Nine morning and evening habits that promote healthy sleep
'27.08.2022'
Source: Cluber
A few simple but effective research-based tips lead Cluber.
If you want to avoid sleepless nights, which you either can’t fall asleep or wake up every few minutes and make your next day much more pleasant and successful, try using the tips based on scientific research in this article.
If you have problems with the constancy of circadian sleep rhythms, then the formation of new positive morning and evening habits can help you fall asleep more easily in the evenings and wake up in the morning not with a "cast-iron" head, but feeling fresh and full of energy. These habits do not have to be complex and time-consuming, but if you stick to them every day, it will certainly have a calming effect on you and help relieve stress.
So what should you do in the morning:
Determine for yourself the time of awakening and try to stick to it every day.
“There is no and cannot be“ right ”or“ wrong ”time to wake up, says Christopher Winter, director of the Center for Neurology and Sleep Research in Charlottesville. “It doesn’t matter what time you are going to open your eyes in the morning, whether at 7 in the morning or at 10, the main thing is that you constantly adhere to this time.” He also points out that if you need to wake up a little earlier from time to time, this is acceptable, but it’s better not to sleep longer than your usual time of awakening.
According to the American Association for Healthy Sleep, the minimum recommended duration of sleep for healthy adults is at least seven hours a day, but due to the individual characteristics of the body, this value may differ - you may need more hours of sleep in order to feel fully sleepy and rested.
Clean your room in the morning
Dr. Winter advises every morning to make up the bed and at least slightly clean up the room. He also recommends not to keep dirty things in the bedroom, unassembled mail or other working materials.
“Morning cleaning, firstly, calms, and, secondly, getting ready for bed, you must enter the clean, tidy bedroom. The results of many scientific studies indicate that an orderly environment contributes to faster falling asleep and better sleep, ”he says.
Exercise either on the street or in a bright room
If you start your day with exercise, you’re doing the right thing, says Cherie Ma, MD, a specialist in healthy sleep. “Regular exercise is extremely beneficial for a healthy sleep, and morning sunlight helps you“ tune in ”your internal clock and adhere to your daily routine,” writes Ma.
Dr. Winter adds to this that exercise in a brightly lit place helps to “awaken” the mind, and start the day with a more correct and productive way. “It’s very useful for your brain to perceive in the morning the difference between the dark coolness of the bedroom at night and the bright, noisy zumba class at 7:30. This helps him understand that the night has ended and a new day has begun, ”says Winter.
Good evening habits for a good night's sleep:
Do not eat before bedtime
According to Dr. Winter, dinner is best as early as possible. In addition, according to him, if you intend to drink alcohol in the evening, it is better to do it immediately after you return from work in the evening, and in moderation.
Alcohol suppresses the deep phase of sleep, delays the fast phase of sleep, dehydrates and relaxes muscles, so that it may well impair breathing (which leads to insufficient oxygen supply to the body) and cause snoring, says Winter. “The effect of alcohol may be like a dream, but it is not a dream,” he says.
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Learn to relax before bedtime.
In order to prepare the body for sleep, Dr. Ma advises to draw up such an evening routine that will contribute to relaxation. For example, reading paper books, breathing exercises, yoga, stretching or meditation. According to her, any time devoted to relaxation helps to sleep better.
Ma advises starting with five minutes, and then gradually adjusting this time to 20. “Let it be a time for you to analyze what you have done and thought about that day, and what you need to do tomorrow,” says she. - One of the athletes with whom I worked loved to collect a Rubik's cube before going to bed - it relaxed him. There is no universal relaxation method that is suitable for everyone, so try to find one that suits you. ”
In addition, a muted and soft light can help to relax. “Change the lighting to one that dims the brightness of the light without turning it off completely,” Dr. Winter advises. - And also try changing bulbs to those that do not contain light of blue and green spectrum. This will help your brain begin to produce melatonin. ”
Stay away from computer and phone screens
About an hour before going to bed, set aside phones and other gadgets, as the brightness of their screen interferes with the production of melatonin, also called sleep hormone, and prevents you from falling asleep when you want it, Dr. Ma advises. Distribute your evening time wisely. Use your phone and watch TV in the early evening, and not just before bedtime.
Go to bed at the same time
“It is imperative to go to bed at the same time, because it helps our body expect sleep at that time,” says Ma. Of course, this time does not need to be kept accurate to the minute, but try to go to bed early enough to provide yourself with seven to eight hours of full sleep.
If the time when you should have gone to bed is about to come, and your sleep is still "in no one eye", still try to lie down and doze off - believe me, you can prettyly surprise yourself. Even if you can’t fall asleep right away, lie down in bed and rest is still very useful. And if from time to time you still stay up late, there is nothing wrong with that (unless it starts to become a habit).
Try to go to bed in a good mood
In order to go to bed in a good mood, you can, for example, read a good book before going to bed. Dr. Ma strongly recommends reading only “real”, paper books, or magazines before bedtime. “When you read from the screen, you are exposed to the light of the blue spectrum, which keeps the mind awake. The blue spectrum light prevents the production of melatonin, which is very important for the process of falling asleep, ”she says.
Dr. Winter believes that being in a comfortable bed is good.
“Try to learn how to have fun just relaxing in bed. Believe me, your bed is far from the worst place you could be in! ”He says.
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What you do throughout the day matters
In addition, scientists point out that for a good sleep, you should not confine yourself to good morning and evening good habits. Healthy sleep is also facilitated by such positive changes in the daily routine as refusing coffee after dinner, regular meals, as well as more physical activity and fresh air throughout the day.
“By the way, if you sleep well at night, but sometimes you want to take a nap during the day, you can do it,” Dr. Winter believes, although if you have problems sleeping at night, then perhaps it’s not worth it. If you want a good night’s sleep, it’s worth taking care of it during the day.
