Are you having some trouble with your sleep lately and want to know how to become a better sleeper? We’re here to help. In this article, we’ll tell you how you can train yourself to be a better sleeper and, therefore, improve the quality of your life. So let’s get started with the basics.

What is sleep? According to Wikipedia, “Sleep is a sedentary state of mind and body. It is characterized by altered consciousness, relatively inhibited sensory activity, reduced muscle activity, and reduced interactions with surroundings.” Simply put, it’s a resting state in which your body is inactive, and your mind is unconscious. It’s also when you get the much-needed rest.

Sleeping is one of the favorite things to do for many people. They enjoy it more than going out and doing other activities. But, of course, that’s unhealthy. There should always be a balance between the two. That is precisely why getting some sleep is essential too. Unfortunately, some people cannot get a good night’s sleep, and your being here means you are probably one of them, so let’s try to improve on that.

What are the benefits of good sleep?

First of all, sleeping is necessary for your survival. The longest recorded time without sleep is approximately 264 hours – roughly 11 days. Sounds like an awfully long time to be awake. However, it would probably be best if you didn’t attempt to go anywhere near as long as that. 

Adults should get at least 7 hours of sleep daily, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states. A person should stay awake for at most 17 hours. After 24 hours, sleep deprivation kicks in, and that can’t be good. 

Sleeping helps your body repair itself. When you sleep, your organs and muscles get repaired. Your body also releases chemicals that strengthen your immune system, one of the many benefits of good sleep. Sleeping also helps you stay at a healthy weight. But on the other hand, not getting enough sleep can make it difficult for you to gain weight, directly affecting your overall health.

Not getting enough sleep affects your cognitive abilities. As a result, it can make it challenging to be able to focus on your work. Not only that, but it can also make you feel tired all day at work. If you often experience this, we have a solution: check our article on how to stay energetic at work.

When you get enough sleep, you feel refreshed and less stressed. It boosts your mood and makes you feel better emotionally and physically. It also reduces the chances of heart-related problems.

How can I make my sleep better?

Sometimes you can’t sleep due to an underlying disease or a sleeping disorder. If that’s the case, your first step should always be to go to a doctor for a proper diagnosis. Identifying the cause can make it much easier to treat.

Sometimes lack of sleep could be the result of your bad sleeping habits. However, those can be easily fixed by reorganizing your lifestyle and practicing healthy sleep habits. Therefore, we have listed 10 healthy sleep habits to help you get better sleep through the night.

Exercise

Doing the right amount of exercise will help you fall asleep more easily. In addition, the slight tiredness you will achieve from training will also help you get quality sleep at night. 

Have consistency

Sleeping and getting up at the same time every day improves your sleep significantly. This is because your body’s internal clock adjusts to this schedule and tries to make your body sleep for the same amount of time every day.

Make your bedroom comfortable

This is a small but crucial step. The right sleeping conditions will help you fall asleep quickly and improve your sleep quality. First, make sure the bed and pillows are comfortable. Next, adjust your room’s lighting to whatever makes you feel comfortable, and you’re set.

Avoid screens

Turn off your TV and phone at least an hour before sleep. The screens emit blue light, which restraints the production of melatonin, a hormone that controls your sleep cycle. So spend some time without looking at the screens before going to sleep, and try reading a book sometimes.

Related: 14 Best Books About True Crime

Watch out for what you eat

Overeating before going to bed can make you uncomfortable. Similarly, if you eat too little, you might feel hungry and not get a night of proper sleep. On the other hand, eating something unhealthy before bed can also worsen things, so ensure you follow a healthy diet.

Related: Are Blueberries Good For Sleep? Yes, They Sure Are

Avoid caffeine

The intensity of caffeine’s effect is different for everyone. Some people barely get affected by it, while some have difficulty falling asleep after consuming a small amount. So be careful about caffeine intake, and do not take it a few hours before bed.

Meditation

Meditating for 10 minutes can help you relax. After a tiring day, it’ll give your brain a break and help you unwind and fall asleep more smoothly. In addition, meditation has many other health benefits, so why not give it a shot.

Vitamins for good sleep

Sometimes anxiety or failure to calm down can cause your lack of sleep. Getting help from medication can often be a good idea to improve the quality of your sleep even further. For example, you can try nootropics and similar supplements to help you relax before bed and sleep better through the night.

Fun fact – caffeine is the most popular nootropics supplement in the world, although that’s not the one you want to use here.

Avoid naps

Avoid taking naps during the day. Above, we talked about how a proper sleep schedule is essential. Well, taking naps can mess it up or break it. Taking naps during the day can also make it difficult to fall asleep at night. So, unless you’re exhausted, you should only sleep inside of your regular schedule.

Forget your problems for a moment

Leave all your problems outside before entering your bedroom. Don’t spend your time in bed thinking about the stressful things that happened all day. If you need to reflect, do it before going to bed, or you’ll have time to do that the day after. Instead, try to relax your mind and body for optimal sleep when you enter the bedroom.

Closing thoughts

Sleeping is one of the most critical parts of our lives, but not many people pay much attention to it, despite leading chaotic lives with hectic schedules. Yet, knowing how to become a better sleeper is essential for a healthy life. We hope our article helped you find the answer to how you can improve your sleep. 

Make sure to use everything you learned and train yourself to sleep better. And always remember, “early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.”

Disclaimer: The information in this article is provided for general and educational purposes only and does not constitute any legal, medical or professional advice. Although this article aims to improve healthy living, always seek your doctor’s advice with any questions you may have regarding any serious medical condition.