A good night’s sleep is as essential as a healthy diet and frequent exercise. A study has shown that poor sleep negatively affects your hormones and brain function. Lack of enough sleep also causes weight gain and makes you eat less. Sleep quantity and quality have decreased in recent years. Most people hardly get enough sleep, despite its health benefits. It is possible to get sleep medicine in Austin to give you a comfortable night’s rest. Let us dive right into tips to help you sleep better at night.
- Expose Yourself to Bright Light During the Day
The body has a circadian rhythm that acts as a timekeeper. This rhythm affects your hormones and body, keeping you awake and telling your body when to rest. Natural sunlight during the day gives you a healthy circadian rhythm, giving you a good night’s sleep. Research has shown that three hours of bright exposure increases sleep quality in adults by 70%.
- Do Not Take Caffeine in the Evening
Caffeine has several health advantages and is taken by over 80% of the US population. One dose enhances focus and keeps you active. However, it stimulates your nervous system when you take it late, hindering your body from resting. It will help to shun caffeine at least five hours before bedtime to have a good sleep.
- Reduce Daytime Naps
Short naps have health benefits, but you will affect your sleep by having irregular naps during the daytime. Daytime sleeping alters your mental clock, meaning you will struggle at night. However, people who are already used to daytime naps are not distracted at night.
- Try Sleeping and Waking at Consistent Times
The body’s circadian rhythm works using a set loop that aligns itself during sunrise and sunset. You will improve your long-term sleep quality by having a consistent sleeping schedule. A study has shown that people with irregular sleeping patterns have a poor sleep.
- Take Supplements
Melatonin is a crucial sleep hormone that lets your body know when to relax. There are also melatonin supplements that help in improving sleep. Melatonin is also used to treat insomnia and is among the fastest ways to fall asleep. Melatonin is essential when adjusting to new time zones because it turns the circadian rhythm back to normal. It is advisable to begin with a small dose to check your tolerance and increase it with time. You can get sleep medicine if you have irregular sleep patterns.
- Avoid Taking Alcohol
A couple of drinks every night will affect your hormones and sleep negatively. Alcoholic beverages increase apnea symptoms, disrupting your sleep pattern. Alcohol also alters the production of melatonin, which plays a vital role in the circadian rhythm.
- Avoid Eating in the Evening
Eating late at night can affect your sleep quality and melatonin production. This means your night snack’s quality plays a role in the type of sleep you get. It is advisable to take light meals before bedtime to have a good sleep.
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