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How to Prepare Yourself for a Restful Night’s Sleep
Maybe you suffer from something like insomnia or sleep apnea. Maybe you’re just tired of crashing in the afternoons. Whatever your reasons for wanting better, more restful sleep, here are just a few ways that you can turn your dozes into deep dreams.
Establish a Routine
You can train your body into getting sleepy with certain actions and habits. For example, if you take a hot shower at the same time every night, your body will eventually associate it with sleep. You’ll start to find yourself nodding off under the spray. You might also consider things like drinking a warm, non-caffeinated beverage or reading a chapter of a book before bed. Any kind of relaxed and consistent behavior can be linked to sleep.
Be Careful with Light
Your exposure to light plays a major role in your circadian rhythm, and your circadian rhythm will impact both the quality and quantity of your sleep. Studies have shown that it’s best to increase bright lights during the day but lower your exposure to lights, especially blue lights, at night. This will mimic your body’s natural response to daytime and nighttime. If you want better rest, start putting away the screens before bed.
Improve Your Bedding
If you’re tossing and turning on a lumpy mattress, it’s time to upgrade to something with memory foam or fluffy airway channels. If you’re experiencing neck pain in the mornings, you might need a lighter or heavier pillow. There are even weighted blankets that you can buy to soothe nightmares and sleep anxiety. Don’t settle for sub-par bedding when you have so many luxurious options out there.
Relax Your Body
This might sound obvious, but you can’t just hop into bed and expect to drift off within seconds. Your body needs time to wind down. The good news is that you can experiment with all kinds of relaxation techniques to help you reach a peaceful, restful mood. You can use essential oils, for example, to fill your bedroom with soothing fragrances like lavender and jasmine, and you can practice meditative breathing to lower your heart rate and decrease your blood pressure.
You don’t have to suffer from sleepless nights. You don’t have to stumble through life like a zombie because you aren’t getting the rest that your body requires. If you’re willing to make a few changes to your evening routine, you can improve your sleep quality and wake up every morning feeling refreshed and recharged for a new day.
