Having trouble sleeping lately? These tips are scientifically-proven to help you enjoy quality slumber so you can be one step closer to a healthier lifestyle.
Good sleep is the foundation of good health. This fuels your body with energy and dictates your whole day. When you are sleep-deprived, your body doesn’t function as well as it should. This can lead to a whole host of health problems.
Sleep is important. We all know this already. The problem is — it’s just sometimes hard to get good, quality sleep. According to a CDC study, 1 in 3 adults don’t get the recommended hours of sleep each night.
If you are having issues with sleep yourself, then you’ve come to the right place. We’ve listed out 10 science-backed tips to help you get in those zzz’s you’ve been in such desperate need of.
Why Is Sleep Important, Anyway?
The body is much like a machine that works all the time, even when you are asleep. When you close your eyes to go to sleep, the body goes on repair mode. While you might be physically inactive, the cells inside your body are far from resting. Even your brain is engaged in a number of activities while you are sleeping.
These are just some of the biological processes that happen while you are sleeping:
Your brain sorts and stores all the information of the day.
The brain is pretty active when you are sleeping. This is the time when its glymphatic system (aka the waste clearance system) clears the unnecessary waste in your central nervous system and stores the important information of the day, making long-term memories. With a cleared out mind, your brain will feel more refreshed the next day.
Several important hormones are released.
When you are asleep, the body releases different hormones and all of these have important functions. Melatonin is one of the important hormones that are released when nighttime comes. This tells our body that it is time to sleep. Growth hormone is also released when you are sleeping. This is responsible for promoting growth in children and maintaining healthy metabolism in adults.
Stress levels go down.
Cortisol production drops when you are sleeping, which means your stress levels go down. This gives your body a chance to relax and refresh. This hormone doesn’t only regulate stress levels, it also plays a part in your metabolism and immune response. When you are sleep-deprived, the body produces more cortisol than normal. This results in an altered stress response, which can have adverse effects on the body.
Your body fights inflammation and infection.
Your immune system is actively fighting inflammation and infection when you are asleep. This is why it’s important to get enough rest when you are sick. The immune system releases cytokines — a type of protein that aids in fighting inflammation. Along with infection-fighting antibodies and cells, they make sure to combat the harmful cells in your system.
Blood sugar levels are regulated.
Sleep also helps lower down your blood sugar. This is because insulin — the hormone that breaks down sugar — is regulated during sleep and this allows the body to use insulin properly. Lack of sleep can cause disruptions in the release of insulin. In turn, this can cause high blood sugar because your body isn’t properly breaking down the sugars in your system.
Stages of Sleep
Your body goes through a set of sleep cycles once you fall asleep. Within even a minute of you falling asleep, there are several significant changes happening in your mind and body. As such, there are four stages of sleep and they are divided in two categories: non-REM and REM.
The first three stages of sleep are non-REM. This is when the body transitions from being awake to sleeping. During these stages, the muscles relax, heart rate and breathing slow down, bringing the body to complete relaxation.
The last stage is the REM stage, also known as Rapid Eye Movement stage, which is the most important part of your sleep. This is when major activities on the brain start happening. This is also when intense dreaming is experienced. It is believed that this stage is essential for brain development.
How to Sleep Better
Now that we’ve discussed how important it is to get the right amount of sleep, then you might want to make a better effort in getting a good night’s rest.
Wondering how much sleep you need? According to the National Sleep Foundation, adults need 7-9 hours of sleep every night. Younger people need more hours of sleep because their bodies are still developing. Teenagers and young children need 8-10 hours, and infants need 12-15 hours.
Here are 10 science-backed tips to help you get quality sleep:
1. Go to bed at the same time.
Your body follows an internal clock, called the circadian rhythm, that tells you when to sleep and when to wake up. It is ideal to follow a consistent sleep schedule so that your circadian rhythm remains stable. Go to bed at the same time every night and don’t stay up too late because this can disrupt your wake-sleep cycle. When the circadian rhythm is off, this can cause insomnia or fatigue during the day.
2. Have a relaxing night routine.
Before your bedtime, do activities that will help you relax. Taking a warm bath or shower can help relieve muscle tension and make you relax better. Another effective way to de-stress and relax at the end of the day is writing in a gratitude journal. Write down things that you are grateful for in a notebook. If you prefer digital tools, use an app like Grateful. This digital gratitude journal makes reflection easier and you can also add photos to your entries.
3. Limit caffeine intake.
Drinking too much coffee in the day can definitely keep you awake at night. Caffeine stays in your body for about 5-6 hours. Limit your caffeine intake if you are planning on sleeping early, or drink decaf instead.
4. Put down your phone.
The light emitted by phones and tablets can affect your sleeping pattern. To add to that, scrolling on your phone will also keep your mind engaged, making it harder to feel sleepy. Cut off screen time 1-2 hours before you go to bed. Instead of mindlessly scrolling on social media, listen to relaxing music to help you get in the mood to sleep.
5. Keep your bedroom cool and dark.
Make your bedroom ideal for sleeping. Exposure to light can make it harder to fall asleep. A room that’s cool and dark will make you fall asleep quicker. Keep your bedroom cozy and dark with curtains, shades, or a light dimmer.
6. Keep your bedroom clean and clutter-free.
According to a study, those who live in spaces full of clutter are more likely to develop sleep disorders. What you see in your environment will naturally affect your mood. If your bedroom is always messy, it will simply be harder to relax. Add cleaning your bedroom to your daily routine so the mess won’t pile up. This will make tidying up much easier, and regular sleep less elusive.
7. Try nighttime yoga.
There are several yoga poses that can induce sleep and help you relax. You don’t have to do a rigorous yoga session. Gentle, restorative poses are great in relieving body tension. Breathing techniques coupled with these yoga poses can effectively decrease your stress and anxiety. The more you practice this regularly, the more likely you’ll have a good night’s rest.
8. Limit naps during the daytime.
It can be hard not to take a nap, especially if you have those energy dips in the afternoons. But, having long naps during the daytime can affect your night routine. Instead of hour-long naps, take power naps that are only 10-20 minutes. This is already enough to give you the refresher you need to power through your day.
9. Increase physical activity during the day.
Have you noticed that when you aren’t doing a lot during the day, you end up being wide awake during the night? Keeping active during the day will tire your body out and make you ready for sleep a lot quicker. Regular exercise not only keeps you physically strong, it also has profound effects on your psychological well-being.
10. Spend some time under the sun.
Sun exposure is crucial in keeping your circadian rhythm stable. Additionally, you’ll also be getting Vitamin D to boost your immunity and keep your bones strong. Do morning light therapy by spending 30 to 45 minutes under direct sunlight. Morning sun is more ideal because it isn’t as hot as the afternoon sun.
Sleep is the body’s way to recharge and repair your system. It is crucial to get the right amount of sleep every night to keep your body and brain functioning properly. It might be a challenge to commit to a healthy sleep schedule but this is essential to your well-being. Making a few simple lifestyle changes can help get you that quality shut eye that you need. Your body and mind will thank you for it!
Sleep for a Healthier Well-Being
Sleeping is something that always gets thrown on the backburner when it comes to priorities. But it’s one of the main things that we shouldn’t take for granted. So, although it could be difficult to build a good sleep habit at first, practice the sleeping tips continuously. You’ll start to sleep better in no time!
