Sleep deprivation has been linked to decreased libido, weight gain, high blood pressure, a weakened immune system and many other serious illnesses. Here are valuable secrets with the seal of experts that will improve the quality of your sleep
Inadequate sleep is a global public health epidemic affecting up to 45% of the world’s population, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Sleep Community.
The so-called “sleep hygiene” is not difficult to achieve. According to scientists in the field, there are ways to train the brain to recognize that it is time to fall asleep and stay in this state for as long as needed.
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Below are eight of them.
1. Create a suitable sleeping environment
One of the first moves one must make if one wants to improve the quality of his sleep is to create the right environment. The REM stage of sleep is a lighter level of rest that is more easily disturbed, so a comfortable mattress and a cool bed are elements that can help. Science sets the ideal sleeping temperature at 15-20 degrees Celsius.
2. Develop a routine
Create a bedtime ritual by taking a warm bath, reading a book or listening to soothing music. You can also try deep breathing, yoga, meditation, and relaxation. Also, it is good to fall asleep at the same time every day, even on weekends, in order for the brain to learn to function in this pattern.
3. Turn off the lights
The secretion of the sleep hormone (melatonin) begins in the dark. Research has found that the body will delay or stop producing melatonin if exposed to light, so it would be good to turn off the lights, even the blue light from charging your mobile or laptop, while you sleep. If your room is not dark enough, consider using darker curtains or a sleeping mask.
4. Turn down the volume
When you turn off the blue light from your smartphone, remember to turn off the sound notifications from your applications. If you live in an area with increased noise, try putting white tones in the bedroom, which help to remove sudden noises that can disturb your sleep.
5. Avoid caffeine in the afternoon
Stop drinking caffeinated beverages at least six hours before bedtime.
6. Abstain from alcohol
Do not turn to alcohol to calm your nerves or to help you fall asleep. Alcohol can help a person fall asleep, but at the same time it “traps” that person in the lighter stages of sleep. The body needs all three stages – light sleep, REM stage and deep sleep – to repair and repair any damage.
7. Eat light and not spicy foods
Heavy and spicy foods can cause heartburn or other digestive problems, affecting the body’s ability to fall asleep and stay in that state. As for sugar, studies show that it is associated with disturbed sleep without rest and that it probably affects the hormones that control curling.
8. Use the bedroom only for sleeping
The bed should be a place that only concerns sleep. As normal as it is to work on the laptop sitting on the bed, playing games or lying with the children, this condition does not “teach” the brain to treat the bedroom as a place to sleep.
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