Do you have a difficult time falling asleep, no matter how tired you are? Or, are you able to fall asleep but shortly after you enter dreamland do you find that you toss and turn and haven’t had a full night of sleep since who knows when?
Sleep is just as necessary to health and wellness at eating right and exercising. However, most people believe that getting the recommended 7-9 hours of shuteye nightly is more often a luxury than a necessity.
Because getting adequate sleep is important to your mind and body, what can you do to increase the likelihood that you’ll enjoy peaceful slumber on a fairly regular basis?
- Keep a consistent sleep schedule. If you want to have an easier time falling asleep at night and getting up in the morning, try to stick to a regular bedtime and wake up time. While it may seem nice to stay up late and sleep in on weekends, you’re really not doing yourself any favors by throwing your body off a consistent schedule.
- Watch your caffeine intake. Some people like to drink coffee, soda or energy drinks all day long and then wonder why they have a hard time getting or staying asleep. It’s best to limit your caffeine after noon because you could be more sensitive to this stimulant than you realize.
- Relax before bedtime. Stay away from activities that stimulate your brain within a couple hours of bedtime. Nix the computer or video games and let your brain chill for a little bit. Maybe you could take a nice warm bath or enjoy some time reading before going to bed to get your mind ready to rest.
- Darken your bedroom.Remove whatever light you can from your bedroom by using window darkening shades, getting rid of nightlights and turning the alarm clock display away from your face. Every little bit of light matters when it comes to getting quality sleep.
Give your body the sleep it needs and you’ll function better, be healthier and have an overall higher level of life satisfaction. Yes, it really is that important to living a life that is fulfilling, enjoyable and fit.
