8 Simple Tips to Sleep Like a Baby
If you have trouble getting a good night’s sleep, you’re not alone. In the US, it’s estimated that between 50-70 million adults aren’t getting enough sleep. Some degree of insomnia is reported in as many as 30% of all adults.
Sleep is vital to both your health and happiness. How happy are you when you’ve had to pull an all-nighter for school, work, or even as part of your social life?
Consider these 8 tips to get the most out of your sleep:
1. Set a sleep schedule and stick to it. Our bodies adapt very quickly to our sleeping habits. Notice that if you stay up late and eat, your digestion tends to run amuck.
- Most people require 7-8 hours of sleep to function optimally.
- Your body is much more efficient at sleeping and preparing for sleep if you can maintain a schedule.
2. Keep your bedroom cool. Your body temperature drops as you near bedtime and is at its lowest during sleep. If the room is too warm, your body won’t be able to cool down.
- Sleep quality is improved in a cool sleeping environment.
- You’ll have to play around with the temperature to find what’s ideal for you.
3. Avoid alcohol. Alcohol can help you fall asleep, but sleep quality is compromised. It has been shown that sleep is less restful and you’ll wake up more often during the night, even if you don’t remember it. For some reason, the negative effects of alcohol are more pronounced in women.
4. Darken the room. Even the light from your alarm clock can compromise the quality of your sleep.
- Remove as much artificial light from your sleeping environment as possible.