In this fast-paced lifestyle, it is hardly possible for one to get a good, undisturbed sleep. People fail to understand that sleep night is as important as a meal or exercise to maintain good health. Lack of a significant amount of sleep can lead to complicated health problems such as obesity, heart disease, stroke, and dementia.
People working night shifts or suffering from stress and anxiety can hamper a proper sleep schedule but there are many sleeping tips in which you can apply your lifestyle to improve your sleep quality.
Daily Practices for Better Sleep
If you are tossing and turning every night and wake up in the morning feeling tired and exhausted, then consider yourself following these tips to make your sleep night better. Some of the tips for better sleep are:
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Follow a Sleep Schedule
An average person needs 7-8 hours of sleep and not more than that. Create a schedule as in when to go to bed. If you make it a habit to go to bed at the same time every day, you will see that after 7-8 hours, you will automatically wake up feeling fresh and well-rested. Be constant in maintaining your sleep cycle. If you are 20 minutes in bed and don't feel sleepy, leave the bed and engage in something peaceful, come back to back when you feel tired and sleepy.
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Do Not Eat Heavily During Bedtime
Avoid eating spicy food and heavy meals or drinking alcohol during bedtime as being stuffed can cause discomfort which will keep you awake the whole night. Alcohol might make you feel drowsy initially but it tends to create sleeplessness later in the night. Eat a heavy breakfast with fruits, nuts, and veggies but reduce your intake of food as bedtime approaches. Sugary food increases the spike in the blood sugar level and thus should be avoided during bedtime as it makes one hyperactive. Also, you start snacking on junk foods if you cannot sleep, which is unhealthy.
Include foods that contain tryptophan and serotonin, such as chicken, pumpkin seeds, turkey, and milk. These help promote sleep by releasing the melatonin hormone. Include probiotics in your diet as they help in balancing the gut microbiome and thus release hormones that induce sleep. Probiotics benefit our gut-brain axis which helps in promoting sleep and takes care of our overall health.
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Sleep in a Comfortable Environment
Make your bedroom a comfortable place to sleep in. Keep your bedroom cool and block out extra light after evening. Decorate your room with light or pastel colors, and keep lavender or any other flower of your choice by the side of your bed. Make your bed soft and comfortable to relax in and fall asleep quickly.
Try engaging yourself in some relaxing activities like listening to soft music or reading a book before going to bed.
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Avoid Sleeping in the Daytime
Try not to sleep in the afternoon or late in the morning. Do not take daytime naps if at all more than one hour. People who do late-night work shifts are forced to sleep during the day to replenish their sleeping debt.
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Do Exercises
Involve yourself in daily physical activities to activate your mental and physical health which helps in facilitating proper sleep. Some people do exercise 2-3 hours before bedtime. This may make it difficult to sleep but if it doesn't create a problem of sleep, exercise before bedtime is good. However, try to engage in physical activity throughout the day.
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Manage your Mental Health
Become stress-free before sleeping. List down what are the things that are hampering your mental health. Do a little meditation before going to bed. Never take your stress and anger to bed instead take time to resolve them and then go to bed.
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Avoid Using Electronics During Bedtime
Decrease your screen time gradually before going to bed. Switch off or put your gadgets on silence while sleeping. The screen light from devices makes you active rather than promoting sleep. Do not bring your phone and laptop to bed and keep yourself away from TV at least one hour before going to bed. The blue light from the screen of these electronics reduces the release of the melatonin hormone that promotes sleep.
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Avoid Having Caffeine Before Bedtime
Avoid having caffeinated drinks in the afternoon, evening, or night. Caffeinated beverages make you active and spike your blood sugar levels. The effect of caffeine stays in the body for a long time, it doesn't come down easily thus making it difficult to fall asleep.
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Don't Track Time
Do not keep looking at the clock if you are not sleepy. Wake up and do something that will make you fall asleep like reading a book, or take a warm bath rather than thinking about what time it is and tossing and turning in the bed. Do not stress yourself thinking about how much time is left to sleep.
Tips for Better Sleep: Natural Remedies, Sleeping Positions, and Gut Health
One of the basic fundamental of being healthy and well in any sense is getting quality sleep. Keeping a rhythmic sleep schedule, making the sleeping environment conducive to slumber, and good sleep positions will go even further; these are all additional measures that will help increase sleep quality. Additionally, some might consider natural therapies and gut health.
