Healthy Sleep Habits for Better Sleep

You deserve to sleep like a baby every single night. Unfortunately, the truth is that most of us don’t.

There is a myriad of reasons why this may be the case, but it doesn’t have to be the norm for everyone. Let’s take a look at some healthy sleep habits that can help you get the best rest every night.

Healthy Sleep Habits

What you do throughout your daily routine does have an effect on your sleep. The habits that you complete before you hit the sack play a major role in the quality of rest that you will ultimately have. Sleep is important and essential for our mental and physical health, but yet a large percentage of the population struggle with getting quality sleep.

The things that you take into your body, such as food, drinks, and medications are factors that can affect your sleep as well. Making some minor adjustments to your routine can allow you to sleep more soundly. Consider keeping a sleep diary to help to track your activities throughout the day as well as how long you sleep at night and any interruptions you experience. This can help you to better understand how your daily routine affects your sleep.

Sleep hygiene encompasses a series of habits that help you fall asleep at night and to keep you down for the entire night. These are key factors in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which aids in enhancing your sleep. This is also a long term treatment for people who struggle with chronic insomnia.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy focuses on the behaviors and thoughts that prevent you from sleeping soundly. There are techniques included in the process to help you relax, reduce stress, and schedule a proper sleeping schedule. This is intended to help you start making small changes and work your way up to healthier habits.

If you are someone who struggles with sleeping at night, test out these healthy sleeping habits:

• Set your bedtime at an early hour so you can get at least 7 hours of sleep.
• Try to keep up with a sleep schedule. This means waking up at the same time every day, whether it be weekdays, weekends, or even on vacations.
• If you are in bed for 20 minutes and do not fall asleep, get out of bed.
• Until you actually feel sleepy, do not go to bed.
• Use your bed for two things only: sleep and sex.
• Establish a routine that is relaxing before you sleep.
• Try to not take naps during the day to keep your sleepiness for the night.
• Do your best to keep the room at a cool temperature, as well as quiet and comfortable.
• 30 minutes before you sleep, turn off all electronic devices.
• Have a regular exercise routine as well as a healthy diet.
• Avoid any caffeinated drinks in the afternoons or at night.
• Limit the exposure to bright lights at night.
• Try not to eat large meals before bedtime, instead go for a light and healthy snack.
• Avoid any alcohol consumption before bed.
• Any fluids as well should be limited before sleeping.

If your sleep issues persist, you may want to seek help from a medical professional. At Benessair Health, we offer physician directed sleep management with our expert sleep doctor, Dr. Michael Breus.

How to Implement These Habits

Create a bedroom that encourages sleep. Your bedroom should strictly be a place for relaxation. Try to add these factors to this space: Invest in a high-performance mattress and pillow to ensure comfort along with support for your neck and spine to avoid any aches or pains. Also, having quality sheets helps your bed to feel inviting every night. It should be comfortable to the touch and able to keep a comfortable temperature throughout the night.

The room temperature should be cooler to keep you in a deep sleep for a long period of time. You don’t want it to be too hot or too cold. The ideal temperature for a good night’s rest is about 65 degrees Fahrenheit.

Having pleasant aromas in the room helps to calm your body into rest mode and ease you into sleep. Essential oils that have a natural smell, like lavender are a soothing scent in your bedroom.

Reducing any excess light before sleeping and winding down for about 30 minutes prior to sleep is ideal. Take on low impact tasks to soothe you so you can slow down for the night. Disconnect from devices as well, as the blue light from these screens can hold your body back from creating melatonin and engendering the natural bodily processes necessary for restful sleep. Also, installing blackout curtains reduces excess light exposure that can throw off your sleep and a sleep mask can prevent any excess light from being an issue for you.

Don’t stay in bed unless you are sleeping. If you have been trying to sleep for about 20 minutes and cannot fall asleep, get up and try doing something calming. This can be a task done in low light so when you feel sleepy you can return back to bed.

Daytime Habits to Help Enhance Your Rest at Night

Move around during the day and get some form of exercise so that your body can use some energy. It is important to move during the day so that you can calm down before the evening. This reduces the chances of you being jittery before bedtime. If you do decide to work out, try not to do exercise at night to ensure that you can rest better.

Try to plan your meals in the daytime so that you don’t eat late at night. Keep away from spicy or fatty foods as well to help minimize sleep disruptions. Lessen caffeine intakes such as sodas, coffees, and teas in the afternoon and evening. Alcohol and smoking are also two factors that can both lead to difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep.

Sleep management includes many practices to improve your sleep to provide you alertness for your day, give your body the time it needs to heal, and repair and reset your daily life. These are all some important ways for you to take charge and make changes to improve your sleep.

Start your wellness journey today and book a sleep management appointment at Benessair Health. We provide a wide range of services to optimize your overall wellness including Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, Infusion Therapy, and Genetic Testing. We use the latest technology and cutting edge science to provide proactive solutions to improve your health before issues arise.

Contact us today to start your wellness journey and learn more about our health, fitness, and wellness services.