Sleep is such an important part of our lives. Our body needs proper rest to stay happy and healthy. Here are 7 simple, yet quite effective, tips for ensuring you get that good night’s sleep that you deserve.
1) Avoid caffeine in the evening—Caffeine blocks sleep-inducing chemicals in your brain and increases adrenaline, which can result in an inability to fall asleep. Save your alertness for the morning instead of right before bed.
2) Power down—Wind down by shutting off TVs, cell phones and computers one hour before bed, as these keep your brain engaged and make falling sleep more difficult.
3) Alcohol disrupts sleep—Alcohol allows people to fall asleep quicker and sleep deeply for a short period of time, but it reduces rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, which will leave you feeling tired during the day.
4) Set your body clock—Go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day. This will get your brain and body used to being on a healthy snooze-wake schedule.
5) Use a leg pillow—Have back pain? Put a pillow between your legs to align your hips and prevent them from being at odd angles while you sleep.
6) Save your bed for sleep—Your bedroom should be for relaxing. Don’t sit in bed and work, surf the Internet or watch TV.
7) Eat right at night—Avoid heavy foods and big meals too late, as they overload your digestive system. Your last meal should be an hour before bed.
There is no denying that sleep plays a major role in each of our lives. We spend about a third of our total time asleep. Sleep helps our body maintain its immune, nervous, muscular, and skeletal systems, and it helps our mood and memory. The right amount of sleep will help you feel better after a long day.
If you are experiencing sleep issues, please see your doctor or talk to your pharmacist about possible causes of sleep disruption. Also, click here to check out the National Sleep Foundation. Making sleep a priority can make a huge difference in your life.
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