Lack of sleep has been shown to impact mental and physical health significantly, so it’s essential to make getting enough rest each night a priority.
According to research, not getting enough sleep puts us at risk for various difficulties concentrating on chronic health issues like diabetes and obesity.
As a result, sleep is critical. However, obtaining adequate sleep can be difficult, especially in today’s fast-paced environment.
Millions of Americans suffer from major sleep issues, and the effects of sleep disorders have been continuously increasing in the United States for many years.
The good news is that you can do several essential things to improve your sleep health. According to Doctor Charles Davenport, a doctor of psychology with numerous years of experience in helping people sleep soundly every night.
Here are Davenport Psychology’s top tips on how to get a good night’s sleep.
Get on a regular schedule
Going to bed and not waking up late is one of those things that’s always good advice but never easy advice. One way to do it: Draw up a schedule and put it in your fridge.
And remember—the keyword is schedule, not routine. Ideally, it would help if you were going to bed and waking up at the same time every day.
But if there are occasional deviations from that schedule, try not to let them go beyond an hour or two. You can also set reminders in your computer calendar for when you need to go to sleep (and perhaps when you need to wake up).
Avoid caffeine late in the day
Caffeine is excellent for powering you through after lunch, but it can make falling asleep much more difficult. A cup of coffee in mid-afternoon is okay, but try to cut out caffeine entirely after 4 pm and avoid energy drinks.
Instead, opt for a soothing bedtime drink like chamomile tea with honey and lemon—it’s easier on your stomach and won’t keep you up at night.
Also, avoid alcohol, it may help you fall asleep, but it can disrupt your sleep cycle and make it difficult to wake up in time for work. It’s also dehydrating, leaving you feeling tired during the day.
Know when it’s time to stop working
Taking time away from work can make it easier to get your mind back into gear. But, just like you need rest days to stay at peak physical fitness, mental focus requires occasional breaks.
The key is to know when you need to take a break. So listen carefully: Unless you’re in crunch mode, stop working by 7 pm each night and give yourself an entire weekend off at least once per month. Your productivity will thank you—and so will your psyche!
Be active during the day
Being active during your waking hours is vital for getting sleep at night. Make sure you avoid stimulants like caffeine and nicotine as they can interfere with deep sleep.
Between 8 pm and midnight, melatonin (the sleep hormone) rises in our bodies, so do what you can to keep your bedroom dark and quiet during that time.
It’s important to get between 7-and 9 hours of quality sleep a night; if you need help putting yourself on a schedule, try an alarm clock app that will help keep you on track!
Use your bedroom as a sanctuary
Avoid televisions, video games, computers, and phones in your bedroom. Even if you keep these items out of your room when you’re awake, it’s still too easy for them to become distractions at night.
The late evening hours should be reserved for rest, not work or entertainment. Before bedtime, each day, dedicate 15 minutes to meditative activities like yoga or stretching.
It will aid you in falling asleep more quickly when it comes time for bed. Also, avoid heavy meals before going to sleep; simple carbohydrates and protein are best before falling asleep so that your body can use them as energy rather than storing them as fat on your body.
Avoid long naps during the day
If you try to take a nap that’s longer than about two hours, it will interfere with your nighttime sleep.
The main reasons for this are that naps reduce your body temperature and natural melatonin production, both necessary for falling asleep quickly and staying asleep throughout the night.
To get better sleep at night, be sure not to take any long naps during the day or close to bedtime. (If you have to make up for lost sleep from the previous night by taking an extra-long nap, then do so—but make sure you keep it under two hours.)
Never take sleeping pills unless your physician has given you them
Doctors say that sleeping pills should only be used for short-term problems such as jet lag, stress, and insomnia caused by significant life events. These events can alter your sleep habits, but they can be expected to fade after a few weeks or months.
Taking sleeping pills on your own is never recommended unless you have discussed it with your doctor or psychologist, and he has approved it.
Make an effort to provide a secure and peaceful sleeping environment. Make sure to install smoke alarms on each floor of your property.
Close all windows and doors that lead outside before retiring to bed. Other suggestions for a restful night’s sleep include:
- By your bed, have a phone with emergency phone numbers.
- Keep a lamp nearby that is simple to turn on.
- You should always place a glass of water next to your bed if you wake up dehydrated.
- Don’t smoke, especially before going to bed.
- Remove any area rugs, so you don’t trip when you’re out of bed in the middle of the night.
For help in improving your nighttime routine, please consult Charles Davenport, Psy.D., an established doctor of psychology who specializes in helping his patients solve their sleep problems and improve the quality of their sleep.