While there were several cons to the pandemic, and many of us lost our loved ones. It has made us more conscious about the choices we make in our day-to-day lives. The post-pandemic has made people more conscious about their physical and mental health, ways to strengthen their immunity, and looking after one`s well-being as a whole. And while a healthy diet, daily workout, and consuming enough water every day are non-negotiables. Other adequate practices include improving the sleep cycle and meditation.
Even the best fitness trainers and physicians recommend a good night`s sleep and have actively made it a point to ensure their clients follow through with it. Undoubtedly, it contributes to physical and mental well-being, yet an astounding number of people have trouble getting quality sleep and find themselves sleepy throughout the day. During the survey of CDC, the National Institute of Health, and The National Institute of Aging, several similarities were brought to light which contributed to the inadequate sleep cycle. The four most common factors which contributed to a good night`s sleep included.
Creating an enticing sleeping ambience.
Improve Your Bedding
Honing your sleep schedule.
Creating A Bedtime Routine
Being Physically Active During The Day.
How To Improve Your Sleep Cycle
Creating An Enticing Sleeping Ambience
It includes multiple variables. Make sure your bedroom appeals to you and is a place of comfort where you seek relaxation. While this sounds obvious, it is one of the leading contributors to a bad night`s sleep.
A good memory foam mattress keeps your body at the optimum temperature, while a soft pillow will contribute to keeping the posture upright.
If you share the room with someone, odds are you will be exposed to light, disrupting your circadian rhythm. Using sleep masks can surely help in this particular instance.
White noise machines and the sounds created by them are okay. However, music and tv noises can cause disruptions in your sleep cycle. You can use the white noise machine to reduce the intensity of other sounds or use earplugs for sleeping headphones to avoid the random noises from distracting you.
Setting up an optimum temperature for the bedroom, usually, a temperature a bit colder than your preference, makes you sleep faster.
Improving Your Bedding
It might have been the last factor contributing to your sleep cycle. However, the reality is quite the opposite, and quality essentially increases the quality of your sleep. Quality silk sheets and silk pillow cover with an optimally cotton-filled duvet cover will contribute to your sleep quality. Here is what the right bedding can do for you
A good set of bedding will provide relief when you are trying to fall asleep. While polyester might create static, make squeaky sounds, and feel rougher against the skin. Using bedding made of cotton and silk can instantly increase your chances of falling asleep.
Our body has a circadian rhythm known as an internal clock that starts decreasing our core body temperature before bedtime. However, using inadequate non-breathable fabric can disrupt your internal clock, eventually causing problems with you falling asleep.
Weighted blankets initiate deep pressures, which increase the mood-boosting chemical (serotonin) and reduce the number of stress hormones, eventually aiding you to fall asleep quicker.
Pro Tip: Since silk is smoother than most fabrics, it causes less friction during the tossing and turning while you are asleep, which results in less breakage, decreased frizz, and fewer tangles, all increasing the health of your hair. And less acne on the face.
Honing Your Sleep Schedule
Just like the other factors mentioned above, getting control and in search of the improvement in your sleep cycle, you need to control variating factors in your life.
Start by waking up at a fixed time, even if you are tempted to sleep. Picking up a specific time and sticking to it will set your circadian rhythm and synchronize your body with it.
Sleeping on the weekends is one of the most common anomalies that disrupt your sleep cycle and set off your internal clock.
Be sure not to nap around your sleep hours, and limiting naps to 15 to 20 minutes to make up for the lost sleep will keep the internal clock in check.
Eating a balanced and healthy breakfast can signal your body that it`s time to get up and go while skipping breakfast can result in decreased blood sugar levels throughout the day, decreased energy, and enhanced stress, all of which disrupt the sleep cycle.
Creating A Bedtime Routine
Trouble sleeping is a common issue. It`s natural and happens to the best of us. Not having a bedtime routine results in insomnia but changing and forming new habits pays off big time, especially with people who have a hard time falling asleep. We have narrowed some tips for you to follow through with:
Not taking time to wind down instead of instantly rushing into bed hoping you would magically fall asleep is delusional. It is a lot easier if you are already in a relaxed quiet state, reading a book, or listening to relaxing music already tucked in bed.
Not using your phone before bedtime increases the production of melatonin chemicals that promote sleep. The same is the case for bright light; if you are avid, reading under warm light will help you fall asleep faster.
While eating heavy meals before heading off to sleep can cause acid reflux, going to sleep empty stomach is just as hard. Instead, have some light snack or bedtime tea. Or snack with a healthy amount of melatonin, i.e., strawberries, nuts, etc., to increase the sleep-increasing hormones.
Engaging In Exercises During The Day
People who exercise during the day have reported having a better sleep cycle than those who don`t as exercise speeds up your metabolism and helps people suffering from insomnia and sleep apnea. However, Exercising at the right time of the day is just as essential. Because when we exercise our body temperature increases and produces hormones known as cortisol, which can be a problem if you exercise closer to your bedtime. Moreover, Doing light exercises or stretches, and meditation can promote sleep. The optimum time for exercising throughout the day is the morning or three hours before your bedtime. The more rigorous the exercise the better quality of sleep.