5 Proven Tips to Sleep Better at Night
Good sleep is a rare commodity in our day and age. Never has there been a time where we were busier and distracted from sleep than this age. This is all the more reason to find ways to get the most out of your snoozing hours.
Luckily there are things that you can do to ensure that you really have a good night’s rest before the chaos of the day ensues. Here are five tips that you can implement to give yourself a better chance at an energizing rest.
1. No tech in the bedroom
I am all for technology, but there comes a time when you need to switch off and disconnect from the world. When you allow your tech toys in the bedroom, it no longer becomes a place of rest, but an extension of your office or a source of distraction that keeps your mind going. Before you know it, your mind will actually associate your bedroom with productivity and not with relaxation.
Scientists have found that blue light actually messes with your circadian rhythm and prevents your mind from shutting down in the evenings. When your phone is next to your bed, you will always be tempted to read another article or play an extra round of Candy Crush.
On a relational side, your partner will appreciate the quality time that you can provide now that distractions are out of the way.
2. Stay cool
It takes a lot more effort for your body to stay cool than for it to heat up. When you are warm, your body is constantly working to keep itself cool. This interrupts your much-needed sleep and you end up feeling tired in the mornings, regardless of when you went to bed.
If you and your partner disagree about what is an ideal room temperature, make it cooler. The thing is, it is much easier to add a blanket or extra comforter than it is to try and cool down. Your partner might even get a better night’s rest because of the extra weight that the comforter provides.
If an AC is a bit out of your price range, opt for a dual-weight comforter and install a fan. At least the fan will provide you with a bit of white noise that studies have shown will assist your quest for a good night’s rest.
3. Don’t skimp on the mattress
Many people don’t realize how important a quality mattress is. If you think about it, it is actually a no-brainer. Just think about how quickly you can stand up with an aching leg or neck when you watched a movie in an uncomfortable position. When you sleep, it’s no different, it’s actually worse just because of the time you spend on your bed.
Studies have shown that 47% of people actually lose over three hours of sleep during a week because of snoring, tossing and turning. These disturbances get almost completely nullified when you sleep on a stable and comfortable mattress.
4. Spoon
For most guys, the cuddling thing gets a bit old. However, studies have shown that laying on your side is actually one of the best positions for lowering stress. As an added bonus, your partner will get the intimacy that she craves and you know what they say, happy wife, happy life.
When combining the side position with a quality mattress and pillow, you are doing your body a huge favor seeing that this position is the most natural sleeping position. You will be less likely to snore and your partner won’t have to wake you that often to stop the snoring.
5. Lighting
Our circadian rhythms are set so that we are more awake during the day than during the evenings. The darker you can go with your bedroom the better. Switching off the light is the most obvious thing you can do, but there are a couple of extra measures you can take to make your room a deep, dark cave.
Spend that extra bit of cash on thick curtains. If you live in the city, there is plenty of light that streams in from the streets. As an added bonus, thick curtains also act as a bit of a sound buffer and will dampen the noises from the outside. Go old-school and get rid of the digital clock in your room. It is scary how much light those four digital digits can make in a pitch-black environment.