While everyone has times in their life when they’re getting very little sleep, whether it’s because you have a new baby or you’ve been working under a tight deadline at work, no one can sustain themselves on a limited amount of sleep. For some people, even though they’re in bed for seven or eight hours each night, they’re still not able to get the restful sleep that their bodies and minds need to be healthy and rejuvenated. So to help you make the most of the hours you can devote to sleep, here are three ways you can start to get more quality sleep beginning tonight.
Pick The Right Pre-Sleep Foods
What you’re fueling your body with, especially in the few hours before you go to bed, can have a big impact on how well you’re able to sleep that night. So to stack the chips in your favor, Lindsay Holmes, a contributor to the Huffington Post, recommends that you try to eat food that’s high in protein and magnesium before you hit the hay. Protein-rich foods often have tryptophan in them, which can help to make you sleepy. And according to many studies, magnesium also has a calming effect that can help to get to sleep and stay asleep throughout the night.
Take A Break From Technology
So many people spend the vast majority of their day staring into screens. From their phone to their tablets and their computers and TVs, many people are hard-pressed to think of a time during the day when they’re not watching a screen that’s backlit. But in order for your brain to unwind and start prepping your body for sleep, Dr. William Blahd, a contributor to WebMD, it’s important that you give your eyes and your brain a break from technology before you jump right in bed. The blue light from these devices can make it hard for your body to recognize that it’s time to start sleeping. So if you can’t stop yourself from looking at them, try to keep them out of your bedroom completely so you can devote yourself fully to sleep.
Get In The Perfect Setting
The environment of your bedroom may be making it harder for you to fall asleep and stay asleep all night long. To get your bedroom into the perfect sleep setting, Leslie Barrie, a contributor to Health.com, recommends that you do things like keeping the lights low, turning the temperature down, and blocking out any annoying noises that might keep you awake. By doing these things, you should be able to teach your body how to recognize the right atmosphere for ideal sleep.
If you need to get more quality sleep at night, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you learn how you can do just that.