Not all sleep is the same. Some nights, you might feel like you’ve just fallen asleep only to be rudely awoken by the sun. On other nights, you might toss and turn through hours and hours of fitful sleep. And still on some nights, you might gently drift off to sleep and feel completely refreshed when you arise. But if those last types of nights are few and far between, finding ways to get more much-needed rest should be a priority.
To help you in doing this, here are three things to try if you’re needing to get more restful sleep.
Become More Active During The Day
One simple thing that anyone can do, be it a child who still has an early bedtime or a senior citizen at an assisted living facility, is to get more physical activity during the day. With more physical activity, you might find that it’s easier for you to fall asleep and stay asleep at night.
The reason for this is that working your body during the day and burning off some of your energy during these waking hours can help your body be ready to settle down and sleep once the sun sets. But because exercise can boost your heart rate and make your body warmer, which are signs to your body that you should be staying awake, you should try to avoid doing a lot of exercise toward the end of the day.
Be Conscious Of Light Exposure
The amount and type of light exposure you get during the day can also have an effect on how easy it is for you to fall asleep and get restful sleep.
Ideally, you should try to get as much natural light as you possibly can during the daytime hours. This bright light will help your circadian rhythm get into a healthy cycle, which can work wonders for helping you be awake and alert during the day and sleepy and calm at night. Beware, however, that you’re limiting any blue light exposure that you’re getting from technology in an hour or two before you plan to go to bed, as this can keep you awake longer and make it hard to settle into sleep.
Get Yourself As Comfortable As Possible
Sometimes, the reason why you might be having a hard time sleeping could be because you’re not setting yourself up for success with the right sleeping environment. So if you’re not already sleeping in a dark, quiet room that’s a bit cooler than it is during the day, you might want to make these changes. You can also try things like using an extra pillow between your knees to support your back so you’re as comfortable as possible.
If you’ve been having a difficult time getting restful sleep, consider making some of the above-mentioned changes to begin seeing an improvement.
Originally posted on April 15, 2022 @ 10:51 am