Sleep is as essential to living as water and food, yet is taken for granted, and many of us, deprive ourselves of it. You may not be able to control the quality of the water and food you consume, however, you can control the quality of your sleep.
Quality sleep promotes the regeneration of your body, physically, mentally and emotionally – on the other side insufficient or poor quality sleep can affect your metabolism, blood pressure, cardiovascular system, emotions, immune system and ability to concentrate during the day.
Studies show that we’re at our best with 7 to 9 hours sleep, each night.
Below are some not-so-secret secrets, on how to improve your sleeping habits:
- Exercise and being active during the day, helps the body rest better at night
- Screens or blue light, from TVs and phones, is detrimental to a good night’s sleep and should be turned off two hours before bed – unplug – use the time for ‘me-time’ instead to relax and read or have a warm bath or shower
- A routine bed time is recommended
- Regular mealtimes encourage regular sleep patterns
- 18° C is the ideal temperature for a good night’s sleep
- Excessive heat is bad for sleep
- Avoid sugar, caffeine and alcohol before bed as they prevent sleep or disrupt the natural sleep patterns
- Lack of sleep increases appetite and promotes weight gain
- The less you sleep, the more likely you are to become ill
- People who sleep less grow older, faster
- Lack of sleep damages the brain
- Your bedroom should be a haven and sanctuary designed to promote peacefulness and sleep – isn’t reading right
- Remove stress from your bedroom by having a clutter-free space that is conducive to sleep
- Close your curtains or blinds as the darkness helps produce melatonin in the body
- The most influential factor in determining a rejuvenating sleep is your mattress – it must support your body and relieve pressure
Your pillow is another crucial element to quality sleep as it needs to assist in aligning your spine while sleeping – choose the right pillow for your sleep position