Sleep has many benefits on both your mental and physical health. Good sleep is vital in ensuring that you wake up feeling refreshed and read for the day. Here are a few health sleep tips to ensure you maximize on the benefits of sleep. These health sleep tips are meant for healthy adults and not necessarily children or sick adults.
Health Sleep Tips: Regular Sleep/Wake Time
Sleep is regulated by the circadian clock which is embedded in the brain. The functionality of this clock depends on many factors the time you wake up or sleep. If you keep changing sleeping and waking up time, the circadian clock is weakened. Most people are good at maintaining regular sleep/wake time during the week but not at weekend. The temptation to sleep and wake up late should be avoided.
Health Sleep Tips: Routines
Health sleep tips involving routines are important as the help to reinforce the circadian clock. These health sleep tips should be carried out in a dark or poorly lit place so as not to reduce production of melatonin. A warm bath before sleep helps to relax your muscles. Listening to music slow music helps to relax your mind for sleep. Other health sleep tips that should be practiced routinely include:
- Switching off lights in the bedroom at the same time everyday.
- Brushing your teeth.
- Killing or calling your loved ones to wish them good night.
The following habits should be avoided:
- Watching TV in bed.
- Doing work in bed.
- Doing financial bookeeping.
Health Sleep Tips: Sex and Sleep
Among the most important health sleep tips is to use your bed for sleep and sex only. This helps to strengthen the association between your bed and sleep. Items not used to enhance sleep should be kept away from the bedroom. Bedroom items that can inhibit sleep include:
- TVs
- Computers
- Newspapers and Magazines
- Stereo or Music systems
Health Sleep Tips: Food
There are foods that enhance sleep while other cause insomnia. Sweet food such as candies and chocolate are absorbed directly by the body and therefore increase brain activity. Caffeine found in drinks such as colas, tea and coffee can cause insomnia.
Whatever you take for dinner, it should be take at least 3 hours before your sleeping time. This gives the body enough time to digest and probably get rid of waste. Other important health sleep tips related to food include:
- Avoid any type of drink a few hours to be so as to reduce the chances of waking up to urinate.
- Spicy foods can cause heartburn which causes sleeping problems.
Health Sleep Tips: Exercise
Exercise is one of the most important healthy sleep tips. Exercise contributes in making your muscles tired such they easily relax during sleep. However, exercise done less than 3 hours before sleep can interrupts sleep. This is because exercises increase body temperature which hampers sleep. Exercising late in the afternoon is one of the best health sleep habit you can adapt in your life.
Other Important Health Sleep Tips:
- Alcohol is not a sedative; avoid it for better sleeping patterns.
- In addition to causing insomnia, caffeine is a know diuretic. It should be avoided so as not to wake up at night to urinate.
- Nicotine should be avoided.
You should see a doctor if insomnia persists. Be sure to tell the doctor that you have been practicing the above healthy sleep tips.