How to sleep well at night
Many people have problems with sleep. There can be many reasons for this: physical inactivity, mental problems, bad habits, inactive lifestyle and so on. As a rule, if you have difficulty falling asleep, and you feel broken in the morning, there is some reason for it, and most likely even several.
We're not used to paying attention to sleep preparation. A night's rest is seen as something we need to get through and then get back to our business and work. We forget that the quality of sleep has a profound effect on our psyche: it either brings it into order or destroys it.
Imagine a person (perhaps even you) who, on Sunday, goes to bed at three in the morning. He is forced to wake up at 7 in the morning in order to get to work. Of course, a proper breakfast is out of the question: what can be prepared in a minute will be eaten. At the office, he feels broke and his brain functions poorly. The sleep-deprived person makes a lot of mistakes and snaps back when communicating with others.
When he gets home at eight o'clock at night, he goes to bed and wakes up two hours later and then goes back to sleep at three o'clock in the morning, just like Sunday.
It's a vicious circle, or Groundhog Day, as you like. Our society takes sleep so lightly (after all, it is known to be for wimps) that sometimes we don't understand where nervous breakdowns, conflicts at work, negative emotions and destructive thoughts come from. And they can trivially be born in a sleep-deprived brain.
What to do during the day to get a good night's sleep
What you do during the day is just as important as what happens the hour before bedtime. The right habits will not only help you get a good night's sleep, but also help you get less tired. Here are some good tips.
Exercise
If you spend most of your time in front of your computer, you need to exercise just to stay healthy.
The quality of your sleep also depends on it. If during the day you were very active, in the evening you will fall asleep very quickly and sleep well, because the body will not have much desire and energy to chew on intrusive thoughts and recall past failures.
It is important to try both standard exercises in the form of running, cycling or swimming, as well as, exotic ones, such as Tibetan yoga and Tai Chi, which have a positive effect on the body.
Warning: Do not exercise three hours before bedtime. It can be detrimental to your health.
Spend time in the sun
Because of all the talk about skin cancer, many people try to avoid sun exposure as much as possible, not realizing that the sun is very important to our health.
Stay in the sun for about two hours a day if possible - this will set your natural biorhythm in the right way. And don't forget to wear sunscreen in the summertime.
Keep a journal
Write down everything that has to do with sleep:
- Habits
- Patterns of behavior
- Thoughts
We've talked before about how people often get into a vicious cycle: once they go to bed at 3 a.m. and don't get enough sleep, the whole week is ruined. Keeping a journal will help you find patterns of behavior, find out what prevents you from falling asleep, what thoughts accompany you, and what habits you should get out of.
Take a nap
Throughout the day, our energy level jumps around like crazy: it drops to its lowest level, then rises to its highest. So as soon as you feel mentally exhausted, take a nap, if possible. This, by the way, applies not only to work, but also to rest. After all, you're not used to daytime naps on the weekends, are you?
How to sleep well at night: basic rules
The basic rules for a good night's sleep we give not in order of importance, so this does not mean that the first one is more important than the tenth. However, the more tips you listen to, the better the chances of getting a good night's sleep and feeling great throughout the day.
1. Take a shower and make fresh linens
Before going to bed, it's very important that you wash off all the dirt and other people's energy that you collected during the day. In addition to physiological reasons, showering also carries a ritual meaning, as if telling your body, "I washed - I got ready for bed.
In the end, you will feel better. You just need to understand that the morning shower should be cooler than the evening one.
And, of course, your bedding should be just as well.
2. Sleep in complete darkness
Melatonin ("the sleep hormone") has been proven to be light sensitive. Light prevents the release of melatonin whenever it touches the skin, but the eyes are especially important.
Nowadays, melatonin is consumed in the form of an active supplement, but why use an artificial counterpart (except in severe cases) when you can perfectly well produce your own melatonin?
So when you go to bed, make sure the room is dark enough that you can't even see your hand in front of your face.
Of course, no smartphones or laptops. Ideally, two hours before bedtime. The only exception is an e-book, which is based on "electronic paper" technology.
3. Avoid stimulants
Coffee and refined sugar are the main enemies of good sleep. If you drink a cup of coffee less than twelve hours before you go to bed, insomnia is possible.
Nicotine is also a stimulant that interferes with quality sleep. If you cannot go without a cigarette, try not to smoke at least two to three hours before bedtime.
4. No food four hours before bedtime
Evening meals are the hardest to give up. We are used to eating while watching a movie, which is often just before bedtime.
