Healthy Sleep Habits and Good Sleep Hygiene
As adults, we all have so many things we need and want to do — but at the same time, we have so little time to do any of them. As a result, we tend to sacrifice a lot of things just to have more time. And unfortunately, one of the things we sacrifice is sleep.
To remain in outstanding health, we need to dedicate seven hours or more to sleep and rest. But in reality, around 35.3% of the entire adult population in the United States get less than 7 hours of sleep.
This statistic isn’t great news because getting a lack of sleep impacts our health negatively. On the one hand, it impairs executive function, making our concentration reduced, our thinking slower, and our mood irritable. And on the other, it makes us prone to various health problems, including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and obesity.
And since we can’t afford to get sick these days, we need to remain healthy — which means we need to get proper sleep every night. But how do we train ourselves to practice healthy sleep habits? Here are some tips for that.
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Make Your Bedroom More Comfortable and Sleep-Inducing:
Sometimes, the reason you’re not getting proper sleep is that your room is messy and uncomfortable. If this is your case, then the solution is simple: make your bedroom so cozy that it becomes sleep-inducing.
You can follow this advice by purchasing high-quality bedroom materials. Invest in great pillows, weighted blankets, and comfy mattresses. You can hop on to Google to hunt for a mattress to buy online.
Do a Series of Relaxing Activities Before Sleeping:
Our days are always full of activity, so by nighttime, our brains need to know it’s time for rest. And the best way to do this is to do a series of relaxing activities leading up to bedtime.
What you consider a “relaxing activity” is up to you. This can be reading a few chapters of a good book or listening to your favorite songs or taking a long bubble bath. You can even do some meditation if you want.
Try Not to Nap During Daytime:
Sometimes, we have moments during the daytime — usually in the afternoon — when things aren’t too busy. When this happens, we tend to get drowsy and are tempted to take a nap.
Here’s the thing: try not to nap while it’s still bright outsides. This is because naps can actually decrease sleep drive, which leads to you not sleeping great at night.
However, if you really feel like napping, then try napping for only a few minutes — not longer than 15 minutes — before 5 p.m.
Keep a Consistent Sleep Schedule:
One of the most effective ways to following through with healthy sleeping habits is to keep a schedule of when to sleep and wake up — and actually stick to it.
So, choose a time when you have to sleep at night and when you have to get up. Then always make sure to actually follow that schedule.
Conclusion:
As we’re getting older, it becomes even more important for us to engage in healthy sleep habits. This is because sleep is integral to our health, and we have way too many important responsibilities that we can’t afford to get sick.
Luckily, achieving good sleep hygiene is more attainable than you think. The four suggestions mentioned above are some of the best methods of practicing sleep habits. Try implementing them in your life, and you’ll reap the results soon enough.
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