If you are looking to implement healthy sleeping habits into your daily routine but don’t know where to start, these tips are perfect for you! Being mindful of the things you do before bed is important, as your habits contribute to the quality of your sleep. Take a look at our list of healthy sleeping habits, and choose which tips you can incorporate into your nighttime routine to help you achieve deep and restful sleep.
Habit 1: Create a sleep schedule you can stick to
Having a sleep schedule set in place ensures that your body is getting the rest it needs each day. Additionally, following a sleep schedule will help your body know when it is time to sleep and time to wake up. Therefore, having a routine can help with sleep issues like insomnia, as your body will get into the routine of sleeping and waking at your designated time.
Habit 2: Create an ideal sleep environment
The environment you go to sleep in can be a game-changer for the quality of your sleep. Try to keep your room dark, quiet, and at a cool temperature to allow your body to release melatonin and regulate your circadian rhythms to achieve your best sleep.
Habit 3: Be conscious of your food choices near bedtime
The consumption of alcohol, energy drinks, caffeine, and other foods/beverages that contain a high sugar content can result in insomnia, oversleeping, and other related sleep problems, as the stimulus from these foods and drinks do not allow your body to relax. Therefore, a healthy habit to incorporate into your routine is avoiding such foods/drinks as the evening approaches to avoid having stimulants interfere with your ability to sleep.
Habit 4: No more late-night snacking
As tempting as it may be, avoiding those late-night cravings right before you head off to bed will help you sleep better. Indulging in snacks right before bed makes it difficult for your digestive system to do its job and can lead to heartburn, and no one wants that! The position you sleep in and the effect of gravity combine to create the conditions that evoke acid reflux. So, get into the healthy habit of avoiding late-night binging and try to stop eating a few hours before you head off to bed.
Habit 5: Consciously choosing to sleep on your left side
Research has shown that side sleeping is the optimal position for sleep, but more specifically, creating the habit of sleeping on your left side has been proven to transform your quality of sleep. The human body’s drainage and flow of the lymphatic system, digestive system, and circulatory system all benefit the most from sleeping on your left side, so give it a go!
Out of our five healthy sleeping habits, how many have you been practicing to perfect your sleep? If your answer is none or only a couple, that is okay. Now that you have these healthy habits in mind, try them out and see the difference they make for yourself!
References
https://polysleep.ca/blogs/news/sleep-hygiene
https://bettersleep.org/blog/healthy-sleep-habits-to-improve-deep-sleep/
https://bettersleep.org/blog/5-bad-sleeping-habits-to-break-immediately/