If you eat late at night, your body will use energy in sleep mainly to digest food rather than to rest and relax. You will do yourself a great favor if you give up this bad habit.
As we can see, this habit is closely related to others. In our case - with watching a movie, we have already talked about this above. That's why it's so difficult to get a good night's sleep: the body is overexcited and not ready for sleep. Give yourself time to relax and calm down before going to bed.
Start consciously preparing for sleep today.
Go to bed before midnight
There is an opinion that every hour of sleep before midnight counts as two. We can't say for sure if this is true, but a lot of people who go to bed before twelve and wake up at five or six in the morning feel great.
It's difficult because so many temptations arise! After all, sometimes night is the quietest time of the day, and you want to stay up longer. In the morning you usually have to regret it. And so it is every day. Again we get a vicious circle.
In order to go to bed before midnight, it is important to plan it. That is literally write in the list of affairs: "23:00 - sleep". This will require discipline and great willpower.
Find out how much sleep you need
Seven to eight hours of sleep is considered normal, but you may have different needs. The most important thing is that when you wake up, you feel awake and able to perform feats.
It is also important not to sleep more than you need. Otherwise you will only lose time and feel broken.
A lot also depends on where you live. For example, if you move to another city or country, you may feel that you now need more or less time to rest. In addition, your body changes over the years, and this can also affect how long you sleep at night.
Pay attention to oxygen and temperature
Our bodies need enough oxygen even while we sleep. That's why it's important to ventilate the room before you go to sleep or even sleep with the window open - it's your personal choice. It all depends on the weather outside the window. The ideal temperature for quality sleep is 19-22C.
Do not forget to air the room immediately after waking up. This will oxygenate your body and help you wake up.
Exercise.
We've already mentioned that you should get ready for bed in the morning. If you exercise, you'll get yourself in shape and feel great all day long. In the evening it will help you fall asleep faster.
If possible, do not only exercise, but also exercise regularly: run, swim, train in the gym. Physical activity promotes good sleep, a good night's sleep and a great feeling of well-being.
Learn to deal with anxiety
For many people, intrusive thoughts are a problem. They spoil life not only during the day, but also when trying to sleep. Excruciating images from the past appear, and the imagination draws tragic pictures of the future. In such a state, it is very difficult to tune in to a quality sleep.
We covered the problem of negative thoughts earlier, now we will point out how to relax the body and mind:
- Take a warm bath
- Meditate
- Use a visualization technique
- Create a list of relaxing affirmations.
No work two hours before bedtime
Negative thoughts and negative emotions are often caused by nervous work. Many people do not get out of this state even at home, in the circle of their relatives.
Of course, to succeed in life, you have to work hard, and even if you find yourself at home, there is no problem in doing something extra. But leave yourself at least two hours before going to bed. It's productive anyway: you can recharge your batteries and you'll be much more efficient in the morning.
Don't put annoying sounds on your alarm clock
Yes, the nastier the sound the alarm clock makes, the sooner you'll wake up. But it can have a negative effect on your mood. A person can be quite irritable in the morning, not least because of that sound. Put classical music or something uplifting on your alarm clock. Set a good tone for your day.
Some scientists insist on doing without an alarm clock at all. According to them, the body itself should let you know when it is rested. Or you can try to set the alarm clock an hour later, and wake up when you feel that you have had a good night's sleep.
The bed is not a place to work or eat
Your brain should think of the bed as a place to sleep, that is, as a device on which you can lie down and immediately fall asleep.
Carrying documents from work to bed is a very bad idea. Having lunch or dinner in bed is even worse.
If you didn't get enough sleep, don't worry.
Since you happen to not get enough sleep, the main thing is not to get upset. It can lead to the fact that you will start to get yourself worked up and think you're doomed. Sleep does not like such thoughts.
Often insomnia is not due to biological causes, but because you start to think you have it.
What should you do in this case? Stubbornly follow our advice. One way or another, the strategy does not change from this. Do your best to stick to your new right habits no matter what. The body needs time to readjust.
Schedule a nap.
We've already touched on this in part. If you look at the average person's to-do list, there is no "sleep" item. And even if there is, it rarely follows an exact schedule. The main thing is to finish what you're doing, and sleep can wait.
Go to bed at the same time every day. Yes, even on Fridays and weekends. To feel good, you will have to sacrifice something.
Of course, not every day will be able to go to bed at, say, 11 pm, but you should try to maintain the regime.
