Your Guide to Getting A Good Night’s Sleep

Optimize Your Bedroom Environment

There are many that believe the actual environment of your bedroom and the setting you create there is one of the most important parts of getting a good night’s sleep, and there’s a lot of science to back this up.

Looking at your bedroom you need to consider:

– Temperature

– Noise

– External lighting

– Potential distractions

– Arrangement of furniture in the bedroom

– Screens (TV or computer)

Not having these dialed in can interrupt sleep in a major way. And bad sleep habits tend to turn into frequent restless nights. When light and noise are reduced in the bedroom, people sleep better.

Changing the Bedroom Temperature

People tend to sleep better when they are a little cool. Since the body gives off a lot of heat at night, and most people like blankets or quilts, it’s important to make sure the rest of the bedroom is set at a temperature that is cool enough so you don’t wake up during the night.

Skip That Late Night Snack

You might think that eating before bed will help you sleep, but it can actually have the opposite effect. Eating a big meal right before you hit the pillow can lead to heartburn and indigestion, which will keep you up all night.

And even if you’re not eating a full meal, snacking right before bed can still disrupt your sleep. That’s because when you eat, your body starts digesting food and that takes energy. So if you’re trying to wind down for bed, the last thing you want is for your body to be working hard on digesting a snack.

Begin Relaxing in the Evening

There’s a reason you don’t slam your brakes on the car as you race towards a 4-way stop and the same idea should be applied to sleep habits. Get used to putting together nightly habits that cause you to relax, calm down, and gear down the energy from the day so you can fall into a natural sleep.

Take a Relaxing Bath

There’s a reason why so many people love taking a bath before bed. It’s because it works! Taking a hot bath relaxes your muscles and relieves tension, which can help you fall asleep more easily.

And if you add some soothing aromatherapy to your bath, it can be even more relaxing. Try adding a few drops of lavender oil to your bathtub to help you drift off to sleep.

Get a Comfortable Bed

If you want to sleep well, you need to have a comfortable bed. That means a mattress that is the right firmness for you and pillows that support your head and neck. This won’t be the same for everyone as some people like very firm beds while some people need it soft. Read these reviews for help choosing between Helix mattresses.

You might also want to invest in some cozy sheets and blankets. There’s nothing better than snuggling into a soft bed when you’re trying to fall asleep.

Exercise in the Day – But Not at Night

Exercise is great and promotes a healthy sleep, but exercising at night does the opposite for sleep because there is a post-exercise “high” when the body is flooded with hormones and chemicals that encourage activity. Exercising too close to bed can result in you getting hyped up.

Check for Sleep Conditions

There are many sleep conditions from apnea to sleep walking to waking disturbances and more. Any one of these can cause serious sleep issues and some can even be life-threatening. Check with a doctor to identify any potential sleep habit issues.