Sleep is important. No one will contest that fact, although, it bears repeating. That’s because, in your busy schedule, it might be easy to neglect your body’s need for adequate sleep, which varies depending on the age bracket you belong to. And the consequences of such negligence are dire.
If you lack sleep, you are not at your best the following morning. You feel lethargic. Most likely, you’ll be in a foul mood. It’ll be difficult to commit to whatever responsibilities you have. Unless, of course, you’re some Übermensch who does not answer to the basic rules of nature. And since we are under the assumption that you’re not, here are recommendations to help you get better sleep.
Keep your finances in order
A bad credit rating is enough to give you insomnia. Before you know it you have bags under your eyes for which you buy expensive eye cream you can’t afford, thus worsening your financial problem. And then the taxman knocks on your doors to remind you of outstanding dues that cut down your nighttime sleep from 4 to 2 hours. It’s a spiral for sure.
Do not let that happen. Or if it already did, fix it at all costs. Work with a bookkeeping service provider who will guide you through the process of getting your finances back in order. Start reducing unnecessary expenses until you’re sleeping better.
Rule out any underlying mental or mood disorder
If you suspect you’re suffering from insomnia, consider consulting with a clinical psychologist. That’s because chronic insomnia is rarely an isolated medical problem. Often it is a symptom of an underlying mental illness such as anxiety, depression, or psychological stress. To cure insomnia triggered by the aforementioned conditions, those conditions must be dealt with first.
Stick to a sleep schedule
A healthy adult should have at least seven hours of uninterrupted sleep. Set a fixed schedule where you clock those hours. Making sure that you go to bed and get out of bed at the same time establishes your sleep-wake cycle. Your body eventually defaults to that cycle, making sleep and waking up effortless.
On weekends, you will probably get tempted to stay in bed longer. That’s most true if you partied the previous night. If you can, limit those cheat days to a maximum of an hour of oversleeping. Also, try to reduce your nap time.
Make sure your room is conducive to sleeping
For a room to be as sleep-conducive as possible, there are a few things to consider. First, cleanliness. Is your room organized enough? Is it clean enough that no bothersome smell wafts from whatever that’s making you toss and turn in bed?
Is the temperature right? Keep room temperature at 65 degrees Fahrenheit (18.3 degrees Celsius). That should cool down and relax your body.
Close your windows to keep noises out. That is unless ambient noise gets you drowsy for some reason.
Avoid certain food/beverages hours before sleep
You probably already know you need to avoid caffeine if you’re preparing for lala land. That means no coffee or tea. Not even tea cakes or coffee jelly.
Alcohol can disrupt your sleep cycle too. So it’s best to stay away from a bottle hours before you hit the sack. The same goes for nicotine. So, no cigarettes before bedtime, please. Or better yet, no cigarette at all.
Lastly, try to eat as little at nighttime. The more food to digest you have in your tummy, the harder it will be for your body to relax for sleep.
Exercise daily
This is pretty self-explanatory. The idea is to get your muscles and joints tired. Once it’s time to doze off, your body will have no choice but to rest. So exercise daily. It does not have to be something too rigorous like Crossfit training. A walk around the neighborhood that gets you sweating should suffice.
Self-care won’t be complete without proper sleep. Even if you eat healthily and lead an active lifestyle if you routinely neglect your body’s need for sufficient sleep, you’re not doing yourself or those around you any favors. Your cells, tissues, and muscles won’t have the opportunity to repair themselves. People in your midst will probably be walking on eggshells the entire day.
Follow the recommendations above to mitigate the problem now. There’s no use in delaying addressing the problem. Once you fix your sleeping habit, you’re bound to reap fulfilling rewards. For instance, a more energized body and a sharper mind. Plus, people will like you better because you won’t be a daytime curmudgeon.
