Simple ways to solve sleeping problems and sleep better

Did you know that the average human spends a third of their life asleep?

Designed by nature as a means of repairing and restoring the body’s lost energy as a result of our daily activities, having a sufficient amount of sleep is essential to living a healthy life. Sleep deprivation not only has a negative effect on your general health, it can also affect your level of productivity as well as your social and personal life.

Unfortunately, many people have difficulty falling or staying asleep, a condition which isn’t only unhealthy but can also be really annoying. If you are one of these people, here are a few tips to help you get the right amount of sleep your body needs.

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Regular sleep time

According to research, people who have a sleeping schedule are more likely to fall asleep faster and easier than those who do not have one. Going to bed and waking at the same time each day helps the body’s internal clock adjust to a strict sleeping pattern, which makes it easier to sleep and wake up regularly around the same time.

Exercise

The right amount of physical activity is known to contribute immensely to healthy sleep. Exercising helps boost the production of stress relieving hormones in the brain resulting in an increase in the duration and quality of sleep.

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Stay off caffeine

Found in foods such as chocolate, coffee and energy drinks, caffeine should be on your “stay off” list if you have difficulty in sleeping. Caffeine stimulates alertness and can negatively impact your sleep especially if consumed a few hours before sleep time.

No electronics

Limit the use of electronic devices late at night if you intend to have a good night’s sleep. Watching television, using your smartphone, playing video games among others can cause you to stay up longer than necessary. The bright screen of such devices puts a lot of strain on your eyes which can have a negative effect on the quality and duration of your sleep. Turning off such devices can help you relax and make it easy for you to fall asleep.

Warm shower

A warm bath at night is a great way to relax and calm down. The increase and decrease of the body temperature during and after the bath is similar to the natural temperature dip of the body when falling asleep, and this can be a mental trigger to the body that it’s time for bed.

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Reading

Reading at night is great way to relax and unwind before sleeping. Grab a hard-copy book, as reading on phones and tablets can be counter productive as a result of the light emitted from such devices. Reading a few pages each night can help you sleep better.

Create a comfortable sleeping environment

A relaxing sleeping environment can help improve the quantity and duration of your sleep. A comfortable bed, conducive room temperature and smell are a few things that can be the difference between a good night’s sleep and a bad one.

It’s very easy to consider sleeping as a mundane activity, but it’s importance to our overall well-being cannot be overstated. A sound and sufficient sleep each night will help improve the quality of your health, work and life in general.

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