9 Practical Tips for a Great Night's Sleep

In this modern world full of hustle and bustle, all we do is chug a cup or two of coffee just to stay awake for some extra hours. Whether to meet the deadlines by our boss in the office, study for an exam tomorrow, hang out with friends, or even keep on scrolling social media for nothing until it's 3 am in the morning and we're left with just a few hours to sleep or maybe not even that!

Our nights are becoming our days and sleep is ignored to fully enjoy what life offers us, but this is impacting our lives in quite an opposite way. Sleep is as important for us as breathing is to life. A quality sleep of at least 7 hours daily ensures not only a sound brain but also a healthy body.

Why is sleep Important?

It improves our physical health by promoting repair and growth and reduces the risk of cardiovascular events. It boosts our brain functioning, including mental and emotional health, cognition, and memory consolidation, thus improving our overall mood and productivity so we feel fresh and animated after a good nap.
Sleep recovers your body from damage and stress that has occurred throughout the day. In short, sleep revives us.

How Much Sleep Do I Need?

The number of sleep hours can vary from person to person depending on their age, physical activity, genetics, and overall health. Newborns, infants, and toddlers may sleep more than 15 hours a day and have frequent, inconsistent brief sleep cycles. Similarly, school-going children sleep almost 12 hours a day because their minds and bodies are rapidly developing during this stage. Teenagers also require 10+ hours of daily sleep. It is because, with age, we develop consistent sleep routines. While individual variations might exist, an average of 7-8 hours of sleep is recommended for adults.

What happens if we don't get enough sleep?

Don't know if you're getting enough sleep or not? Well, here are some signs to look for when looking for sleep deprivation.

• Fatigue and lethargy lead to yawning and daytime sleepiness.
• Dark circles and puffiness around the eyes
• Difficulty in concentration and disorientation
• Poor memory retention and lack of productivity
• Mood changes, headaches, and body aches
• Slow reaction time and impaired performance
• Changes in appetite and hunger

All this might lead to microsleeps during the day, affecting our daily activity. In the long term, this can cause premature aging, weakened immune system, weight gain, inflammatory changes in the body, poor physical and mental health, and even an increased risk of early death.

Are you one of those experiencing the signs mentioned above? Then you should definitely check out our top ways to improve both quantity and quality of sleep.

9 Tips to Improve Your Sleep Hygiene

1. Create a Consistent Sleep Schedule
• Our bodies have a circadian rhythm, which is basically waking up to the sun and sleeping when sunlight goes off. It is regulated by the hormone melatonin produced by the pineal gland in our brain. The disruption of this rhythm affects our sleep. Try going to bed early (before 10 pm daily) at almost the same time every day. Even on the weekends, go to bed at the same time so that you wake up early without the sound of alarm. Push yourself to do this for a week, and your circadian rhythm will be back to normal.
2. Avoid Stimulants like Caffeine and Nicotine Before Bed
• Avoiding stimulating agents like coffee, tea, chocolate and high-sugar foods like soft drinks in the afternoon and evening may improve your ability to sleep. These stimulants have an energizing effect that can postpone the start of sleep.
3. Choose a Suitable Sleep Environment
• Choose a comfortable bed and a soft, supportive pillow. To create a dark interior, turn the lights off and put the curtains down. A cool temperature with some soft music and no noise from the surroundings sounds good for a sleepy person, right? Well, that's how important a comfortable environment is for sound sleep. So next time you go to bed, make sure to have a checklist of a calm, soothing environment conducive to sleep.
4. Restrict Your Screen Time Before Sleep
• Using mobile phones, laptops, tablets, or TV screens before bed can interrupt our natural circadian rhythm because they emit blue light radiation that interferes with melatonin production. This blue light gives a false sensation of daylight, and our bodies try to stay awake. So, for that, avoid using excessive screens before you go to bed. Complete your tasks at least half an hour before sleep.
5. Design a Relaxing Bedtime Routine
• Engaging in calming activities can give us a signal to shut down and leave the stressful activities aside. Soothing activities like yoga, stretching, meditation, prayer, gentle music, or a warm or cold water bath can really help us relax and relieve the stress from a tiresome day. So, the next time you go to bed, take a good book with you and try reading ten pages; you'll fall asleep before turning the 9th page.
6. Do Physical Activity During the Day
• We all know the significance of exercise because it makes us stay active all day. However, heavy workouts before bedtime can cause our sympathetic nervous system to activate and release stress hormones like cortisol, which badly affects our sleep. Staying active during the day, doing heavy exercises, or work that requires more mental and physical power should be completed in the first half of the day. Also, good physical activity makes us tired by the end of the day, and we automatically fall asleep quickly.
7. De-stress Yourself
• Stress and anxiety can wreak havoc on your sleep. Overthinking about scenarios and stressing over them causes delayed sleep and insomnia. Practicing relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, yoga prayer, meditation, or progressive muscle relaxation can really help calm our minds. Consider keeping a journal to jot down your thoughts and worries. Helping clear your mind for sleep because merely writing down what's in your head is a systematic way to solve the majority of your problems.
8. Seek Professional Medical Help
• Still struggling to fall asleep even after trying all these tips? Then, it might be a good idea to reach out to a healthcare professional. They can help identify any underlying sleep disorders or insomnia-related issues and provide personalized advice.
9. Supplement Smartly for Sleep
• In addition to lifestyle changes, good-quality supplements can be a great way to support a healthy sleep routine. Studies show that eating foods with nutrients like magnesium, melatonin, omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamin D can improve sleep. You must try incorporating foods rich in these nutrients, like tart cherries, nuts, bananas, dairy, and reishi, in your dinner.

If you're looking to add supplements to your routine, check out our Sleep Support Collection or try one of our sleep favorites below.

Klaire Labs-Magnesium Citrate 150 Mg 90 Vegcap

Banyan Botanicals-I Sleep Soundly 90 Tabs

Pure Encapsulations-Magnesium (Glycinate) 120 Mg

Klaire Labs-Magnesium Glycinate Complex

If you’re looking for some quality supplements to improve your sleep hygiene, become a member, and let us take the guesswork out of wellness and supplements for you!