10 Scientifically Proven Ways to Get Good Sleep
Many of us suffer from sleep disorders: we cannot fall asleep for a long time or wake up with great difficulty. Scientifically proven methods will help get rid of this problem. It has been proven that people who receive positive emotions during the day fall asleep much easier. If you want to get vivid emotions and earn money, try playing at a real money online casino.
1. Determine how much sleep you need
We are all different: according to the chronotype, people are divided into larks, owls, and pigeons. The work schedule, as a rule, does not take into account individual biorhythms: traditionally, offices open at 8–9 in the morning. A difficult test for owls, as well as for those who, for some reason, could not fall asleep on time.
Go to bed as soon as you want. Turn off the alarm and sleep as much as you want.
To determine your natural biorhythms and habits, you need a few days off from work. It can be long holidays or at least weekends. In such a “free swimming,” a person usually sleeps from 7 to 9 hours – this is the very time during which the body is fully restored.
Determine what sleep rituals you have. Do you watch TV before going to bed? Do you wake up at night to drink water or eat something? You can’t change your habits if you don’t learn them.
2. Pick your bedtime
Don’t try to go to bed as early as possible. This is an indefinite goal that is almost impossible to achieve. Instead, carefully plan your “lights out” time based on what time you need to get up.
Suppose the experiment described in the previous paragraph showed that you need to sleep for 8 hours. And you need to get up at 7:00. Then go to bed at 23:00 or a little earlier.
To get into the routine, try to stick to it on the weekends as well. But sometimes, nevertheless, allow yourself, as an exception, to sleep until dinner or go to bed later.
3. Avoid working in the bedroom
Once you’ve decided on the amount of time you need to get enough sleep, create your own set of rules to help you relax. It can be dimmed lights, not watching TV an hour before bedtime, and so on.
Keep in mind: work and leisure should not happen in the same place! This is important for developing good sleep habits. Don’t check your email in bed, and don’t finish an article or report. Otherwise, you will not be able to relax fully.
4. Don’t drink alcohol or eat before bed
Everything is simple here: a late dinner is fraught with heartburn, which will definitely not let you sleep peacefully.
As for alcohol, scientists have found that those who use a glass or a glass of wine “for relaxation” before going to bed suffer from sleep disturbances in the second half of the night.
The more time between dinner and drinking and sleep, the better.
5. Turn off gadgets 30 minutes before bed
This is advice that we all ignore (I want to read an e-book, check social networks, and so on). But in vain.
The light that comes from the smartphone imitates the sun.
It signals the brain to stop producing melatonin. It is an important hormone that regulates the circadian rhythm (sleep and wake cycles) and signals when it’s time to fall asleep and when to wake up.
Disruptions in the circadian rhythm lead not only to poor sleep: but they are also fraught with vision problems, the development of depression, and cancer. So better put your gadgets away.
6. Relax for 30-60 minutes
Here are some recommendations from the American National Sleep Foundation.
Read a book or magazine (not electronic, but paper, and not related to work).
Write down your thoughts. Experts say that journaling before bed can help manage stress and anxiety.
Follow the rituals that will send a signal that you are getting ready for bed: brush your teeth, and wash your face.
Try meditation. Studies have shown that it promotes psychological well-being.
7. Don’t get enough sleep
Experts say that if you wake up early and decide to take a little more nap, getting up on time will be much more difficult. You will most likely fall into a deep sleep.
So it’s better to take advantage of the chance that the body has given you and use the early morning for some useful things.
8. Do morning exercises
Physical exercise coupled with sunlight will turn off the production of melatonin and give you vigor. A new cycle will begin to prepare your body for sleep.
By the way, exercising in the afternoon will also help you fall asleep in time in the evening, just don’t load yourself too late.
CrossFit after 21:00 is contraindicated – replace it with yoga.
In any case, the load on an excellent sleep must be selected individually.
9. Don’t worry about falling asleep
Of course, easier said than done. Some look forward to the night with fear, look at the clock, worried that they will not be able to sleep again tonight. And after sleep really does not come, they experience negative emotions: fear, anxiety, and anger. This can lead to chronic insomnia.
In this case, doctors recommend removing clocks and other items from the bedroom that remind you of possible insomnia.
You don’t need to consider that you can’t fall asleep as a disaster. Instead of worrying about the next hard day at work, think about how well you will sleep the next night. Set yourself up for it.
10. Practice relaxation
Every time you worry about not falling asleep, your body releases stress hormones. As a result, falling asleep turns into a problem.
Progressive relaxation, invented by the American neurologist Edmund Jacobson, will help you get out of this circle. These are exercises with alternating relaxation and tension of individual muscle groups.
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