Sleep is essential to keep our body and brain healthy to work at their best capacity. It is not just a relaxing night time activity: it is a mere health barometer and you should treat it accordingly.
Sleep plays a critical role in brain structure development, in enhancing creativity and in learning and memory activity. You may have come to the realization that when you feel unrested, your irritability, sadness, anger and frustration increase. And if you deprive yourself of this vital biological need, you might end up with metabolic and cognitive disturbances, chronic tiredness, depression and organ system diseases.
Keep reading to find out how you can improve the quality of your sleep at night to function better during the day.
How to improve the quality of sleep at night
Eliminate light-sources
There is a reason humans have always slept during the dark, night-time hours, and that is because specific physical processes respond to darkness by triggering your pineal gland to produce melatonin. This serotonin-derived hormone promotes sleepiness and can be medically prescribed as treatment if you have insomnia.
Before you jump to conclusions and start taking medications for an illness you might not even have, ensure you eliminate any exposure to brightness, so you don’t block your organism’s production of melatonin. Here are some sources of light that might impact your biological process:
- Cover the windows, so the light from the moon and the sun doesn’t enter your room
- Mind the gap between the floor and the door to block outsourced brightness
- Wear an eye mask throughout the night to protect your eyelids from being penetrated and inhibiting melatonin production.
Freshen up the air in your room
Allowing fresh air to circulate through your room is one of the easiest ways to let fresh air in and increase the quality of your sleep. Unless you live in a quiet area that provides you with unpolluted, clean air, you should consider buying an air purifier and humidifier. These freshen up and reduce odors while saving you the struggle of regularly opening and closing your window. Plus, it is scientifically proven that comfortable and cold environments favour the best sleep as an impact of the fresh air and ease your body’s process of regulating the temperature. Additionally, you can try breathing techniques and exercises to help you feel less stressed and reset to a normal breathing rhythm.
Pick cozy clothing and comfortable textiles
Sleep disturbances in people who don’t suffer from illnesses can usually be linked to the thermal environment and the quality and texture of pajamas.
If you throw on some long-unworn T-shirt or mixed pajamas and don’t think the clothes you sleep in at night should require much attention because you are unaware when asleep, you may want to reconsider this aspect.
The key to sleeping well is comfort. Therefore, you should evaluate the types and fabrics of your nightwear and ensure they are made out of these fabrics:
Cotton: It is a breathable, soft-to-touch, lightweight textile that lasts through washes due to its tough and strong nature. Organic cotton benefits the environment better than cotton, as it preserves biodiversity by eliminating the use of insecticides and toxic chemicals. Such a pajama is an appropriate gift for both adults and children.
Silk: It is a hypoallergenic fabric that resists allergens such as fungus and mould, so it is unlikely it will irritate your skin. Silk regulates your temperature. Therefore, the insulating barrier it provides between you and the surrounding temperature means that this material will keep you warm in the winter and cool in the summer. A silk pajama can be pricey, but it can also make an elegant gift for men and women.
Linen: Like cotton, linen is a natural, durable, soft textile derived from the flax plant. It is commonly used for bedsheets, tablecloths, napkins, and towels, but linen pajamas are a go-to when you want a temperature-regulating textile that is cozy when it is hot outside and keeps you cool on warm nights.
Flannel: It is a medium-weight, soft cotton fabric that has a fuzzy and napped finish on its sides. This finish can come from its characteristic loose weave or from brushing. Besides blankets and bedsheets, it is used to make sleepwear too and is best worn on cold nights or when you have a cold and you’d fancy a comfy pajama but also want to avoid overheating.
Bamboo: It is a hypoallergenic, thermo-regulating textile that helps with the level of moisture from your skin overnight and can have antibacterial properties. Its absorbent quality lets you stay dry and comfy for the whole night’s sleep. Bamboo pajamas for men can be your go-to gift for when you lack the in-depth knowledge of the celebrated person, you are not familiar with their skin type or you are simply out of ideas. Bamboo pajamas are good options for females too – women tend to stock up on pajamas and clothes in general, so the more jammies they gather, the better.
These two practices have a serious impact on the quality of your sleep
Exercise
Maybe you were wondering if the relationship between outdoor exercise and sleep is a fact or a myth. Just like the importance of a fresh breath of air, exercising is closely related to the quality of your sleep. These two aspects can be achieved together if you make talking a short evening walk around your neighbourhood a routine. Ensure you don’t take that walk too close to your bedtime, as it might energize you instead of helping you fall asleep.
Exercising in clean air clears your lungs and helps you with the following health aspects:
- it regulates your breathing
- it stabilizes your mood
- it helps decompress your mind
- it induces slow wave sleep
- it helps your cardiovascular system work more efficiently
- it delivers the oxygen and nutrients necessary to your system.
Coffee and alcohol
Caffeine is a brain and nervous system stimulant that improves your mood and brain function, boosts fat burning and metabolism, and enhances exercise performance, all while coming in a wide variety of specialties and being a great social drink. As convenient as you may find this miracle drink, be weary of its disadvantages too.
Regular caffeine intake causes mild addictiveness, whereas its overuse can lead to insomnia symptoms. Sleep-disorder breathing has been linked to the caffeine from sodas, so you should be careful not to drink coffee or caffeinated drinks at least six hours before bedtime.
Alcohol is both a sedative and social drink, and it puts you to sleep quicker than a glass of cold milk. Regardless of its seeming qualities, misuse can imply a series of drawbacks too:
– it has dehydrating and diuretic properties that lower the quality of your sleep and cause insomnia
– it is addictive, and making night drinking a routine can take a toll on your body.
A pre-sleep routine is recommended
Implementing the proper pre-sleep routine will positively affect the quantity and quality of your sleep.
You just need to pay some attention to what your body asks for to figure out what your sleep preferences and needs are.