Sleep quality is one of the most overlooked issues effecting general health and wellbeing. Medical practitioners have for a long time suggested that it is not simply about the duration of sleep but also about the quality. Here are 4 scientifically proven tips to get the most out of your nights sleep and wake up rejuvenated.
1. Body and Room Temperature
Getting your room as well as your body to the right temperature is not just a matter of hot and cold.
Keeping a cool head is ideal for sleeping, literally. Researchers involved in the study even suggested that yawning is our body’s natural way of cooling down the head and getting it ready to settle down. Sleeping with one or both feet outside of the covers has a similar cooling effect, New York Magazine’s The Science Of Us reported.
Science says: Try sleeping naked. Not only does this help to regulate body temperature, but also sleeping naked with a partner helps increase the amount of direct skin-to-skin contact. According to The Huffington Post, this is a behavior that promote the release of the sleep-inducing hormone oxytocin.
2. Ditch The Cell Phone Before Bed
Artificial blue light from electronics such as smart phones and tablets make it more difficult for the body to produce melatonin, a hormone that induces sleep. Our circadian rhythm,or body clock, are in tune with the sun according to researchers, wake-inducing hormones and sleep-inducing hormones are dependent on the sun’s rise and set. Many researchers believe the use of technology before bed has disrupted the normal sleep and wake pattern. Using technology before bed confuses the body and causes it to suppress its release of melatonin, a hormone associated with sleep, making it harder to get a full night’s rest.
Science Says: According to professor Shantha Rajaratnam from Monash University’s School of Psychology and Psychiatry told ABC News.
3. Your Sleeping Position
According to Medical Daily, Dr. Michael Breus, a clinical psychologist and both a diplomat of the American Board of Sleep Medicine and a fellow of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, argues that sleeping on your back is the best sleeping position. Sleeping on one’s back keeps the body aligned. Your head, neck, and spine are put in a neutral position.
This ensures that there is no extra pressure being added to the back and that your spine stayed aligned all night long, which means you won’t be up all night tossing and turning. What’s more, sleeping on your back has the added bonus of helping to prevent acid reflux by making it less likely for digested substances to come back up.
Science says: Sleeping on the back could be difficult for those who snore or suffer from sleep apnea. For these individuals, sleeping on one’s side may serve as a better alternative: It can help to prevent back pain all while keeping the oropharynx clear to minimise the risk of snoring and sleep apnea.
4. Stick to a Bedtime
According to the American Sleep Foundation, sticking to a “sleep schedule” that involves going to bed and waking up at the same time, even on weekends, can help you to fall asleep and stay asleep throughout the night. This is because it helps to train your body’s clock to begin the winding down process at the same time each night, ensuring a more natural and deeper rest.
Along with a regular bedtime, keeping regular bedtime rituals can also help to ensure a deeper rest. These rituals should be done away from unnatural lighting and should not cause excitement or anxiety.
Some harmful bedtime rituals despite contrary beliefs such as enjoying a cigarette, alcoholic beverage, or having a large snack right before settling down into bed can actually do more harm than good to your sleeping pattern. The American Sleep Foundation advises that these habits can increase the chances of disrupted sleep.
Science Says: Try a hot bath or enjoy a glass of warm milk before bed. Along with helping you to relax, these activities will slightly increase your body temperature, which in turn can also help with the pre-sleep, cool-down process
