- Creating a schedule and following it
You should set a time where you go to bed every night, and getting up in the morning. When your sleep schedule is disrupted, it leads to insomnia. You should also avoid the temptation of waking up late during the weekends because it is going to make it harder for you to get up early on Monday. This is because your sleep cycle gets reset. You should also avoid taking naps within eight hours of your bedtime.
- Exercising
You should try exercising every day. 20-30 minutes a day should be enough to improve the quality of your sleep. You should avoid working out before bedtime because it will negatively affect your sleep. You should exercise 5-6 hours before going to bed.
- Avoiding nicotine, caffeine, and alcohol
You should stay away from drinks containing caffeine because it is a stimulant that is going to keep you awake. Common sources of caffeine are soft drinks, coffee, non-herbal teas, chocolate, some pain relievers, and diet drugs. Smokers also have a hard time getting quality sleep because they are light sleepers, and they are forced to get up early in the morning as a result of nicotine withdrawal. Drinking alcohol robs you of REM sleep and you will remain in the lighter stages of sleep. If you use any of the above things, then you should not consume them 6-8 hours before bedtime. You also need to stay away from large meals within two hours of bedtime.
- Having a bedtime ritual to relax yourself
Reading, a warm bath or a relaxing routine will go a long way in helping you with your sleep. The brain is going to associate the relaxing activities with sleep, and you will have an easier time falling asleep.
- Sleeping until sunlight
Wake up with the sun if possible. Another option is having bright lights in the morning. The body has an internal biological clock that resets daily. Sunlight helps with this. For people having problems sleeping, experts recommend getting exposed to the morning sun for about an hour.
- Don’t lie in bed awake
If sleep is not coming, don’t just lie there. Look for something you can do like watching the TV, reading, or listening to music until you get tired. Being anxious about not falling asleep can result in insomnia. When you feel sleepy, return to your bed. You should also avoid sleeping in any other location that is not your bed.
- Controlling the room environment and temperature
You should have a comfortable temperature in your bedroom. When the temperatures are extreme, it can prevent you from sleeping or disrupting your sleep. Your room should be quiet and dark. You mattress should be supportive, read these Dreamcloud mattress reviews and consider an upgrade. Turn off the TV or radio when going to bed because it can lead to a habit of having the TV or radio before you fall asleep. Your room should be very comfortable, and that means the environment and temperature.
- Completely darkening the room
There are studies that have been done recently showing that a dark bedroom helps people in getting deeper and more complete sleep at night. The studies have found that even small sources of light such as an LED from a device or a glow from the clock can have an effect on the quality of sleep you get. Try getting rid of all sources of light in the bedroom when sleeping.