11 ways to improve your sleep.

Hi all,

If you’re suffering from having a good night of sleep, then you must read this post. Sleep is essential to your body. It helps to break down the excess cortisol in our body, which can cause us to store fat, more precisely, belly fat! It also makes you more energetic and alert. If you have been struggling to have a good night of sleep, here are some tips that will instantly improve your quality of sleep. 

1. Wear Blue light filter glasses during the day. Using artificial lights and devices may contribute to sleep disturbance as well. Blue light filter glasses help to protect your eyes and to improve your sleep.

2. Stop drinking coffee by 2 pm and switch to herbal teas. Skip that afternoon “pick me up” coffee. The reality is….you don’t need it! Caffeine is a stimulant, and it can stay in your body for a long time. Therefore, to guarantee you rest well at night, you should switch to caffeine-free drinks, such as herbal coffees or teas. My favourite herbal coffee alternative is Teeccino Caffe Coffee Organic Vanilla Nut.
   
   If you love coffee, just as I do, limit yourself to only one or two cups a day. This will improve the quality of your sleep; I can guarantee you that!

3. Exercise during the day. Experts do not recommend working out at night since it can interfere with your sleep. Exercising in the morning can increase the quality of your sleep. 

4. Avoid taking naps during the day. Naps are good if you don’t have time to sleep. However, if you’re having a hard time falling, naps can also leave you groggy. One of the negative effects of naps is that it wakes you up from a deep sleep. If you want to have a good night of sleep, taking a nap is not recommended, or you should limit your nap time to 20 to 30 minutes.

5. Avoid drinking alcohol before going to bed. I love enjoying a good glass of wine. However, I noticed that drinking alcohol before going to bed would severely disturb my sleep. I would wake up dizzy at times (must be a hangover, lol), dehydrated in the morning and with a dry throat. 

6. Keep your evening meal light. You may want to eat early; I suggest 6 pm for your body to have the time to digest the food, or you can have a light snack at 8 pm at the latest. A large meal before bedtime is sure to interfere with your quality of sleep.

7. Turn off your devices at least 1h before going to sleep. I personally struggle with this, and I’m sure I’m not the only one! Studies have shown that using backlit e-book readers and cell phones can cause sleep disturbances. I noticed that sleeping with my phone on airplane mode helps me have a good and deep sleep night. However, as much as I sleep better with my phone on airplane mode, I am not comfortable doing this. Unless you have a telephone line (which most of us don’t have anymore, lol), I wouldn’t suggest putting your phone on airplane mode in case there’s an emergency. Instead, I would encourage you to put it in a different room. 

6. Keep a regular schedule. Yes, even on weekends. Waking up and sleeping at the same time helps your body, improves your health and your quality of sleep. If you get up at 6 AM each day but sleep in until 10 AM on the weekends, you’re likely to have sleep quality issues. If you need more time to rest, I encourage you to sleep 30 minutes earlier. 

9. Ensure your room is dark. Think about it, back in the day, the quality of life was so much better. There were low to no pollution and lights at night, the streets were dark, to the point where we could see the stars in the sky. Make your room as dark as possible. Another alternative to a dark room is a sleep mask or room darkening/blackout window curtains. They are amazing!!

10. Have an evening routine: Teach your body that it’s time to sleep. Turn off your tv, computer and take a bath or shower with a relaxing scent, such as lavender. If you are a returning reader, you know I love using lavender at night. You can also use my DIY relaxing oil all over your body.

Here are some benefits of using Lavender:

• Great to improve your sleep
• Helps to reduce
• Relaxes your mind and body
• Stress relief
• Good for insomnia

11.  Have a comfortable pillow and a mattress and while you’re in bed, keep your mind still. When you hit your bed, it’s time to relax and sleep. Stop overthinking or stressing. Think happy thoughts; focus on your breathing. You may also read a book that will help you to relax.

Although we live in a busy society, it is vital to slow down and sleep the recommended hours. Applying at least one of these tips will dramatically improve your quality of sleep. You will enjoy the difference.

Read “Why Sleep is so Important & My Top Tips For Catching Some Zzzzs!” from Healthy Sprout for additional tips and information.

If you have any other tips to improve your sleep, please share them below.

Love,
GénikaJo
Xoxo

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