Sleeping well on a regular basis is very important and sleep hygiene goes a long way in doing this. Getting good sleep is always beneficial for a healthy body and a healthy mind. Say for example one of the best sleep hygiene practice is to spend the right amount of time sleeping taking care that it is not too little or too long. There are other similar habits which are counted as sleep hygiene and which are beneficial for our health and well being.
Here are few things you can do to ensure that you get the benefits of good sleep hygiene.
Follow body’s natural rhythms
It is quite easy to do this if you are otherwise healthy. Just get up at the same time every day and soon your body will adjust to the timing, where it will feel tired the same time every night and you will open your eyes to a fresh day every morning at the same time. The tip is that never attempt to lie in bed on weekends as most of us tend to do, this will mostly upset the rhythm you have set. Avoid daytime naps.
Pull the screens
Always remember to prepare for bed which is not so difficult as many thing. The first step would be to pull your screens into place few hours before you go to sleep. This will create an increased stimulation for sleep. When you cut out the outside light and visual interference your brain and body will start to unwind.
Prepare your brain
Though ‘preparing the brain’ may look like a impossible task the truth is we have the power to control our thoughts and shut them off when we need. Disconnect your brain from mundane thoughts and feel peaceful, it means unplugging your brain for bed.
Make a nightly ritual
Here ritual is actually starting a daily routine. We all have a childhood bedtime routine that usually our parents encourage us to develop but after childhood we tend to stop those habits. Let take a bedtime routine like brushing your teeth before going to bed or having a warm bath or drinking a glass of milk all these can help an adult too.
Ensure a cool and dark room
A dark room is important to induce sleep since a well lit room will interfere with the circadian rhythms. If the room is cool then it will help your brain by sending message that now your body can rest. This is very important for workers coming back after a night shift and sleep during day time. Block out the daylight and have a cool sleep.
Try avoiding drugs
It is found that habits like cigarette smoking before bedtime, alcohol or sleeping pills will affect a good sleep routine. All these will help you fall asleep but will interfere with your sleep patterns and give you headaches in the morning.
Keep away your coffee
Caffeinated drinks like coffee, tea, cola and chocolate at bedtime is risky, it can spoil your sleep. Instead, go for a warm cup of milk since milk has sleep inducing amino acids.