What does it actually mean to “sleep better at night”? In this guide we’re going to discuss what better sleep looks like, why we should care and how to sleep the best you possibly can.
What is optimum sleep?
According to the National Sleep Foundation, the recommended amount of sleep for different age groups is as follows:
- Newborns (0-3 months): 14-17 hours of sleep per day
- Infants (4-11 months): 12-15 hours of sleep per day
- Toddlers (1-2 years): 11-14 hours of sleep per day
- Preschoolers (3-5 years): 10-13 hours of sleep per day
- School-aged children (6-13 years): 9-11 hours of sleep per day
- Teenagers (14-17 years): 8-10 hours of sleep per day
- Adults (18-64 years): 7-9 hours of sleep per day
- Older adults (65 years and older): 7-8 hours of sleep per day
It’s important to keep in mind that the ideal amount of sleep varies from person to person, depending on your daily schedule and activities. Always listen to your body, it knows you best. For example, some girls need more sleep during their period and less the week after. The important thing is getting quality sleep and not quantity sleep just for the sake of it.
What constitutes good quality sleep?
Here are some characteristics of quality sleep:
- Duration: You sleep for the recommended amount of time for your age group.
- Regularity: You maintain a consistent sleep schedule and sleep and wake up around the same time each day.
- Alertness: You feel alert and energetic during the day and do not experience excessive daytime sleepiness or fatigue.
- Efficiency: You fall asleep within a reasonable amount of time after going to bed and stay asleep through the night.
- Absence of sleep disorders: You do not experience any sleep disorders such as sleep apnea, insomnia, or restless leg syndrome.
Go through the list 1-5 and ask yourself if you’re lacking any of these characteristics. If you are experiencing difficulty sleeping or feel tired and fatigued during the day, it’s important to consult a healthcare professional to address any underlying sleep issues. This is important especially if your life is suffering from it. If your sleep is already decent but you just want to improve it then keep reading my friends.
Why should you care about having better sleep?
With proper sleep hygiene you can reap a multitude of benefits in all areas of your life! While on the flip side of the coin if you’re not sleeping well you can reduce your overall experience of life. Here are some of the lesser known benefits of sleeping better:
- Improved creativity: Good quality sleep can enhance creativity and problem-solving abilities by allowing the brain to process and consolidate information more effectively.
- Reduced inflammation: Sleeping well is associated with reduced levels of inflammation, which can help prevent chronic diseases and improve overall health.
- Reduced risk of migraines: When you sleep better at night you can reduce the frequency and severity of migraines.
- Improved digestion: Our digestive health can be improved by allowing the body to properly process and absorb nutrients.
- Emotional well-being: You can enhance mood and reduce the risk of depression and anxiety by practicing proper sleep hygiene.
- Reduced risk of accidents: Good quality sleep can reduce the risk of accidents, including motor vehicle accidents and workplace accidents, by improving alertness and reaction times.
- Improved pain management: Good sleep hygiene can improve pain tolerance and reduce sensitivity to pain.
Besides the above lesser known advantages, sleep is extremely important for cognitive and bodily functioning. It is just as important as eating. We would slowly start losing all our basic functions if we had to give up on sleep and our immune system would not be as effective as it was anymore. These are just a couple reasons you should care about having better sleep.
How to sleep better at night?
The best sleep starts when you wake up. Confused? Well, our meals, daily activities and the emotional happenings of the day all influence how we sleep when we lay our heads on our pillows that night.
What to eat for better sleep?
According to Medical News Today, “Many chemicals, amino acids, enzymes, nutrients, and hormones work together to promote good sleep and regulate the sleep cycle.” These compounds are found in the following foods:
- Almonds
- Chamomile Tea
- Kiwi
- Walnuts
- Fatty Fish
- Passionflower Tea
- White Rice
- Turkey
Try to include these foods in your day and observe which ones help you to sleep better. Then make them a part of your daily meals and snacks to sleep better at night.
Daily activities that enhance quality sleep
What we do throughout the day determines how quickly we fall asleep and how long we stay asleep during the night. Here are some activities that will promote better sleep:
- Regular Exercise: According to The Sleep Doctor “Physically demanding activities such as exercise increase the pressure to sleep that naturally builds throughout the day. Exercise also increases endorphins and regulates melatonin both of which promote better sleep.
- Taking a relaxing bath: When we take a nice bath we reduce stress and anxiety which then helps us to sleep better at night. A warm bath can also relax the muscles thereby promoting relaxation which will help you sleep better.
- Breathing exercises (pranayama): In most people’s struggle to get quality sleep the main culprit is stress or anxiety about a future event. Practicing different types of breathing techniques has been shown to promote relaxation by reducing stress and anxiety. In my post 11 techniques to reduce anxiety quick I go into a deeper explanation as to how proper breathing exercises can reduce anxiety.
- Meditation: Meditation has the dame effect as breathing exercises in helping you to sleep better at night.
What to avoid to sleep better at night
You should avoid any strenuous activities before bed as this can make it harder to fall asleep. During the evening try to reduce your blue light exposure as well as your caffeine intake and don’t take long naps in the day. It is important to also keep our emotions in check so that we don’t bring about stress before heading to bed. Check out this article by Sleep Health Solutions on foods to avoid before bed.
Conclusion
With good sleep hygiene we can improve every aspect of our life, making our days more joyful and productive. I hope this guide has helped you to realise where you might be sabotaging your sleep or how you could improve it. Remember, good sleep starts when you wake up so wake up better, live better and therefore sleep better.
XOXO