If you want to be healthy and fit, you need to exercise regularly, eat a balanced diet, and sleep well. The first two are easy to do once you have the motivation and information you need, but the third is potentially more difficult. For some, no matter what they do, sleep doesn’t come easily. Below are some bright ideas that might help you get a good night’s sleep.
Bright Lights During The Day
Your body works in tune with something known as the circadian rhythm, and this is how it knows when it is time to sleep and to wake. If the circadian rhythm is affected in any way, that knowledge can become unclear and it might mean that you have a hard time getting to sleep, or waking up when you’re meant to – or both. If you increase your exposure to bright lights during the day (including sunlight), your circadian rhythm is more likely to stay on track. As a bonus, your energy during the day will increase too.
No Blue Lights At Night
Although it’s good to be exposed to bright lights when you want to be awake, it’s not a good idea when you want to go to sleep, especially when those bright lights are also blue lights which come from electronic devices such as computers, TVs, and smartphones. Blue lights have a negative impact on the amount of melatonin your body can produce, and it is this chemical that helps your body relax more and therefore sends you off to sleep quicker. In order to get the best night’s sleep you can, it’s a good idea to stop using any devices that emit blue light at least two hours before you want to go to bed. Alternatively, you can install blue light blockers in some (but not all) cases.
No Stimulants Before Bed
If you truly want to get a good night’s sleep, you shouldn’t consume or take any stimulants before bedtime. This includes caffeine from sources such as tea, coffee, and soft drinks, nicotine from cigarettes, and any legal or illegal ‘uppers.’
Caffeine in small doses can keep you alert and focused, so although it’s not great up to six hours before bed, in the morning, it can be the ideal pick me up. Smoking, however, is a bad thing for your health and can be fatal in some cases, so it’s best to quit altogether. Rather than going ‘cold turkey’ you can switch to vaping with e-cigarettes instead, and even learn vape tricks! As for drugs of any kind, this is best discussed with your doctor who will be able to help you quit without doing yourself any harm.
Don’t Nap
No matter how tired or exhausted you might be feeling during the day, long naps are not a good idea. Short power naps can be beneficial, but naps for over 30 minutes or so can confuse your body clock. It means that when you go to bed and try to sleep, your body thinks it’s still daytime, and you won’t be able to relax properly. No matter how tired you are feeling, it’s best to wait until bedtime to go to sleep so that your body can stick to the right rhythm.