Do you wake up in the morning feeling more exhausted and “foggy” than when you went to bed? Do you feel as though you can never quite get enough sleep or catch up on missed sleep? Do you find yourself struggling to stay awake and make it through the day? If you’ve answered yes to any of these questions there’s a good chance you aren’t getting enough good quality sleep. It’s not just about how long you sleep each night, it’s also about how restful and deep the sleep is. Ideally you want to aim for between seven to nine hours of sleep each night, but remember, it has to be good quality sleep. Here is a complete guide on how to sleep better.
If you feel like you are coming up short where sleep is concerned, and you’re looking for ways to improve the quality and length of sleep that you get, these tricks are sure to help you out.
Ensure You Get Enough Light Exposure
Did you know that the amount of light that you get during the day will help to determine just how restful your sleep is? The reason for this is that your body has its own natural clock that is called circadian rhythm. This helps to dictate when you should be awake and when you should sleep. Getting lots of bright light, preferably natural light, during the day will help to trigger the night time response of sleep.
Cut Out Caffeine and Alcohol Before Bed
It’s also a good idea to look at what you are eating and drinking before bed each night. Anything that contains caffeine or alcohol can act as a stimulant and keep you up at night. In fact, caffeine can stay in your body for up to six to eight hours after you consume it, which is basically the whole night. Experts recommend you cut out any offending ingredients by 3 pm each afternoon so as not to affect your sleep.
What About Your Sleeping Set-Up
Sometimes the environment that you are sleeping in is the problem. This includes things like your mattress, pillow, and bedding, the temperature, and even the amount of light in your room. You want to make the conditions as ideal as possible for a good night’s sleep. This may require replacing an old or un-supportive mattress and pillow, investing in better quality sheets that allow your body to breathe, and adjusting the temperature in the evening so that it’s a bit cooler and you aren’t feeling too hot.
Try a Mouth Breathing Strip
If you are a mouth breather, have issues with snoring, and just don’t find you’re getting enough good quality sleep, then you may want to consider giving mouth taping a try. SomniFix makes a product called Mouth Strips which can be taped to your mouth to keep your lips closed. There is a breathing vent in the mouth strip just in case, but the idea is that it forces you to breathe through your nose instead. Considering mouth breathing doesn’t allow the proper amount of oxygen to reach your lungs, and leaves a person feeling exhausted, these strips can make a massive difference.
Start Exercising on a Regular Basis
Of course, a great way to ensure that you get a good sleep is to exhaust yourself mentally and physically each day, which can be achieved through exercise. If exercise and physical activity isn’t a part of your daily routine, now is the time to change that. Aiming for 30 minutes of continuous activity during the day is an excellent goal.
By following these tips, and staying consistent, you will be able to change how you feel when you wake up in the morning.
