Having a good sleep is key to your well-being.
Poor sleep or not enough sleep can have major impacts on your day-to-day functioning. Symptoms of poor sleep can include fatigue, lack of energy, difficulty concentrating, anxiety, and decreased lung function.
Note: Different people need different amounts of nightly sleep. For some adults, 4 to 6 hours a night are enough. Others need 8 hours or more. Also, age is known to affect sleep requirements. Infants generally sleep 16 hours a day, but sleep requirements lessen with the years. By adulthood most of us sleep 7 or 8 hours a night. Those over 50 generally report they sleep less than when they were younger.
Here are some tips to help you sleep better:
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Get up at the same time every morning.
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Give yourself 20 minutes to fall asleep. After 20 minutes, get up and leave the bedroom to do something relaxing or slightly monotonous.
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Avoid naps. The best sleep is obtained at night.
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Have a cool, dark, quiet bedroom. The ideal temperature seems to be 64-66 ̊F or 18 ̊C.
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Earplugs and eyeshades can be helpful for some people.
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Keep regular rituals and routines before bedtime.
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At home, or away, rituals help reinforce sleepiness.
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Avoid caffeine and alcohol in the evening. These promote wakefulness and make you urinate more.
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Exercise moderately in the late afternoon or early evening. An evening walk is a great way to wind down.
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Don’t go to bed too hungry or too full.
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Unwind before bedtime. Leave worries at the door.
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Don’t oversleep. It’s better to shorten your sleep by 15 minutes than oversleep.
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Save your bedroom for sleep. This room should be associated with pleasure, relaxation and sleep.
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Use relaxation techniques. Doing things that help calm your mind make it easier to fall asleep.