“We are such stuff as dreams are made on, and our little life is rounded with sleep.”
-William Shakespeare
When Shakespeare wrote these words in his famous work Tempest, little did he know the impact this great quote would make!
We humans, and our true existence is constructed with the dreams we dream for which we need our sleep.
A goodnight’s sleep is supremely important.
The night’s rest is critical for our health – both mentally and physically. Giving a good boost to the quality of our life.
Scientifically, sleep repairs and heals our heart and blood vessels, keeps our body weight in check, and maintains a balance of our hormones and sugar levels. It works magic even on our brains!
Good sleep keeps us away from unnecessary stress, erratic mood swings – providing our bodies with the required relaxation.
Aren’t these reasons enough to value our sleep?!
We all sleep as per our body’s internal clocks – but have we really experienced the benefits of a goodnight’s sleep? Do we even understand how precious it is to sleep well?
Well, if we have irked your brains enough, then let’s learn together what all could we do to make our slumbers amazing!
Nude reveals the top 4 secrets that you should adopt and be mindful of – for a better night’s sleep.
Develop a habit
Stick to a schedule!
We intend to say that one should try to sleep and wake up every day at the same time. This truly optimises the quality of your sleep and sets your natural wake and sleep cycle. Trust us; you would not need an alarm!
Being in sync with your body’s circadian rhythm (i.e., your mental, physical, and behavioural pattern within a 24-hour period) helps sleep better. Keeping a regular sleep-wake schedule results in being more refreshed and energised. Who doesn’t crave that?
Having a normalised circadian rhythm poses health benefits as it stimulates your body’s internal clock that affects your blood pressure, cortisol, and other hormone levels rise and drop.
How could you develop this habit?
- Of course – sleep and get up at the same time every day
- Avoid sleeping in—even on weekends
Umm…yes! (a tab bit difficult)
Weekends totally make your schedules go haywire. If you pulled a late nighter enjoying yourself – try compensating for it during the day time. Just make sure not to break your natural sleep-wake rhythm.
- Make a smart choice with napping. While you can surely clear your sleep debts by napping but try limiting it for 15 to 20 minutes in the early afternoon, you would not want napping to be the reason for a sleepless night.
- Combat your drowsiness. It’s only natural to feel sleepy some days before your scheduled bedtime. Don’t give in!
Engage your body in some mild stimulating activity – like getting in touch with a friend on call, organising a section of your cupboard, or doing the dishes.
Work on that bedroom environment
Inducing a goodnight’s sleep with a quiet, relaxing, clean bedroom and cool room temperature – you are welcoming surreal peace!
The body needs to feel that it’s time to wind down and de-stress. When this strong signal is communicated to the brain, a good quality sleep awaits! Trying to make an ideal sleep time environment is what we should all desire but, let’s start with small changes that can make a big difference.
- Ensure your mattress is the best investment in your house – a comfortable bed is a necessity numero uno!
Try experimenting with the mattress’s firmness, foam and support to find what suits you the best. Choose the right pillow sets for your neck support and bed covers that let you turn comfortably and stretch just the way you like it. - Keep the room cool
Body and bedroom temperature affect sleep quality. Too cold or too hot will not let you sleep soundly. So, an ambient temperature, say – 21/22-degree Celsius, works for many with adequate ventilation. - De-clutter your space
Yup! A tidy room will not hurt but only go a long way in bringing you that sleeping beauty-ish slumber. Create a space that is clean, simple and neat. This could just mean setting your bedside table, relocating bedroom items as per your comfort or what pleases the eyes. - Keep it quiet
Eliminating noises by masking them with a fan or sound machine helps to create that ideal sleep environment. You can also use earplugs. Tranquillity in your bedroom is a given to begin calming and relaxing your body before bedtime.
Sooth your senses
Do you have a sleep ritual? Like a pre-sleep routine that helps you relax?
We bring you some tidbits to nudge you and consider them for enhancing the quality of your sleep. Basically, preparation to make your body and its senses ready for a necessary shutdown of recuperation.
- No screen, TV or mobile at least an hour before sleep
Coming back to the ever-essential circadian rhythm, our bodies respond to light and darkness. When it senses the lack of light, it thinks that it’s night-time, and the body starts prepping to sleep and going slow. Similarly, when its daytime, the sun produces blue light that signals the body to get up.
With our phones, tv and computer screens, our circadian rhythm gets disrupted as they too emit blue light. Therefore, many of us find it difficult to fall asleep right away when we crawl into bed.
So, it’s advisable to say no to technology in the bedroom at least 60 minutes before sleep! - Keep your room dark
Your brain secretes more melatonin when it’s dark. Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone controlled by light exposure that helps regulate your sleep-wake cycle.
So, keeping it dark during sleep time and avoiding bright light could really help your visual senses. A blackout blind or curtains or even an eye mask would certainly help. - Listen to soothing music. Indulging in a non-stimulating activity during night hours really help to unwind before bed. So, go ahead with creating a calming Spotify playlist or yoga Nidra session that best suits you!
- Discover aromas that accentuate your sleep experience
Like spraying around a nice lavender aroma could make your room more pleasant and relaxing. Aromatherapy has a deep impact on the olfactory senses – creating a positive mood, inducing calmness and relaxation. Try out different strategies and find what works best for you.
Pay attention to your food and drink habits
What you eat and what you drink plays a big role in how well you sleep, especially in the hours before bedtime. So being smart about what you consume could be something that you wish to learn and become aware to take steps for your own body.
Here are some verities that we think you should certainly know:
- No alcohol before bed
Bummer eh?
Yes, a dutiful drink after a long day might help you relax, but it surely interferes with your sleep cycle once you’re out. It reduces melatonin production and leads to disrupted sleep patterns. - Limit your caffeine intake
Caffeine stays elevated in your blood for 6–8 hours post its consumption and stimulates your nervous system—a certain obstruction in allowing your body to relax at night naturally. - Avoid heavy meals at night
Take your dinner early in the evening and avoid heavy, rich foods within two hours of bed as it could lead to poor sleep and hormone disruption.
Spicy or acidic foods can cause stomach trouble and heartburn. - Lessen the intake of sugary foods
Eating lots of sugar during the day can trigger wakefulness at night and pull you out of the deep, restorative stages of sleep. Try switching to healthier choices of food when there is a need for a sugar rush.
Check our article here for some inspirations!
A better night’s sleep isn’t a mission impossible but a genuine thought that can be brought to life by following the above steps.
So, begin inculcating some of these in your daily life.
Let’s all target to sleep well!
After all, who does our good sleep harm anyway?
This little fine-tuning in our life and activities will only benefit me, moi, myself!
So, begin today!
