1. Invest In a Comfortable Bed, Mattress and Pillow
We all have a different perspective of what a comfortable bed is. Whatever your go-to bed is, everything boils down to two basic principles, comfort and support. You thus want to invest in a bed big enough to accommodate you and your partner (if married) and the kids – if you do share a bed with them. The last thing you want is to wake up with a stiff neck simply because the bed is too small for you. The bed should also be paired with a comfortable mattress and pillow for the best sleeping experience. Your choice of mattress will be the difference between a restful night and not sleeping at all. Sleep experts recommend trying different mattresses first before making an order, and only pick one that offers optimal back support and is comfortable enough. Read this helpful Puffy mattress guide to help you choose the right mattress for you.
2. Stick to a Strict Sleep Schedule
Although you might know this already, the circadian clock regulates our state of wakefulness and sleep and is particularly crucial for promoting sleep. Our body’s internal clock, as many people like to call it, can be easily disrupted if we have an erratic sleeping pattern. However, creating and sticking to a regular sleep pattern helps maintain a healthy circadian rhythm, making it easier for you to wake up feeling all rested and drifting to sleep as soon as you hit the blankets. One way to ensure your circadian rhythm isn’t disrupted in any way is to stick to a predictable schedule and rhythm. This, however, means going to bed and waking up at around the same time every day. Doing so improves your chances of enjoying restful sleep.
3. Create an Environment That Favors Sleep
The bedroom should be the first place that comes into mind when looking to calm down and sleep. The environment here needs to be just right to promote sleep. You can achieve this by ensuring the bedroom is clean and neat, quiet, dark and set the temperature just a few degrees below room temperature. You might also want to invest in a white noise machine or earplugs if living in a noisy neighborhood. Blackout curtains or drapes would also come in handy in preventing external light from penetrating through. Sleep experts recommend setting bedroom temperature about 5 degrees off the room temperature. The lower temperature makes it easier for bodily processes to slow down, allowing you to drift to sleep and sleep soundly as well.
4. Avoid Stimulants Before Bedtime (Nicotine, Alcohol, Caffeine, Etc.)
Cigarettes contain nicotine, a stimulant, which can take a toll on your ability to sleep well at night. For this reason, it would be advisable to avoid smoking a few hours before bedtime or quit altogether. Switching to e-cigarettes might also help especially if you can’t resist the urge to smoke. Smoking during the daytime alone might also help too. Smoking cigarettes in your bedroom also increases the risk of fires, another reason you should quit.
Taking alcohol a few hours to bedtime or even coffee will make it almost impossible to get good quality sleep. These contain stimulants that inhibit the production of sleep hormones, hence should be avoided at several hours to bedtime. Consider replacing these with pure water for the best results. Drinking water will also help ensure you are well hydrated before going to bed.
