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12 tips for better sleep

Sleep is how we take in what the day taught us, and it matters for both mental and physical health. Enough sleep makes us more productive and more creative. We make better decisions, and the immune system does its job. Good sleep is part of staying well and in balance. Here are 12 tips.

12 tips for better sleep

12 tips for better sleep

  1. Keep a stable rhythm.
    This is the most important tip. Go to bed and get up at the same time every day, including weekends. You cannot catch up on sleep at the weekend. Set the alarm for bedtime, not only for the morning, so you remember when to stop.

  2. Exercise is good, but not late.
    Try to move for at least 30 minutes a day, and not in the last 2–3 hours before bed.

  3. Leave caffeine and nicotine well before bedtime.
    Coffee, cola, some teas and chocolate contain caffeine, and the body can take up to 8 hours to clear it. A cup of coffee in the evening can make it harder to fall asleep. Nicotine makes smokers sleep lightly and wake early, because the body wants more.

  4. Skip alcohol before bed.
    Alcohol can make you feel relaxed, and it still wrecks the deep sleep you need. You sleep more lightly, and you are more likely to wake in the night.

  5. Do not eat a large meal, or drink a lot, right before bed.
    A light supper is fine. A large meal sits in the digestion. A lot of fluid means more trips to the bathroom, and that breaks the night.

  6. If you can, avoid medicines that disturb sleep.
    Medicine for the heart, blood pressure and asthma can affect sleep, and so can some flu and allergy medicines. Ask your doctor or a pharmacist whether anything you take affects sleep, and whether it can be taken earlier in the day.

  7. Try not to nap after 3 in the afternoon.
    A nap can recover a little of last night. It can also make the evening harder.

  8. Use the hours before bed to wind down.
    Do not fill the day so tightly that there is no time to settle. Read, or listen to music. Something the body reads as calm.

  9. Take a warm shower or bath before bed.
    When your body temperature drops after a warm shower, that drop can make you sleepy and help you fall asleep sooner.

  10. Keep the bedroom dark, cool and quiet.
    Remove what keeps you from falling asleep or staying asleep. Noise, bright light, an uncomfortable bed and a room that is too warm all matter. You sleep better when the room is a little cool. The TV, the phone and the computer can also break the night. Get a mattress, pillow and duvet that make it good to lie down. Put the alarm clock where you cannot see it.

  11. Get enough daylight.
    Try to be outside in natural light for at least 30 minutes a day. If you can, get up with the sun, or use a bright light when you wake. Lower the lights in the house through the afternoon and evening, so the body can prepare for night.

  12. Do not lie awake in bed for long.
    If you are still awake after 20 minutes and you feel anxious, get up and do something quiet until you are tired. The fear of not sleeping makes sleep harder.

First written at: https://www.vasser.no/blogg/hvorfor-sover-vi

Source: Why We Sleep, by Matthew Walker.