Did you know that sleep deprivation would kill you more quickly than starvation? Our nightly shut-eye is important to our physical well-being as a failure to get sufficient rest would result in sleep deprivation, causing short tempers, lack of concentration, and slow response. Hence we need to improve our sleep habits in order to maximize our physical, emotional, and mental well-being. Here are a few helpful ways for us to improve the quality of our sleep.
Consistent Sleep
Maintaining a consistent sleep schedule is important as it reinforces a proper sleep-wake cycle in our body. The lack of regularity in our sleep would surface in the form of drowsiness and headaches while ruining our daily mood. The regularity of a sleeping pattern would help create a natural rhythm of sleep to improve the quality of our rest.
Room Temperature
We can make changes to our room to create an appropriate atmosphere for sleep. One simple way to improve the quality of our rest would be to make adjustments to the temperature of the room. Our bodies are geared towards detecting dips in temperature, and hence making the appropriate adjustments would certainly go a long way in improving our sleep habits. A cool temperature of around 65 degrees Fahrenheit would be ideal for most but do adjust the temperature accordingly based on your own preferences.
Dietary Habits
You are what you eat. Manage your dietary habits accordingly, as the foods and drinks we consume play a role in the quality of sleep we enjoy. A balanced diet of fruits and vegetables will provide us with the necessary nutrients and vitamins needed to improve our sleeping habits, while alcohol, sugar, caffeine, and even spicy foods can disrupt our sleep cycles.
Bedtime Routines
A bedtime routine involves a series of activities one can do right before going to bed, helping us to unwind and destress before sleeping. By establishing such a routine, our body would associate these activities as habits and anxious thoughts or stress would less likely be formed, protecting us from difficulty in falling asleep. It helps us to reconnect with our natural circadian rhythms while keeping our bodies in a more restful state. Partaking in relaxing activities such as a warm shower and avoiding over-stimulating activities such as watching television would go a long way in improving our sleeping habits.
Importance of Sleep
Sleep deprivation is a serious issue that should be addressed. Quality sleep is vital to our physical and mental well-being, improving our overall quality of life. Sleep is key in how our body functions, healing and repairing our heart and blood vessels. Sleep also affects our brain functions, dictating our daily mental and emotional activity. If you are still concerned about the quality of your sleep, seek a professional consultation with a healthcare professional. Sometimes our lack of sleep could be a symptom of an entirely different issue and hence should be addressed as soon as possible. If you found the information above to be helpful, do visit our lifestyle blog to discover more healthcare and wellness tips just for you!