopathic medicine to treat him.
Despite many studies conclude they don’t work, more than a quarter of Americans think they are effective.
If patients wish to try homeopathic medicine, its medicine can be purchased without a doctor’s prescription. However, it is recommended that patients talk with their doctor about this complimentary practice.
3. Maintain an active lifestyle
Regular exercise supports natural hormones like melatonin. This hormone is responsible for regulating the circadian rhythm which helps people to relax and get into a deep sleep. ;
Do remember though that workout timing is vital. A lot of people workout at night, but because it can be stimulating, it might not be ideal for someone with sleep problems. It is best to do it in the morning when the sun is up. This will support the circadian rhythm process better.
4. Avoid eating heavy meals close to bedtime
A full stomach can be too distracting for someone to fall asleep. Eat dinner two to three hours before going to bed to give the stomach time to digest.
However, there will be times that a person will feel hungry just before sleeping. To satisfy their hunger, they may eat a small amount of food such as cheese and crackers until they can eat breakfast again.
5. Avoid blue light exposure at night
Blue lights come from electronic devices such as mobile phones, laptops, and TV. This light is capable of tricking the brain into thinking it is still morning which leads sleep to suffer.
Besides, blue light does not only compromise sleep. Some studies also suggest that this night light exposure may lead to more serious health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.
In some cases when the use of blue light is inevitable, here is what can be done:
- Wear blue-light-blocking eyeglasses
- Download mobile and laptop applications that block blue light
- Turn off the TV and lights two hours before bed
6. Create a comfortable sleeping environment
A comfortable sleeping atmosphere plays a huge part in achieving quality sleep. Four factors must be considered: light, temperature, noise, organized room.
In a poll, 73% of Americans say a dark bedroom is a key to a good night’s sleep. And there are 35% of Americans say they do not use curtains to block natural light. In a nutshell, the majority of Americans agree with having a dark room helps to sleep better at night.
Various studies show sleeping in a room with less noise—traffic noise, for instance—can help achieve a restful night’s sleep.
Last but not the least, having a tidy room contributes a lot to have an easy time falling asleep. According to a study, it can be hard to fall asleep when the bedroom is full of clutter. So clean up the room.
In essence, getting quality sleep at the right time is paramount to maintain a healthy physical body and well-being. It affects the quality of life, so just like exercising and eating right, make getting a night of restful sleep a priority.
