Here are the Power of Well-Rested Nights to Cultivating Healthy Sleep Habits for a Vibrant Life

“Good night! Sweet dreams!”

We’ve often used this phrase in conversation. But how often do we take a good night’s sleep seriously?

Most of us wake up grumpy, angry at the alarm for going off too early, at the sun for shining too bright, and at the world we have to go out and face. We complain all the time about not getting enough rest or having a crazy sleep schedule. But how often do we actually take steps to improve our sleep?

With our workloads and responsibilities, we treat sleep as a reward when we should be treating it as an important necessity. Sleep is not something to be earned by working hard, but rather something our body needs to work efficiently.

Now. How exactly do we make well-rested nights a part of our lives?

There are three aspects to getting a good night’s sleep. They are healthy sleep habits, an effective night-time routine, and a sleep-conducive environment.

What are the benefits of being well-rested?

1. Better functioning and higher energy for the day.
2. Less stress, reduced anxiety, and better mood.
3. Enhanced metabolism and a better-functioning immune system.
4. The body functions better when it is well rested.
5. Increased productivity and mental clarity.
6. Increased creativity and better cognition.

Q. What are healthy sleep habits?

A. Healthy sleep habits are practices that help promote healthy and restful sleep. Good sleep habits, also referred to as sleep hygiene, are essential to ensuring a good night’s sleep. Good sleep hygiene is the practice of putting yourself in the most conducive space to sleep well every night. It is important to build these habits to make sure that, along with the right hours of sleep, we are getting the right quality of sleep as well.

Here is a small guide to help you build better sleep habits.

1. Having a regular sleep schedule: Fix a bedtime and a wake-up time. Fixed sleep schedules act as a way of training our body to get maximum rest during this time. This can help with sleeping regularly and getting the right amount of sleep each day.
2. Less nap time: Taking more naps during the day can disturb the sleep we get at night. Experts advise us to avoid naps after 3 p.m. to not throw off the night’s sleep.
3. Lifestyle: A healthy diet and getting enough exercise are also good sleep habits. Why? This is because taking adequate vitamins and minerals through a diet can help improve the quality of sleep. Medium-intensity physical activity is found to improve overall sleep quality levels.
4. Avoiding caffeine and alcohol: Caffeine might help us focus when working late nights, but it can ruin the quality of sleep. Drinking caffeine or alcohol at night, especially, is guaranteed to affect sleep in a negative way.

A nighttime routine is essential to help you unwind properly and relax for better sleep quality. A calm and relaxed mood can increase the quality of your sleep tenfold.

The purpose of a nighttime routine should be to ease ourselves into a state of mind that is most conducive to sleep.

An effective nighttime routine should consist of steps or rituals that get our body ready to rest. Creating a routine to follow is another way to tell our minds that it is now time to rest.

Here are a few examples of steps to include in a nighttime routine:

1. Unplug: Unplug all screens. Turn off the TV and put down the phone. Disconnecting from the digital world helps reduce stimulation for our brain. It helps reduce the chatter and traffic of thoughts in our brains.
2. Tea or a light snack: Herbal teas and a night-time snack are comforting ideas for a bedtime routine. Chamomile or lavender are known to induce relaxation responses in the body. Likewise, fruits like cherries, kiwi, or nuts are also great to munch on before heading off into sweet dreams.
3. A warm shower: Warm showers are known to help with muscle tension and improve blood circulation in the body. Taking a warm shower is a great way to induce sleep and prepare your body for rest. Warm showers often help with feeling sleepy. A warm shower might be just what our body needs to doze off.
4. Relaxing hobby: A relaxing hobby like reading, journaling, or even listening to relaxing music can help prepare the body for a good night’s sleep. Relaxing hobbies are a great way to unwind from the day’s stress and take your mind off of worries, which is conducive to good sleep.
5. Meditation: A few minutes of meditating before bed is the ultimate tool to improve sleep quality, as it helps relax your mind and calm down thoughts.

So you have made chamomile tea a part of your night, and you are meditating as well. Yet you find that your sleep is disturbed. The reason may be your sleep environment.

Is the area you sleep in quiet? Is your bedding comfortable? Is the temperature right? Are you disturbed by bright lights or loud noises?

Assessing the environment you sleep in is also equally important. Why? Studies have shown that the environment in which we sleep also impacts the quality of sleep. Creating a sleep-conducive environment in your bedroom is one of the ways to improve sleep quality. Let us take a look at the characteristics that a good sleeping environment should have:

1. Peace and quiet: One of the main parts of sleeping well is to sleep in a place where there is as little noise as possible. An area with loud noises can disturb the quality of sleep. Blocking out noise is a sure-shot way of ensuring undisturbed sleep.
2. Dark: It is a fact that sleeping in complete darkness is the best for getting restful sleep. Avoid bright night lights. It is a good idea to draw the blinds to block out external lights.
3. Right temperature: The temperature in your room should not be too hot or too cold. Try a cosy setup. Getting comfortable sleep means setting the right temperature for yourself to sleep in. Make sure there is adequate ventilation as well.
4. Mattress and pillow: While it may seem trivial, the right mattress and pillow can change your entire sleeping game. Having a mattress that provides the right support and the right pillow for your neck can also greatly improve sleep quality.
5. Aromatherapy: Essential oils and humidifiers are gaining popularity when it comes to improving sleep quality. Smells like lavender, vanilla, and jasmine are quite popular for having a calming effect on our minds and helping sleep better.

Sweet dreams!!