People everywhere suffer from lack of sleep. The stresses of deadlines, questions about how to best raise their children, and demands of work all play their part in keeping busy people awake at night. While this is commonplace, it is not healthy and should not be considered acceptable.
Without a good, solid 8 hours of sleep every night it becomes difficult for anyone to give their best during the day. By ensuring they do get plenty of sleep each night, people will be more alert and active throughout the day, resulting in higher-quality work and experiences. This leads to a happier and more productive life.
On top of the benefits mentioned above, better sleep has also been proven to improve mood, memory, and learning, and decreases the likelihood of illness. All clear benefits for anyone looking to live life to the fullest.
Many people are aware of the need for sleep, but unsure how to get it. They find it difficult to fall asleep each night, and may or may not stay asleep once they do drift off. This is a common problem which is often easily fixed with the tips below.
Avoid Evening Caffeine Consumption
Taking a coffee or tea after dinner can lead to disaster at bedtime. Avoiding caffeine after 5:00 pm helps many people skip the tossing and turning at bedtime. This is a quick and easy step to take toward the end goal of a good stretch of sleep each night.
Create a Relaxing Environment
A cool, dark room will help anyone sleep well. The scent of lavender on a pillow case or in the air could be helpful as well. Keep in mind that any kind of lighting — including tiny lights from clocks, chargers, and laptops — can disturb sleep. Relocate these items to another room to create a completely dark room for sleeping.
Turn Off Electronics
Using screens such as a phone or laptop just before bed is typically not a great idea. This is because the blue light from the screen can disrupt the circadian rhythms of sleep seekers, resulting in poor rest.
Make a Bedtime Routine
Many people improve their sleep by choosing a few relaxing activities to do each night before bed. Taking a bath, some light reading, and listening to relaxing music are all good choices. Following a routine every night gives the body a mind a chance to relax before the lights go out, meaning they are ready for sleep as soon as the lights go out.
Set a Bedtime
Setting a regular bedtime and wake-up time can work wonders for anyone. It is important to stick to the chosen schedule, even on weekends when it may be tempting to stay up late or sleep in. If, after following the schedule for several nights, a person still doesn’t feel rested, the times may need to be adjusted. A sign of a good night’s sleep is waking on time without the aid of an alarm clock.
Exercise Early
For those who spend a large amount of time at a desk, it is important to fit a jog or run into the day. It is best to squeeze the exercise in during the middle of the day, but it can still be helpful if done in the early evening. Exercising too late in the evening could be detrimental to sleep, so balance is key when using this tactic to improve sleep quality.
High Quality Mattress
Perhaps one of the most important steps to take toward getting decent rest each night is acquiring a high quality mattress. If you are in the market for a good mattress and a good night’s sleep, please contact us at Urban Mattress. We would be happy to help you find exactly what you’re looking for.