1. Avoid coffee late in the day
Unfortunately, if you are a big coffee fan, you may not be aware of the impact caffeine is having on your quality of sleep. Sleep experts recommend that you avoid drinking coffee (or other drinks with a high caffeine content) for at least six hours prior to heading to bed.
However, if you must have your evening cup of coffee, there are some decaffeinated options available nowadays that you may consider.
2. Avoid excessive napping
According to scientific research, napping can be highly beneficial – when used effectively. Ideally, the best time to take a short nap is in the early afternoon. The problem with taking a nap later in the day is that you are less likely to expend the energy built-up from a power nap and as a result, you may have trouble falling and staying asleep.
The optimal nap length is 30 minutes or less. Napping for extended periods increases sleep inertia which can cause grogginess.
3. Minimize screen time
Most of us are guilty of using our phones right before bed or even in bed while waiting to fall asleep. What we don’t realize is that this habit can significantly affect our quality of sleep. This is because the blue light emitted by our phones blocks melatonin (the hormone that induces sleep) leading to a poor night’s sleep.
Sleep experts recommend that you cut off screen time at least one hour before bedtime. However, if you have to use your phone, consider adjusting the screen settings to minimize blue light.
To achieve better quality sleep at night, rather than scrolling through Instagram consider reading a book before going to sleep.
4. Minimize alcohol intake
We all know that alcohol is bad for us. However, it is still irresistible to many of us. Among all the negative effects of alcohol consumption, perhaps the most overlooked is the impact that it has on our quality of sleep.
Alcohol consumption leads to dehydration, putting stress on the body, mainly the kidneys, while you are sleeping. As a result of this strain on the kidneys, you may be forced to rush to the toilet more often which further disrupts your sleep by constantly waking you. Ideally, you should avoid drinking alcohol at least 4 hours before going to sleep.
5. Time your meals
There is some ongoing debate on whether eating late can negatively affect your body or not. This is a hot topic, especially in the weight loss community. However, what is abundantly clear is that consuming a full meal before going to bed is not good for your body.
Your body tends to slow down metabolism at night, and when your stomach is struggling to digest food, it hinders the body’s ability to get the rest it needs. If you are feeling hungry before bed, consider a couple of slices of pineapple. Not only is pineapple slow to digest, but it also high in melatonin, which makes it the perfect nighttime snack.
6. Get Comfortable
When you go to bed your bedroom should be conducive to sleep. It should be a calm, relaxing environment. Your bed above all should be comfortable, these Sleep Number design flaws can help you to figure out which would be the best mattress for you.
