14 Tips To Get a Good Night’s Sleep
Sleeping well is the key to success, productivity, and health, but we often forget to prioritize it. Now, more than ever, the stress of the pandemic and its effect on our future is creating havoc on our sleeping schedules. I could say mine was already bad because y’all know I’m a night owl but it’s gotten worse.
If you’re having trouble falling asleep, you’re definitely not alone! We decided to round up a list of our top tips to get a good night’s sleep. Try a few of these and see what works for you!
14 Tips To Get a Good Night’s Sleep
1. Don’t drink water 1 hour before bedtime
Drinking water is always good and we all know that, but not before bedtime. During the day it is advisable to drink plenty of water at least 8-10 glasses a day, but it is helpful not to drink water before bedtime so your bladder is relaxed. Also, when you’re in deep sleep, you won’t get disturbed just to pee. Good and long sleep all the way!
2. Eat a banana
Bananas are the best source of potassium and magnesium that helps our body in regulating sleep. Eating a banana before sleeping calms our muscles and nerves which will make us feel more relaxed and ready for a peaceful sleep.
3. Think of happy and positive thoughts
It is paramount to avoid over-thinking! Stay away from stress and thoughts that will drain you emotionally. Thinking of happy thoughts will make you feel good about yourself and gives you a positive perspective in life.
4. Don’t eat 1 hour before sleeping
Sometimes we crave food just about when we are about to sleep. When this time comes, think again. You might want to skip snacking! Doctors advise that our digestive system needs to be relaxed in the night time for us to sleep soundly. When we eat before sleeping, our digestive system will be busy digesting the food and will only get us energetic during the night. This only tempts us to extend the sleeping time that will lead us to sleep late. Just put back that donut in the fridge and get a good sleep for real.
5. Don’t use your phone 1 hour before sleeping
Most of us love to lay down in the bed, check all our social media accounts, or just even surf on random things we usually love to do. I’m guilty of working right up until bedtime which throws off my rhythm. Little did we know that doing this habit causes a great impact on our sleeping pattern. The radiation on our phones affects our brain and our eyes too! While we are busy scrolling down and reading, our mind keeps on working and our eyes are busy processing what we see. It’s best to give our brain and eyes a time to relax before hitting the sack.
6. Plan your activities for the upcoming day
Setting goals and activities you want to achieve for the next day will make you look forward to life in a productive way. This will make you sleep easier because you want to reserve your energy for the following day. This tip has helped me the most because I look forward to getting things done the next day. If not, I’ll try to accomplish it all that night and get overwhelmed causing me to miss sleep.
7. Have a comfortable bed and light
Making sure you have a comfortable bed, clean pillowcases, bedsheets, and blankets make a huge impact on your sleep because these are the basic things you’re going to need. Whether it’s having the lights turned on or off, choose where you are most comfortable with.
8. A humidifier helps
Instantly improve your indoor air quality for a more comfortable night’s sleep! Keeping a humidifier at home helps to breathe easily and refreshes our sense of smell which gives us a cool feeling. The moist from the humidifier produces moist that clears the nasal passages.
9. Meditation
Meditating will calm your soul. It gives you a feeling of inner peace and provides you with a sense of freedom to feel and think. You will feel a different light that comes from within you and it suddenly changes you and your outlook in life.
10. Avoid drinking caffeine
Caffeine keeps our heart rate and blood pressure high, stimulates the nervous system, increases energy, and keeps the mood level more active, that’s why it’s never a good idea to drink one before sleeping.
11. Drink some tea
Chamomile teas are the best ones to drink when your goal is to have a good night’s sleep. These teas contain a mild tranquilizer or commonly called as a sleep inducer. Chamomile teas also reduce anxiety and stress.
12. Calming sound or music
Listening to a calming sound makes us fall asleep faster and we are not disturbed during the night time because it affects our parasympathetic nervous system, which prepares our body to relax and sleep.
13. Read a book
Reading a book is a great way to ease your thoughts. Researchers who studied at the University of Sussex said that reading 6 minutes before bedtime reduces stress at least 68% and calms the mind. Audible also works great. I have two books I’m listening to right now and they put me right to sleep. It’s amazing.
Read More: 15 Of The Best Female Empowerment Books To Read Right Now
14. Avoid looking at the clock
Don’t mind the clock and avoid checking it while you’re in the bed. Checking it will only make you feel anxious and more concerned about the time and it may cause you to set an ultimatum to yourself.
