Trouble sleeping? You would be happy to know you are not alone. Statistics show that 1 in 3 adults in the United States get less sleep than they should.
Amid the pandemic, you might have more time for sleep, but sleep quality might still take a hit thanks to anxiety and stress from lack of social interactions, health worries, financial concerns, and other issues.
Night-time routines also commonly factor into sleep quality, regardless of anything else happening in the world.
Lack of sleep can have many health consequences, many of which you might worry about while lying awake. If you have trouble getting enough restful sleep regularly, try exploring your pre-bedtime habits to identify potential problem areas and create a new routine that promotes better sleep.
Here are some tips to get you started:
Decide on a bedtime that works best for you
Having a set time for bed can keep you energized and ready to push through the day ahead of you from the hustle and bustle of a busy day and the even more hectic addition of the Caymanian traffic. Time yourself on how long your night-time routine would usually take and go based on that duration. Getting a decent night’s sleep not only gives you energy throughout the next day but helps with your health.
Put your electronics down
Now, this can prove difficult because everyone wants to keep up with current news and gossip. We could lay in bed, and before we know it, you have had over 2 hours of screen time when you are supposed to be sleeping. Though sometimes we believe our electronics help us to sleep, this is instead not the case. Electronics emit a solid blue light, and that blue light makes its way to your brain, making you believe that it is daytime when in fact, it is dark out. This can play tricks on your brain, and that is something no one wants. When going to bed and saying goodnight to your family, try saying goodnight to your electronics as well.
Have a warm bath
After a tough day, taking a warm bath is not only refreshing, but it relaxes your body, lowers the body’s temperature, and encourages healthy sleep. Take a bath 1 – 2 hours before bedtime for it to be more effective.
Reading
Many individuals find that reading a book before bed is relaxing and helps them fall asleep. Reading in another room and then transferring to bed once you become tired is one of the most effective ways to fall asleep from this. Sometimes, you can fall asleep without knowing it due to how relaxed you become from reading a book at bedtime.
Have a Warm Drink
Drinks such as warm water, warm milk, chamomile tea, herbal teas are all excellent contributing factors to getting a good night’s sleep. Warm water keeps you hydrated through the night and helps to flush your body with unwanted toxins. Warm milk increases melatonin levels ad this helps to induce sleep. Drinking warm liquids at night before bed is soothing and can become a night-time ritual to practice a healthy sleep routine.
These are a few of the routines that can be incorporated into your nightly routine and ensure a good night’s sleep. Never have an issue falling asleep again, just lay back do any of the above, and before you know it, you are in dreamland and refreshed for the next day.
