There are a lot of different factors that can interfere with quality sleep. This can include family responsibilities, work, everyday stress, and unexpected new challenges.
Getting a good night's sleep is one of the most important things you can do to maximize your health. While there are different factors that we cannot control, below, we've listed healthy habits and sleeping tips that can encourage better sleep.
Sleep Tricks to Sleeping Better
In just the same way, there are some sleep tricks that we can all benefit from sleeping like a pro.
We'll discuss the following below:
- Exercise in the Morning
- How Nutrition Plays a Role in Sleep
- The Effects of Caffeine and Alcohol
- Temperature and Sleep
- Stay Cooler with Cooling Bed Systems
- Why Turn Off the Technology
- Your Sleep Environment
- Is Sleep Duration Important
Exercise in the Morning
Interestingly enough, one of the keys to good sleep starts as soon as you wake up!
An exercise and sleep study was done by Appalachian State University tracked three groups exercising at 7 am, 1 pm, or 7 pm 3 days per week and it showed that the participants who got the deepest, longest sleep (aka, the best sleep) were those who exercised in the morning.
Morning exercise supplies you with the energy that you need to soar through the day and ensure that you’re in good shape for another round of regenerative rest come evening.
Does Exercise Help You Sleep?
Studies suggest that developing an exercise routine can help you sleep better, and getting a sufficient amount of sleep may encourage healthier physical activity levels throughout the day.
Individuals who perform at least 30 minutes of mode ate aerobic exercise can see a distinction in sleep quality that same night.
Tip: What are the effects of exercise before bedtime? Studies suggest that moderate exercise close to bedtime won’t harm your sleep. But it’s recommended to complete your exercise at least one hour before your bedtime.
Nutrition and Sleep
A bad diet is a double whammy when it comes to sleep. Not only does it make you feel tired and sluggish, but it also inhibits your ability to get good sleep.
Talk about an unhealthy sleep cycle – that’s why it’s so important to eat a healthy well-balanced diet and time your meals. This means starting your day with a nutritious breakfast and being judicious about those late-night snacks. Experts advise that we eat dinner at least 3 hours before bedtime to ensure good sleep.
Consuming high-carbohydrate meals can impair your sleep. Studies have found that meals high in carbohydrates can increase the number of times you wake up at night, reducing deep sleep quality.
Nutrients That Increase Sleep
There are two types of nutrients that can increase your ability to get good sleep are tryptophan (turkey-the thanksgiving napping tale is true- eggs, cheese, pineapples, salmon, nuts and seeds, turkey, seaweed, turnip, sunflower seeds) and vitamin C (oranges, red peppers, kale, brussel sprouts, broccoli, strawberries, grapefruit, guava, kiwi, green peppers). So, continue to eat your fruits and vegetables!
Caffeine and Alcohol
I hate to be a buzzkill, but both caffeine and alcohol are detrimental to sleep performance.
Effects of Caffeine on Sleep
Let’s start with coffee and caffeine, stimulants that we love for its effect on getting us going. That is until we don’t want us to keep it going. We can't turn its stimulating effects off, so we’ve got to rely on our ability to limit the intake after a certain period of time. Most sources recommend the amount of caffeine intake sometime between 2-4 pm and not exceeding 400mg of caffeine daily.
Effects of Alcohol on Sleep
Then there’s alcohol, a depressant. Many people experience alcohol's relaxing qualities without understanding the disruption it causes to our sleep. How does alcohol affect sleep? Well, while alcohol may help us fall asleep more quickly, it reduces REM sleep, which is a more mentally restorative time for sleep.
Read More: Does Drinking Alcohol Help You Sleep.
Interestingly enough, getting some time outside while the sun's up can help you sleep when the sun goes down. Scientists say that getting as little as 10 minutes a day of continuous sun exposure can lower your evening cortisol levels and allow you to wind down and get quality sleep. A very good idea (if possible) is to combine sleep trick #1 of morning exercise with this tip to double down on efficiency.
Temperature and Sleep
The key is to keep your sleep environment cool. The best temperature for sleep is said to be somewhere between 60-67 degrees Fahrenheit, so set that thermostat somewhere in that range until you find the temperature that works best for you (everyone is has a slightly different optimal sleep temperature).
Bed Cooler Systems
Another option that can help improve sleep can be done by one of the following cooling bed systems.
Cube Sleep System
A cooling mattress pad that allows you to set your ideal temperature with the device or remote control.
OOLER Sleep System
Our state-of-the-art hydro-powered cooling sleep system allows you to schedule different temperatures, ranging from 55-115°F / 13-46°C. Pre-set your sleep schedule throughout the night with our mobile app.
chiliBLANKET
This 15lb weight blanket can circulate channels of water to neutralize the ambient temperature. Hydro-powered thermal range that operates from 55-115°F / 13-46°C.
Turn Off The Technology
Most of the devices we use to emit blue light, are also defined as “a type of high-energy visible light, defined as having a wavelength between 380 and 500 nm.” The most common sources of blue light are commonly found in:
- Televisions
- Computers
- Tablets
- Smartphones
Overexposure to this light throws off our circadian rhythms by tricking your mind into thinking that it’s still daytime, causing you to be more alert, thus making it harder to fall asleep and get good rest at night. So to get better sleep, turn off the tech at least an hour before bedtime.
Sleep Environment
Keeping your sleep environment as dark as possible is critical to let your body know that it’s time to produce melatonin and get quality sleep. Try to keep any electronics or lights off while sleeping, in addition to shutting out any external light if possible. An excellent way to do this is by using blackout curtains or a sleep mask.
Light exposure during nighttime can cause havoc on our naturally increased melatonin levels, which slow down the body's natural progression to sleep.
Study: Sleep in a Dark Room for Better Mental Health
Sleep Duration
While all of these tips will enhance the quality of your sleep, the quantity of sleep is just as important. How many hours of sleep do you need? It is almost universally agreed that we need to get between 7-9 hours of sleep every night. The best way to do this is to stick to a sleep schedule and stick to it. This includes same time to bedtime and wake up time.
Read More: Naps: Are They Helpful or Harmful
These sleeping tips won’t make you faster, but they might make you feel like you could. So use these sleeping tricks to help you sleep your best.
