5 Tips on How to Sleep Better
Sleepless nights are a hassle to everyone. Almost everyone is well-aware that sleep is an integral and crucial part of our daily lives. If you doubt you know everything there is to know about sleep, you can try visiting Easy Snooze, a blog that is all about sleep. Knowing the things that ruin sleep ahead of time is the best way to get better sleep more often. The reason why the population is having more and more insomniacs is because of the lifestyle that our generation is promoting. I will discuss further why the previous generation, prior to the industrial evolution had lesser problems falling asleep than our generation today.
Today’s generation
Today’s generation have formed the habit of information overload. With social media sites growing ever increasingly popular, the advent of web 2.0, an exponential increase in information sources, as well as the invention of numerous devices that give us information, our society has become surrounded by provocative information and sources of entertainment. Prior to sleep, our brain needs to get the feeling of the lack of activity. We cannot simply tell our brains “there is nothing more to do for today, you can go to sleep now”. Our brains must realize subconsciously that the information all throughout the day is to be stored into long term, and it is safe to rest without having to worry about anything for now. But if we keep on accessing exciting things on the internet, or keep on watching provocative television shows, our brain will not be able to settle quickly to sleep, instead it will still keep on thinking that it has the need to be awake to absorb more information or to think about other things.
Tip #1: Eliminate Worry, Excitement, Fear, and Anxiety
These four emotions cause our brains to remain at work all throughout the night. It is quite difficult not to feel these things when something is causing them, but we need to convince ourselves that worrying about something will not solve the problem, nor will being excited bring us ever closer to what we’re excited about. If something is worrying you and you can do something about right now, then you ought to go and do something about it. Trying to sleep with something on your mind will only be harder than actually trying to solve the problem, unless that problem is very difficult or can wait until morning.
Tip #2: Avoid the Drugs
Avoid caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, and sugar at least 3 hours before bedtime. These drugs can cause your brain to go into overdrive. Even if there is seemingly no activity left to do, your imagination will keep on rolling and talking to you all throughout the night thanks to these drugs. Avoid them at all costs, lest you want to wake up cranky and tired in the morning to come.
Tip #3: Avoid active and provocative things
Exercise, watching television, surfing the web, and using mobile devices prior to sleep can affect your sleep. These are one of the main reasons why the average time of sleep that humans of the previous generation is a lot more than that of our generation. Reading, talking to your spouse or kids, or taking a bath is a much better activity prior to bedtime. Unless your profession or career really requires you to do any of these activities, try to avoid them.
Tip #4: Avoid Physical and Mental discomfort
Avoid being physically uncomfortable by choosing the right environment to sleep in as well as the right pillows, mattresses, and bedding to sleep on. The best side sleeper pillows vary from person to person, but most find orthopedic and memory foam pillows for their firmness and neck support. Also, get mentally comfortable. Dim lights and dark lights are the best ambiance to sleep in. If you have no choice but to sleep in a bright room, eye-covering may be used. Also, part of mentally getting comfortable is learning how to relax and let your body go. It sounds easier than actually applying it, but it’s a guarantee that good sleep follows right after getting comfortable.