21 ways to sleep better

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2. Make Sure Your Make Sure Your Health Can Let You Health Can Let You Enjoy Better Sleep Enjoy Better Sleep • Sometimes, a dormant health condition can deprive you of the joy of a good night’s rest. Of the conditions that can deprive you of a good night’s rest, insomnia happens to be the chief culprit. It is caused by hormonal imbalance, jet lag, digestive problems, and stress. • Always consult a doctor whenever you begin to struggle to fall or stay asleep. www.zenlounge.in www.zenlounge.in

3. Your sleep pattern is greatly influenced by your • body’s circadian rhythm, also known as your natural alarm clock. You set this alarm according to the sleeping and waking intervals you observe. And your body adjusts to whatever sleep cycle you subject it to. 1. Set the Right 1. Set the Right Sleep Clock Sleep Clock The best way to properly set your natural alarm • clock is to develop a habit of sleeping regularly. This means that you get used to sleeping and waking up at similar times every day. If your sleep patterns are irregular, you only confuse your brain and distort your circadian rhythm. www.zenlounge.in www.zenlounge.in

4. • At that point, when you’re drained on an exacting long day, a short nap can come to your rescue. However, when you take too many naps during the day, you make it difficult for your body to sleep for long at night. 2. Cut Down on 2. Cut Down on the Forty Winks the Forty Winks • This happens because your circadian rhythm gets distorted, and consequently, the quality of sleep you get at night gets reduced. www.zenlounge.in

5. 3. More Lights 3. More Lights During the Day helps During the Day helps better sleep at better sleep at night night • The body has its way of figuring out the different times of the day and discern when it is okay to sleep. To rightly set your natural sleeping clock, increase your exposure to bright light in the daytime. Consequently, once it is night time and the lights are dimmed, your body knows it is time to sleep. • Exposing yourself to light during the day goes a long way to improve the quality of sleep you get at night, as well as how fast you fall asleep. If sunlight exposure may not be practicable for you, artificial lights and bulbs can still do the job www.zenlounge.in www.zenlounge.in

6. Undoubtedly, your brain needs bright light in the daytime to • improve the quality of your sleep. But exposing yourself to the same light intensity at night will only have every ounce of sleep run away from you. This is because, at night, blue lights shift your circadian rhythm and make your brain think it is still daytime – during which you are supposed to be active, not sleeping. 4. Block the Lights 4. Block the Lights at Night at Night So, as soon as bedtime approaches, stay away from light-emitting • gadgets and devices. Turn off the TV, keep your smartphones and computers away, and possibly cover your eyes with any light-blocking accessory. www.zenlounge.in www.zenlounge.in

7. 5. Burn off 5. Burn off Insomnia Insomnia Everyone knows how beneficial exercises are for the body. They’re among the most efficient natural routes to a healthy lifestyle. Exercising regularly helps to enhance the quality of your sleep and also eliminates sleep disorders like insomnia. • A particular study has it that regular exercise significantly halves the time you need to fall asleep. Exercising also extends your sleep duration by 18%. So, next time you’re experiencing any hitch with sleeping at night, take a look into your physical fitness routines. • www.zenlounge.in

8. Exercises can bail you out of insomnia – no • doubt. But doing them before bedtime will only invite the sleep disorder you’re trying to avoid. When you exercise, your body becomes alert and hyperactive because adrenaline and epinephrine are usually secreted during workouts. 6. Avoid Working Out 6. Avoid Working Out Before Bedtime for Before Bedtime for Better Sleep Better Sleep So, you’ll do your body a lot of good if you save • all the reps for the morning or later on in the day. www.zenlounge.in www.zenlounge.in

9. 7. De 7. De- -clutter Your clutter Your Mind Before Mind Before Bedtime Bedtime • Studies have found that a large percentage of people who find it difficult to fall asleep often have their minds cluttered and in disarray. Instead of falling asleep, they end up pondering upon different thoughts. • If you enjoy every night’s rest, see to it that you hit your bed with your mind as clear as a bell. Try to sort out those things that might cling to your thoughts, or schedule a time to attend to them the next day. Journaling can also help you de-clutter your mind as you get to shift your thinking from your mind to your journal. www.zenlounge.in www.zenlounge.in

10. 8. Cozy Up Your 8. Cozy Up Your Bed Bed • As soon as it is nightfall, make your bed and get it ready for bedtime. This is because even when you stay engaged until bedtime, every glance towards your bedroom would remind your body of the sweet coziness you’ll be embracing at rest. And by the time you drop on your bed, the satisfaction you get from this feeling relaxes your brain and sends you to sleep immediately. • Not only the bed , ensure that there are no disturbing images in the bed room, anything which can make evoke strong memories. Use soft colours for walls and curtains and keep lights low for a much better sleep. www.zenlounge.in www.zenlounge.in

11. 9. Stay Away from Heavy 9. Stay Away from Heavy Meals Before Bedtime Meals Before Bedtime • As soon as it is nightfall, make your bed and get it ready for bedtime. This is because even when you stay engaged until bedtime, every glance towards your bedroom would remind your body of the sweet coziness you’ll be embracing at rest. And by the time you drop on your bed, the satisfaction you get from this feeling relaxes your brain and sends you to sleep immediately. • Not only the bed , ensure that there are no disturbing images in the bed room, anything which can make evoke strong memories. Use soft colors for walls and curtains and keep lights low for a much better sleep. www.zenlounge.in www.zenlounge.in

12. • Almost every American consumes coffee every day. This tropical plant is also beneficial to the body in increasing the body’s energy and performance levels. 10. De 10. De- -Caffeinate Caffeinate Before bedtime for Before bedtime for sleeping better sleeping better • However, caffeine can remain in the blood for up to 8 hours and will deny you quality sleep if you take it before bedtime. It is safer to cleave to decaffeinated coffee when your bedtime is around the corner. www.zenlounge.in www.zenlounge.in

