Getting a good night’s sleep is vital for your health; it is equally important as eating a balanced diet and exercising. Sleep needs vary from person to person, but most adults require between seven to nine hours of sleep per night. Yet, approximately 35% of adults in the United States are sleep deprived, endangering their health and safety. Fortunately, sleep medicine can help treat sleep problems and disorders that affect sleep quality. Your sleep medicine Austin treatment can also entail adopting the following habits that encourage better sleep.
Create a restful environment
You don’t want your bedroom to be noisy and bussing with activities when it is sleep time. Instead, keep your room calm, dark, and quiet; this may help you fall asleep. Exposure to light at night may make it harder for you to fall asleep. For this reason, you should also avoid prolonged use of light-emitting screens, including your smartphone, just before bedtime. Consider using darkening shades, a fan, earplugs, or other devices that create an environment to sleep in. Calming activities close to bedtime, like showering and meditating, can promote better sleep.
Watch your food and drinks.
Avoid going to bed when stuffed or hungry because discomfort might keep you up. Therefore, avoid large or heavy meals a few hours before bedtime. Beverages, including coffee, tea, and alcohol, deserve caution. They have stimulating effects that usually take hours to wear off, interfering with sleep. While alcohol may make you sleepy at first, it disrupts your sleep later in the night.
Minimize daytime naps
Sleeping for long hours during the day interferes with your nighttime sleep. Try and limit naps to not more than an hour and avoid napping in the evening. If you work at night, you may need to rest later in the day to compensate for your sleep debt.
Make physical exercise part of your routine.
Regular physical activity can encourage better sleep and is also good for overall well-being. While exercise is essential, avoid being too active close to bedtime. If you work from home, consider spending time outside daily; this might improve your sleep.
Manage your worries
Try to resolve your worries and concerns earlier in the day and not close to bedtime. Thinking about your worries will keep you awake at night. Therefore, write down your thoughts and set them aside for tomorrow. If you are stressed, consider stress management tips such as deep breathing, exercising, eating well, and taking a break. You can start with basics like delegating tasks, organizing, and setting priorities.
Stick to a sleep schedule
Most adults require no more than eight hours of sleep to rest well. Therefore, set aside eight hours of sleep and ensure you go to bed and get up at the same time, including off days and weekends. Doing so reinforces your body’s sleep-wake cycle and promotes better sleep. If you don’t fall asleep within about 20 minutes of being in bed, leave your room and do something relaxing like reading or listening to soothing music. Go to bed when you are tired but try to maintain your sleep schedule.
Do you have problems falling or staying asleep? Visit your doctor at Sleep Cycle Center to know how you can benefit from sleep medicine.