Why is sleep so important?
Well, it keeps you healthy, happy, smart, and best of all, keeps you looking beautiful. Below are the Top 7 hacks to help you get the most out of a night’s rest.
1. Get Some Exercise:
Two and a half hours of moderate aerobic activity or one and a quarter hours of more vigorous activity per week will help you sleep at night. Just don’t do it directly before going to bed. Exercise can make you all hot and sweaty, and you’ll need time to cool down before heading to bed. Not only will it make you feel tired out, you should feel better about your health, which is always a plus in any situation.
2. Avoid Bright Screens Before Bed:
Research shows that blue light keeps you awake because it suppresses the production of melatonin, which is a hormone that is produced by the pineal gland and is involved in regulating the sleeping and waking cycles . Sadly, the things that keeps entertained, like our cell phones, TVs, and laptops are the things that are destroying our sleep.
3. Have A Bath Before Bed:
A bath around the time you will be going to bes has been shown to increase sleep quality.
Lying in a warm bath artificially raises your body temperature, but when you climb out of the bath this temperature abruptly drops and sends a signal to your body that you are ready for sleep.
4. Eat A Small, Carb Filled Meal Before Bed:
Research has shown that you can easily upscale your chances of getting a good night’s sleep by eating a small portion, under 200 calories, of food that is rich in carbohydrates. Try a slice of toast, or a small bowl of cereal. This hack will make your tummy happy and ready to put into sleep mode.
5. Have Something Lavender Nearby:
One of our favorite hacks, this one sounds like a myth, but, strangely enough, there is research that backs it up. The Wall Street Journal reported a study of 12 participants presented at the European Sleep Research Society in Glasgow in 2008, in which lavender oil sprinkled on bedclothes helped participants to drift off easier. You could try using a diffuser or lavender-infused bed linen.
**The US National Institutes of Health recommends avoiding the use of lavender if you are pregnant, as not enough is known about lavenders effects.**
6. Use Your Bed For Only Sleep (And Sex):
This is a well-known hack to others, but might be hard to follow if, for example, you’re a student with just one room, like a dorm, or your bedroom is the only place you can get peace and quiet to work. But you can try to at least keep your bed sacred. If you follow this hack, your body will more likely feel more comfortable in your bed, causing you to feel at ease and fall asleep quicker.
7. Remember The Small Things:
Even the smallest of things can help you fall asleep faster. Try retracing your day and remembering all that happened. Also, even though you may not like it, you could try to do some mental math, a little work will tire it out faster. Lastly, don’t forget the most important thing – breathing. Taking deep breaths will help your body relax and to become one with your bed, as silly as it seems, this hack works!
**Remember, these hacks will need to work over a period of time, not just one night. Give your body time to adjust!**