Habits which helps me to sleep better

Sleep is so important. 

Yet we never pay attention to it. You know that person who knows why sleep is crucial in life yet always sleeps late or has disturbed sleep.

It is me. I have seen many videos on why having good quality sleep is crucial, yet I never sleep properly. 

Every problem in your body might in some way caused due to improper sleep.

 

Why is sleep important?

 

Sleep affects aging, metabolism, hormones, and a lot more. 

Doctors recommend a minimum of 7 to 8 hrs of sleep which depends on age, activity level, stress level, etc. 

You can fool yourself into thinking that you can get away with less sleep. But it affects your gut microbe, memory power, coordination, etc.

I have explained more about sleep deprivation in my previous blog. 

This blog would remind me not to fool myself into thinking I could work more by sleeping less.

 

What are some habits we need to follow to get good quality sleep? 

 

1. Exposure to sunlight:

 

Exposure to sunlight in the morning helps to regulate melatonin at night.

Melatonin is a hormone secreted by the pineal gland in the brain which prepares our body to sleep. It is secreted naturally in the body when it gets darker outside( that's why it is advisable to dim lights before sleeping so that you are preparing your brain to produce melatonin to fall asleep)

Studies have shown that people who didn't have access to sunlight in the morning slept 46 mins less each night.

PS: I would like to add one more thing. Exposure to sunlight between 6 am to 8 am is only beneficial(So don't roast yourself during the mid-morning to get exposure to sunlight). 

Sunbathing for one and half hours is sufficient.

2. No phone/ screens before bed:

 

It is an old classic. Everyone says it, yet no one listens to it. 

Why does everyone say it? 

 

I know this is you😏

The artificial blue light emitted by the screens reduces the secretion of melatonin (and don't act clever by putting your screen in night mode. It doesn't help)

Constant exposure to electronics at night can have chronic disruption of circadian rhythms (it is the bio clock within our body that governs our sleep and wake-up cycle)

 

3. Doing something that relaxes you:

 

Watching videos after a long day is not relaxing

Doing exercise is not relaxing(in fact, it wakes your body, which is not what you want before sleep)

Do something which calms you down.

Previously, I would plug in earphones to listen to some videos to sleep. It was my way of not thinking and worrying before going to sleep because my thoughts didn't allow me to fall asleep. 

 

I am saying it so that you don't follow it. It disrupts your sleep in the middle. And you kind of get addicted to the habit of listening to some videos to sleep. I would wake up multiple times in the night. Now I wake up as a part of my habit.

One good habit I would advise myself and people like me who have so many thoughts before sleeping is to write them down. Write whatever is in your mind, what you have to do tomorrow morning. EVERYTHING.

Writing is a slow form of expression that helps you to process what is in your mind. After you feel like you have "cleared" your mind, you can sleep better.

 

 4. Sleeping by 10.30 pm

 

Does anyone remember this?

Why I am emphasizing the time is for two reasons

First, your body produces maximum melatonin between 10 pm to 10.30 pm. 

Higher melatonin=easier to sleep+ increases sleep quality

Second, sleeping at the same time every day helps because you will automatically feel sleepy at that time

 

5. Not going to bed hungry

 

It is not what you would expect in a sleep routine.

Sleeping on an empty stomach is not the same thing as sleeping hungry.

 

When you are hungry, you will keep thinking about food and most likely eat unprocessed food. When you are sleep deprived/ tired, your mind craves (mostly) salty foods. Due to a low level of leptin(a hormone that helps you feel satiated), you will eat more at the end.

If you are hungry, drinking milk before sleeping helps to curb hunger and also produces melatonin which helps to sleep better(avoid if you are lactose intolerant)

 

6. Brushing teeth and taking a shower(or at least washing your feet)

 

When you sleep after eating, bacteria build up in your teeth and cause bad breath in the morning. So brush your teeth for oral hygiene.

And taking a shower helps remove dirt and dead cells from your body so that you won't carry them to your bed. Keep your mattress clean to prevent pimples or rashes. Also, taking a lukewarm shower helps your body temperature to cool down. It helps to sleep better.

 

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7. Consuming caffeine(tea/coffee) and alcohol before sleeping:

 

Caffeine gives you a burst of energy(that's why most of us drink in the morning) that's the opposite of what you want before sleeping. Studies show that consuming caffeine even 3 hrs before bed reduces sleep quality. People found it hard to fall asleep during the night.

Caffeine causes sleep deprivation. As a result, it causes tiredness the next day.

 

And alcohol (even though) helps you to sleep faster because of its sedative nature. It disrupts sleep.

How?

Alcohol gets metabolized (broken down) in the stomach. It gets further broken down by an enzyme in the liver. But before it gets metabolized, it keeps circulating in the bloodstream, which affects your sleep quality. It also shows effects the next day through headaches and hangovers.

 

You want to enjoy life to the fullest, right?

You don't want to feel tired and affect your performance to do your best at whatever you do.

A night of quality sleep makes you feel energetic and light when you get up and improves your physical and emotional health.