A good night’s sleep has a significant impact on an individual’s well-being as it contributes to a healthy body as well as a healthy lifestyle. Insufficient sleep may result in waking up feeling exhausted which can lead to putting on weight more easily due to lack of energy to go about your daily activities. On the flip side, adequate sleep can help you to keep fit by reenergizing your body and controlling the hormones that affect your appetite.
There are some other detrimental outcomes associated with not getting a good night’s sleep, such as decreased cognitive function, an ineffective immune system, and mental health problems including depression. I want to offer some of my favorite tips and tricks to help you get the rest that is so vital to all aspects of your health. As a Life Coach, I notice my clients with poor sleeping habits, are limited in accomplishing their goals.
Schedule Your Sleep
Health specialists recommend sleeping between six and eight hours each night, depending upon your schedule. Just like your programmed work schedule, you need to schedule your resting time. Interrupting this timetable could result in insomnia, so if you are having trouble falling asleep, try reading a book or tuning in to some music that will soothe you to sleep.
The amount of light can also affect your sleep cycles, so if you have a nighttime job or need to sleep during daytime hours for any reason, investing in some blackout curtains may help, as will turning off all the lights and especially the TV.
Stay Active
Exercising daily contributes to having a good night’s sleep. Aim to do any physical activity at least a few hours before going to sleep to give you time to freshen up and get into relaxation mode before heading to bed.
Watch What You’re Consuming
Try to keep away from substances such as nicotine, caffeine, and natural or synthetic drinks or supplements that may be stimulating. These may hinder your ability to fall asleep and stay asleep. Heavy meals can likewise interrupt your sleep due to digestion and sugar metabolism.
Check the Temperature
Managing how hot or cold your sleep area is can help you get the sleep you need. Some people prefer it to be on the chilly side while others like it warmer. If you have a programmable thermostat, that may help ease you into sleep mode without you getting up to turn the temperature up or down.
Nap Responsibly
Try to minimize how long you might nap during the day. Research has shown that napping can help you catch up on restorative sleep, but sleeping too long can make it hard to fall asleep later that night.
Benefits of Proper Sleep
Obviously, there are many benefits to getting a good night’s sleep. We’ve covered some of them, but here are a few more:
- Has a protective effect on the cardiovascular system, i.e., it may help lower blood pressure and stroke risk
- Enhances your level of attentiveness, which is especially important when you have a heavy workload or if you have to operate machinery
- Improves memory
- Aids in processing the day’s events
- Reduces stress and anxiety levels
- May help with social and relational skills
If you’re having challenges sleeping and want to learn more on how to implement these and other valuable tools in your life, please contact me for a free consultation: LET’S CHAT