Tips to Maximize Your Sleep

A good night’s sleep cannot only make you feel a whole lot better, but it is a major force in your overall health and fitness level. Sleep allows your brain to rest and rejuvenate; and allows your muscles to have the rest time they need to recover and grow.

Finding the sweet spot between getting enough sleep and living your life to the fullest is a necessary balance – and one that is becoming harder for people in the modern world to find, between our hectic lives and overuse of bright, distracting screens.

If you’re deprived – as most adults are – the best way to get more sleep is to limit and control the common causes of sleep interference and develop habits that encourage better sleep overall.

Stick to a Sleep Schedule

It may seem like your life is planned down to the last minute, and sleep doesn’t always factor into your schedule. It becomes secondary to everything else you need to manage between work, home and family commitments.

Well, when it comes to getting better sleep, you must schedule it and stick to it. Set aside eight hours (no more) as the average adult needs between seven and eight hours per day. Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day and do your best to avoid massive swings in either of those two times.

Sticking to a set schedule on weekdays – and especially on weekends – isn’t always easy but it reinforces your body’s sleep-wake cycle.

Eating and Drinking

What you put into your body and when you put it into your body can have a major impact on your sleep. It’s best to avoid either being hungry or stuffed when going to bed, with the latter being a major mistake. Last thing you want to do is have a large meal within a couple of hours of bedtime; it can leave you uncomfortable and keep you awake.

Other lifestyle habits that can negatively affect your sleep are nicotine, caffeine and alcohol. Both caffeine and nicotine are stimulants and can take hours to wear off, which negatively affects your sleep. Alcohol may not be a stimulant but its effects on your body can disrupt your ability to have a restful sleep.

Environment is Important

We do a lot in our bedrooms. It’s where we keep our clothes, get ready in the morning and at night, interact with our families and, in some cases, watch television. All of this negates the most important function of your room: sleep. Focus on removing distractions and make sure you can regulate the temperature, as being comfortable is key to sleep.

The other obvious key to a proper sleep environment is light. It must be dark, so consider getting black-out curtains or shades that reduce light pollution.

Limit Daytime Naps

It can sometimes feel like you will always be tired. You get busy, you miss a few nights of good sleep and you want it back. The obvious route is to take a nap. While naps can be helpful and can make you feel better when you are particularly exhausted, letting those naps go on too long can ruin your real sleep. Try to avoid napping for longer than 30 minutes and later in your day.

Be Active

Almost everything you do during your day can affect your sleep, just as your sleep can affect everything you do throughout your day. One thing you can do during the day to help your sleep is to be active. Try to include regular exercise in your schedule but avoid doing it too close to bedtime. Time spent outside can also help with your sleep.

Manage Worries

We all have worries and we’ve all laid awake in the dark, while those worries play over and over in our heads causing a huge sleep deterrent. Try to set aside time before bed to work through what’s on your mind. Journaling and being organized are great ways to let your worries slip away.

Relaxation Routine

Set aside some time before bed to relax. Calming activities like taking a bath or meditating can help you with your breathing and get you into a restful place both physically and mentally.

If you don’t fall asleep in 20 minutes, consider leaving the bedroom, and doing something relaxing and then trying again.

Sleepless nights happen, but if you take these steps, you can limit them and improve your overall health.

Lorne Marr is a fitness enthusiast and blogger. Visit his site at http://lornemarrfitafter45.ca

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