5 Tips to Sleep Better at Night Naturally

Sleep is a natural periodic state of rest for the body and mind.

Lack of sleep results in tirelessness on waking up and decreased daytime performance. We will discuss 5 tips to help you sleep better at night naturally and awaken refreshed and rejuvenated.

1. Plan Ahead

In order to sleep well and worry-free at night, create a sleep routine to follow religiously.

For this, simply plan whenever a big project or task is due. Schedule all your important tasks so that you can fit in all the required hours of sleep. It may seem very easy to do this at first. But remember not to overlook this aspect as you will be able to do your work faster when adequately rested.

Do not try to sacrifice your sleep as the quality and effectiveness of your work will be compromised. A physician study published that sleep-deprived individuals took 14 percent longer to complete a task and also made 20 percent more errors than well-rested individuals.

Plan your time for sleep at night first and get the work done faster.

2. Avoid Screen Time before Bedtime

Make it a point to turn off all screens at least 90 minutes before bed to sleep better at night. Artificial blue light emitted by the screen triggers the body to produce more daytime hormones(like cortisol) and prevents the body’s natural preparation for sleep.

If nighttime devices are used for a longer time, it could lead to chronic disruption of circadian rhythms resulting in serious health issues.

But sometimes exigencies may come up and you may need to work till late. You can then make use of advancements in technology to help you block the blue light from the computer screen.

• Use the software f.lux or any other software for you computer and smartphones to stay away from the harmful light.

• Use special glasses to block the blue light.

This however should not become a regular activity and must only be reserved for special circumstances

3. Get more sunlight

Biological clocks of our body also called the Circadian timing system follow more or less the 24-hour time cycle like our regular watches or clocks.

Sun exposure during the daytime helps to sleep better at night naturally.

The circadian timing system is regulated by the hypothalamus ( master gland of hormonal functions) in the brain which also controls the body’s hunger, body temperature, thirst, etc. Light helps to signal the hypothalamus and associated organs and glands to be alert and be in a “waking” condition.

Too much light exposure during the night and little during the day impacts sleep at night. For a peaceful sleep at night, make a habit to get some sun exposure during the day. Even if you are in a cubical dungeon away from natural light, use break time strategically to get some sun on the skin.

4. Don’t consume caffeine before sleep hours

Caffeine has numerous benefits and is consumed worldwide. It can enhance focus, energy, and sports performance. Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system and may stop your body from naturally relaxing at night when it is consumed later in the day.

Caffeine can stay elevated in your blood for 6–8 hours. Therefore, drinking large amounts of coffee after 3–4 p.m. is not recommended, especially if you’re sensitive to caffeine or have trouble sleeping (31Trusted Source, 35Trusted Source).

5. Treat bedroom as your sleep sanctuary

Treat your bedroom strictly as a place of resting and avoid bringing any stress or office work to your bedroom. Improve your sleep by dimming the lights at night and reducing external noise.

Keep the room clean and add an essential oil diffuser or automatic air sprays to create a comforting and relaxing atmosphere. Buy a good quality mattress, pillow, and blankets to keep you warm and comfortable. Also, keep a glass of water near in case you feel thirsty at night.

Conclusion

Sleep is a state of elevated anabolic activity improving immune, skeletal and muscular systems. Consciously or unconsciously the kind of lifestyle we have adopted over the years hampers the ability to sleep at night naturally.

The tips mentioned above will help in making sleep a top priority.