Sleep is the time of the day we all look forward to. But as soon as it's time to sleep, most of us find it hard to fall asleep, instead using our phones or laptops and driving sleep away even further.
When we sleep late and don't get enough sleep, we're automatically not starting the next day right. It's okay to sleep late sometimes, but if this becomes a daily habit, you'll see adverse effects on your health, like low energy, irritability, lack of focus, and dark circles. Long-term effects of not getting enough sleep can include increased risk of heart issues, neurological problems like Alzheimer's or strokes, and depression.
Here are simple ways to take your sleep seriously.
Exercise
If you find yourself feeling restless come bedtime, try using up this extra energy in a healthy way by doing some exercise. You can go for a brisk walk after dinner, run or even engage in relaxing yoga. Make sure you do this 2-3 hours before you plan to go to bed.
This is because exercise has a stimulating effect, so doing so right before bedtime can cause you to become more active. People who exercise routinely sleep for 18% longer than people who don't.
Reduce caffeine intake
You think one coffee won't hurt, so you have another. In reality, you don't need all of this to stay awake. And by consuming more coffee than your body needs, you sleep less than what your body deserves. One cup of coffee has 40 mg of caffeine, and its effects are felt for 4-6 hours. So avoid caffeine after lunchtime.
Increase daylight and reduce blue light
Our bodies are used to our own "body clock," that's why sometimes we wake up on the weekends without our alarm going off. When we increase our exposure to daylight in the morning, it alerts the body that this is the time to be awake.
But if we use our phones or laptop too much, which emits blue light in the evening, our brain is receiving the signal that it's still daylight which makes it harder for us to fall asleep.
Eating balanced meals
What we eat has a direct effect on our sleep. If we consume too much sugar before bed, we will find it difficult to sleep since our glucose levels have spiked, giving us energy. If we have unbalanced meals, we'll get these frequent glucose spikes. After these spikes wear off, we'll feel a sudden dip in our energy levels, causing us to "crash".
Be on time!
Yes! Don't be late to your sleep schedule. Once you start sleeping at a proper time every day, your body will start feeling sleepy around that time once it becomes a habit.
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