13. 11. Resist the Temptation to Drink Alcohol 11. Resist the Temptation to Drink Alcohol While sharing glasses of alcoholic drinks with friends at night can be soothing, keep it in mind that you’d be doing so at the expense of your night rest. • Alcohol can aggravate sleep disorders and affect your body’s production of the sleep hormone (melatonin). Alcohol also alters the hormone’s nightly secretions in charge of your body’s circadian rhythm – the human growth hormone (HGH). • By the time you combine these effects of Alcohol on your body at night, you’ll realize it would be better to put down your glass and let your body have some rest. • www.zenlounge.in www.zenlounge.in

14. • Another everyday activity that can help you sleep better is a refreshing bath. Studies have shown that bathing at least one hour prior to your bedtime can help induce deep sleep at night. 12. Enjoy a Warm 12. Enjoy a Warm Relaxing Bath Relaxing Bath • Make the water lukewarm as cold water is known to stimulate our senses and drive away the much needed sleep. www.zenlounge.in

15. 13. Ensure Your Bed is Comfortable 13. Ensure Your Bed is Comfortable Enough Enough • When you sleep on an uncomfortable bed, you are more likely to experience low sleep quality. Body pains often cause this reduced quality of sleep. • A study carried out on the effect of a new, soft mattress on sleep quality revealed that it effectively alleviated stiffness, back and shoulder pain by 59%, 57%, and 60%, respectively. Hence, the next time a pain in the back won’t let you sleep well, consider getting a more comfortable set of beddings. www.zenlounge.in www.zenlounge.in

16. 14. Avoid Bugs 14. Avoid Bugs and Allergies and Allergies • You definitely cannot get adequate sleep when your room is packed with bugs and allergens. Always clean up and seal up your beddings and sleeping space to prevent any infestation and allergen accumulation. • These things are mostly invisible to the eye and should be treated properly once or twice every month. www.zenlounge.in www.zenlounge.in

17. 15. Avoid Bathroom 15. Avoid Bathroom Trips to Sleep Better Trips to Sleep Better • Having to get up now and then go to the bathroom can significantly affect the quality of sleep you get at night. • To avoid these trips, stay away from any form of fluid at least one hour to bedtime. Also, try to have a dim light in the bathroom to get awoken by bright lights on your bathroom trips. Sudden exposure to strong light during sleep will disturb your sleep cycle. www.zenlounge.in

18. 16. Minimize 16. Minimize the Noise the Noise If you are a light sleeper, it most • likely won’t take anything for noises to jerk you up from your sleep. To sleep better, try to keep the • noise around you to the barest minimum. If your house is too close to the road that you get to hear every car’s horn, if you cannot afford to shut off the noise totally by use of soundproof shutters, invest a few dollars into a compact, nighttime earmuffs or plug. www.zenlounge.in www.zenlounge.in

19. • Because you do not want your brain to interpret the night as day, dim your bedroom lights when it is bedtime. 17. Dim the 17. Dim the Lights Lights • When you dim the lights at least an hour before bedtime, you induce melatonin production, which helps you sleep much better. You should also take care to avoid bright lights in the night time. Bright lights as mentioned before breaks the sleep cycle. www.zenlounge.in

20. • Nothing steals a good night’s rest like back pain. Even when you sleep for long, back pain keeps you uncomfortable and unrested when you wake up. 18. Combat 18. Combat Back Pain Back Pain • To deal with this insomnia-inducing agent, try using a pillow to align your pelvic bone to reduce the pressure on your lower back. Please do this by placing the pillow between your knees as they lap over or beside each other. www.zenlounge.in

21. • Temperature is another factor that affects the quality of sleep you get at night. Setting the temperature in your bedroom to an appropriate degree can go a long way to help you sleep better. 19. Sleep 19. Sleep Under the Right Under the Right Temperature Temperature • You may want to consider cooling down the temperatures with a noiseless fan or air conditioning during the summer months. And in colder months, a room heater or cozy blankets will surely see that your sleep is not affected by temperatures. www.zenlounge.in

22. 20. Do Away 20. Do Away With the Clock With the Clock If you are in the habit of waking up at night to check the time, your body will most likely be lacking good sleep. This is because breaking your sleep distorts your body’s rest cycle as you’d be unconsciously waiting for daybreak and depriving yourself of the relaxation you need. • If you must wake with an alarm, try to set it at the exact time, you’d want to wake up. Setting your alarm hours before you intend to be awake, will subject your body to an abrupt awakening, which is terrible for your health. • www.zenlounge.in www.zenlounge.in

23. 21. Put on some 21. Put on some soft music soft music • Music is more than something that can be the greatest aid for a deep sleep. It has a direct effect on our mind and nervous system and helps us prepare easily for sleep. • Study shows that adults listening to music before sleep fall asleep faster and wake up less during the night. Sleep is also deep and more restful. For the younger generation, music has a profound effect on sleep quality. Try any piece of music or a jazz or folk song at a rhythm of about 60 to 80 beats per minute (BPM) to enjoy your sleep. www.zenlounge.in www.zenlounge.in

24. Conclusion Conclusion • The state of your health is primarily affected by the quality of sleep you get regularly. If you are in the habit of forfeiting good sleep for other activities, you may want to consider how much your body needs it routine rest and start to sleep better. • Also, getting adequate sleep requires that you first make sleep a priority. And by considering the methods explained above, you’ll be well on your way to achieving better sleep and a better lifestyle. www.zenlounge.in www.zenlounge.in

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