Sleeping disorders like insomnia are an unfortunately common thing for people to deal with. Across the USA, tens of millions of American adults suffer from a sleep disorder of some kind. This can make it very difficult for people to sleep well, which can leave them exhausted and irritable throughout their day.
While getting over this insomnia and getting back to having high-quality sleep can seem impossible, this isn’t always the case. This article is going to go over five helpful tips to bet insomnia and sleep better going forward.
Ensure Your Bed is Up to Par
Your bed is arguably the most important part of how you sleep. It needs to be comfortable, supportive and fit your budget. If you are sleeping on a low-quality or old bed, it should be no surprise that your sleep is suffering. Finding the right bed is all about looking at the size, the firmness and the support.
The type of bed is also important. While innerspring and memory foam are arguably the most common, they aren’t the only options. For example, this article shows that there are many great hybrid mattresses, great for those who want a versatile bed.
Find Ways to Reduce Stress
Reducing stress before bed is another great way to ensure you can sleep better. Stress and the related hormones can keep us up and make it tough for our body to naturally transition from wakefulness to sleep. As a result, do things before bed that relaxes and calms you.
This can be reading your favorite book, performing some yoga, taking a hot bath or any number of other things. The less stressed you are, the easier you will find it to fall asleep, and stay asleep.
Consider Taking a Supplement
Another option if you struggle with sleep is to take a supplement. There are several different over-the-counter options for sleep aids that you can consider. These include melatonin, valerian, doxylamine and others.
Of course, before taking anything, always take the necessary precautions. Know the ingredients of anything you take, and consider speaking to your doctor about it, as well. Also, these shouldn’t be your sole effort in the fight against insomnia, but they can certainly help.
Keep Your Sleep Schedule Consistent
You also want to keep your sleep schedule consistent if you want to sleep better every night. Our body has a natural sleep/wake cycle and you should do your best to match that cycle. If not, your body will get confused and may not know whether it is time for sleep, or to wake up.
So if you go to bed at 9 PM some nights, and then 2 AM others, your body won’t be quite sure when it should be preparing for sleep. While you don’t need to wake up and go to bed at the exact same time, attempt to keep it relatively close.
Avoid Certain Foods and Beverages Before Bed
Sleeping better can also depend on the food you eat and the beverages you drink. You want to be sure to avoid things that can harm your sleep. In general, a light healthy snack is best before bed, or simply not having a snack and having a healthy breakfast once you wake up.
In terms of what you want to avoid, there are plenty. Obviously you should avoid caffeine and coffee before bed as it can certainly keep you up. Spicy foods, incredibly high-protein foods and large fatty meals also shouldn’t be consumed right before bed.
Insomnia and difficulty sleeping can be hard to go through. But by using these five tips, you will be able to beat insomnia and drastically improve the quality of your sleep.