Get a medical exam
Unfortunately, in some cases, insomnia and poor sleep may be an indicator of health problems. In this case, our advice, if it helps, is insignificant. It is necessary to pass a medical examination and find out the true causes of sleep disorders.
We're not used to paying attention to sleep preparation. A night's rest is seen as something we need to get through and then get back to our business and work. We forget that the quality of sleep has a profound effect on our psyche: it either brings it into order or destroys it.
Imagine a person (perhaps even you) who, on Sunday, goes to bed at three in the morning. He is forced to wake up at 7 in the morning in order to get to work. Of course, a proper breakfast is out of the question: what can be prepared in a minute will be eaten. At the office, he feels broke and his brain functions poorly. The sleep-deprived person makes a lot of mistakes and snaps back when communicating with others.
When he gets home at eight o'clock at night, he goes to bed and wakes up two hours later and then goes back to sleep at three o'clock in the morning, just like Sunday.
It's a vicious circle, or Groundhog Day, as you like. Our society takes sleep so lightly (after all, it is known to be for wimps) that sometimes we don't understand where nervous breakdowns, conflicts at work, negative emotions and destructive thoughts come from. And they can trivially be born in a sleep-deprived brain.
What to do during the day to get a good night's sleep
What you do during the day is just as important as what happens the hour before bedtime. The right habits will not only help you get a good night's sleep, but also help you get less tired. Here are some good tips.
Exercise
If you spend most of your time in front of your computer, you need to exercise just to stay healthy.
The quality of your sleep also depends on it. If during the day you were very active, in the evening you will fall asleep very quickly and sleep well, because the body will not have much desire and energy to chew on intrusive thoughts and recall past failures.
It is important to try both standard exercises in the form of running, cycling or swimming, as well as, exotic ones, such as Tibetan yoga and Tai Chi, which have a positive effect on the body.
Warning: Do not exercise three hours before bedtime. It can be detrimental to your health.
Spend time in the sun
Because of all the talk about skin cancer, many people try to avoid sun exposure as much as possible, not realizing that the sun is very important to our health.
Stay in the sun for about two hours a day if possible - this will set your natural biorhythm in the right way. And don't forget to wear sunscreen in the summertime.
Keep a journal
Write down everything that has to do with sleep:
- Habits
- Patterns of behavior
- Thoughts
We've talked before about how people often get into a vicious cycle: once they go to bed at 3 a.m. and don't get enough sleep, the whole week is ruined. Keeping a journal will help you find patterns of behavior, find out what prevents you from falling asleep, what thoughts accompany you, and what habits you should get out of.
Take a nap
Throughout the day, our energy level jumps around like crazy: it drops to its lowest level, then rises to its highest. So as soon as you feel mentally exhausted, take a nap, if possible. This, by the way, applies not only to work, but also to rest. After all, you're not used to daytime naps on the weekends, are you?
How to sleep well at night: basic rules
The basic rules for a good night's sleep we give not in order of importance, so this does not mean that the first one is more important than the tenth. However, the more tips you listen to, the better the chances of getting a good night's sleep and feeling great throughout the day.
1. Take a shower and make fresh linens
Before going to bed, it's very important that you wash off all the dirt and other people's energy that you collected during the day. In addition to physiological reasons, showering also carries a ritual meaning, as if telling your body, "I washed - I got ready for bed.
In the end, you will feel better. You just need to understand that the morning shower should be cooler than the evening one.
And, of course, your bedding should be just as well.
2. Sleep in complete darkness
Melatonin ("the sleep hormone") has been proven to be light sensitive. Light prevents the release of melatonin whenever it touches the skin, but the eyes are especially important.
Nowadays, melatonin is consumed in the form of an active supplement, but why use an artificial counterpart (except in severe cases) when you can perfectly well produce your own melatonin?
So when you go to bed, make sure the room is dark enough that you can't even see your hand in front of your face.
Of course, no smartphones or laptops. Ideally, two hours before bedtime. The only exception is an e-book, which is based on "electronic paper" technology.
3. Avoid stimulants
Coffee and refined sugar are the main enemies of good sleep. If you drink a cup of coffee less than twelve hours before you go to bed, insomnia is possible.
Nicotine is also a stimulant that interferes with quality sleep. If you cannot go without a cigarette, try not to smoke at least two to three hours before bedtime.
4. No food four hours before bedtime
Evening meals are the hardest to give up. We are used to eating while watching a movie, which is often just before bedtime.
If you eat late at night, your body will use energy in sleep mainly to digest food rather than to rest and relax. You will do yourself a great favor if you give up this bad habit.