Best Sleeping Positions for a Restful Night
Your sleep posture contributes significantly to how well you feel in the morning. Sleeping on the back (known as the supine position) distributes weight evenly throughout the body, supports spinal alignment, and diminishes acid reflux. However, it may increase snoring in some individuals. Preferably, sleeping on the side, particularly the left side, could enhance digestion and help those who suffer from sleep apnea, making it a well-recommended sleep position.
Sleeping on the stomach may help in reducing snoring but would cause added strain on the neck and spine and even cause discomfort. Keeping the elevated head slightly up with a pillow can further help reduce nasal congestion or acid reflux, giving good sleep.
Natural Remedies to Promote Sleep
There are natural remedies that help in relaxation as well as sleep. Herbal teas like chamomile, valerian root, and passionflower flower sleep-inducing characteristics that encourage us to sleep. Magnesium supplementation keeps the muscles relaxed and helps hormone secretion- melatonin- contributing to sleep cycles. Whereby, warm milk with honey has been a traditional remedy for providing tryptophan, the amino acid associated with sleep.
The room may be diffused with lavender, cedarwood, and sandalwood oils to soothe the air. Over-the-counter supplements of melatonin may be useful in the treatment of insomnia or jet lag by acting on the internal clock of the body within a few days.
How Aromatherapy Can Improve Sleep Quality
Aromatherapy is the naturally set strategy for the improvement of sleep. Essential oils-calming oils such as lavender-stress-relievers-are very good for sleep. Then comes chamomile oil to soothe the nervous system, sandalwood, and cedarwood for relaxation and lowering anxiety. Peppermint oil comes great for the relief of nasal congestion so you can breathe well when sleeping. Topical application with a carrier oil, or pillow spray are all options for the use of essential oils to set a good sleep environment.
The Role of Probiotics in Sleep Improvement
Sleep predominantly depends on gut health, which is the main producer of neurotransmitters involved in sleep regulation, such as serotonin and melatonin. When these gut bacteria are out of balance, they may contribute to poor sleep, anxiety, and unease. Probiotics in food will remedy this and be beneficial for sleep and general well-being.
How Gut Health Affects Sleep Quality
The gut-brain axis, the opposite relationship that operates between the digestive system and central nervous system, helps manage stress levels and sleeping patterns. An optimal gut microbiome facilitates a good state of mood and enhances deep restful sleep. Whereas an unhealthy gut environment leads to inflammation, anxiety, or insomnia. Therefore, incorporating probiotic foods into the diet can be said to protect the gut-brain connection and thereby enhance normal sleep-wake patterns.
Probiotic-Rich Foods to Include in Your Diet
Another natural way to ensure pertinence to sleep is by introducing probiotic-rich foods into your diet. Yogurt has been an eminent source of live bacteria that uphold digestion and gut health. Kefir, a fermented drink made from mostly dairy, is packed with the highest amount of probiotic bacteria that are helpful for the gut.
Fermented vegetables such as sauerkrauts establish diversity in one's microbiome, and fermented soy products such as miso and tempeh help digestion. On the other hand, if someone is unable to eat adequate amounts of probiotic foods, then a good-quality probiotic supplement should be a choice to enhance gut function and improve sleep quality.
Conclusion
Many factors such as workload, medical condition, or certain responsibilities can interfere with your sleep cycle which is unavoidable but one can also cultivate some healthy sleep habits and try to get a good sleep night. If you are facing sleepless nights continuously for a long time and you have left no stone unturned to follow the sleeping tips but you are unsuccessful, consult a professional or a psychologist who can diagnose your problem and prescribe treatment as per your need.
There are several sleep disorders which can be treated medically. Insomnia can be treated by cognitive behavioural therapy and medicine helps as well for some people. CPAP machine treats sleep apnea which helps in keeping the air passage open which facilitates people to breathe while sleeping. Your medical professional can recommend special mouthguards and lifestyle changes as per the severity of your sleep disorder.
If you are facing sleepless nights, consider visiting our online store Sova Health, and explore the wide range of products available to solve your concern. Through our wide range of probiotics, we have proved that probiotics benefit in promoting sleep besides benefitting other health issues. Check out our wellness blogs by our experts which contain rich solutions to your health issues. Through our blogs, empower yourself with the information on your concern and make a difference to your overall health.