As we can see, this habit is closely related to others. In our case - with watching a movie, we have already talked about this above. That's why it's so difficult to get a good night's sleep: the body is overexcited and not ready for sleep. Give yourself time to relax and calm down before going to bed.
Start consciously preparing for sleep today.
Go to bed before midnight
There is an opinion that every hour of sleep before midnight counts as two. We can't say for sure if this is true, but a lot of people who go to bed before twelve and wake up at five or six in the morning feel great.
It's difficult because so many temptations arise! After all, sometimes night is the quietest time of the day, and you want to stay up longer. In the morning you usually have to regret it. And so it is every day. Again we get a vicious circle.
In order to go to bed before midnight, it is important to plan it. That is literally write in the list of affairs: "23:00 - sleep". This will require discipline and great willpower.
Find out how much sleep you need
Seven to eight hours of sleep is considered normal, but you may have different needs. The most important thing is that when you wake up, you feel awake and able to perform feats.
It is also important not to sleep more than you need. Otherwise you will only lose time and feel broken.
A lot also depends on where you live. For example, if you move to another city or country, you may feel that you now need more or less time to rest. In addition, your body changes over the years, and this can also affect how long you sleep at night.
Pay attention to oxygen and temperature
Our bodies need enough oxygen even while we sleep. That's why it's important to ventilate the room before you go to sleep or even sleep with the window open - it's your personal choice. It all depends on the weather outside the window. The ideal temperature for quality sleep is 19-22C.
Do not forget to air the room immediately after waking up. This will oxygenate your body and help you wake up.
Exercise.
We've already mentioned that you should get ready for bed in the morning. If you exercise, you'll get yourself in shape and feel great all day long. In the evening it will help you fall asleep faster.
If possible, do not only exercise, but also exercise regularly: run, swim, train in the gym. Physical activity promotes good sleep, a good night's sleep and a great feeling of well-being.
Learn to deal with anxiety
For many people, intrusive thoughts are a problem. They spoil life not only during the day, but also when trying to sleep. Excruciating images from the past appear, and the imagination draws tragic pictures of the future. In such a state, it is very difficult to tune in to a quality sleep.
We covered the problem of negative thoughts earlier, now we will point out how to relax the body and mind:
- Take a warm bath
- Meditate
- Use a visualization technique
- Create a list of relaxing affirmations.
No work two hours before bedtime
Negative thoughts and negative emotions are often caused by nervous work. Many people do not get out of this state even at home, in the circle of their relatives.
Of course, to succeed in life, you have to work hard, and even if you find yourself at home, there is no problem in doing something extra. But leave yourself at least two hours before going to bed. It's productive anyway: you can recharge your batteries and you'll be much more efficient in the morning.
Don't put annoying sounds on your alarm clock
Yes, the nastier the sound the alarm clock makes, the sooner you'll wake up. But it can have a negative effect on your mood. A person can be quite irritable in the morning, not least because of that sound. Put classical music or something uplifting on your alarm clock. Set a good tone for your day.
Some scientists insist on doing without an alarm clock at all. According to them, the body itself should let you know when it is rested. Or you can try to set the alarm clock an hour later, and wake up when you feel that you have had a good night's sleep.
The bed is not a place to work or eat
Your brain should think of the bed as a place to sleep, that is, as a device on which you can lie down and immediately fall asleep.
Carrying documents from work to bed is a very bad idea. Having lunch or dinner in bed is even worse.
If you didn't get enough sleep, don't worry.
Since you happen to not get enough sleep, the main thing is not to get upset. It can lead to the fact that you will start to get yourself worked up and think you're doomed. Sleep does not like such thoughts.
Often insomnia is not due to biological causes, but because you start to think you have it.
What should you do in this case? Stubbornly follow our advice. One way or another, the strategy does not change from this. Do your best to stick to your new right habits no matter what. The body needs time to readjust.
Schedule a nap.
We've already touched on this in part. If you look at the average person's to-do list, there is no "sleep" item. And even if there is, it rarely follows an exact schedule. The main thing is to finish what you're doing, and sleep can wait.
Go to bed at the same time every day. Yes, even on Fridays and weekends. To feel good, you will have to sacrifice something.
Of course, not every day will be able to go to bed at, say, 11 pm, but you should try to maintain the regime.
Get a medical exam
Unfortunately, in some cases, insomnia and poor sleep may be an indicator of health problems. In this case, our advice, if it helps, is insignificant. It is necessary to pass a medical examination and find out the true causes of sleep disorders.