5 Things You Should Do Before Going to Bed
A good night's sleep is often underestimated by people even though everyone "knows" how important it can be. Unfortunately, due to our modern-day lifestyle, we are spending lesser and lesser time sleeping. Scientists recommend around 7-8 hours of sleep every night. This allows your body and mind to fully recharge. However, most people throw this advice right out of the window, and it shows in the way they carry themselves during the day.
Also, contrary to what most people believe, it is not merely enough to go to bed early to get a good night's sleep. There are certain things you can do to greatly enhance the quality of your sleep. This has tremendous benefits that will reflect the quality of your life. Let's take a look at five such things that can help you supercharge your sleep.
1 | Avoid Screens Before Sleep
Several studies have shown that the light emitted by our electronic devices (like phones, tablets, laptops, etc.) can disrupt our sleep. This is mainly because of the blue light that is emitted by these devices that confuse our internal biological clock. So, it's a good idea to avoid any screens at least an hour before you go to bed.
2 | Meditate
During the day, you have a lot of things to do, both physically and mentally. Owing to the complexities of life, these may occupy your mind even when you're trying to wind down for the day. This can keep you up until late at night and make you feel sleep-deprived. Meditation comes to the rescue in this situation. Just ten to fifteen minutes of deep meditation is enough to calm your mind and tell your brain to enter sleep mode. This keeps all those pesky thoughts away and you are able to sleep better.
3 | Block Out All Artificial Light
Our body is very sensitive to light. If the room that you sleep in gets ambient light from outside or from within your room, you need to remedy this situation. The darker the room, the better the quality of sleep you will get. So, make sure you use good quality curtains that block out most of the light from outside and also that you wear an eye mask. This way, light doesn't reach your eyes which promotes good sleep.
4 | Avoid Food And Drinks
This is one of the most common bad habits that people have nowadays. Late-night munching has almost become a fad at this point. When you have a full stomach, it becomes difficult for you to fall asleep. Even if you do fall asleep quickly, it harms your body in many ways. During sleep, digestion gets slowed down and this can cause acid reflux. This can cause you to wake up in the middle of the night feeling uncomfortable and in pain. It's best to avoid any food or drinks at least two hours before going to bed.
5 | Read A Book
Many people find it much easier to sleep if they are reading a book just before sleeping. In fact, for many, their books act as their sleeping pills. It is a good idea to read a book that is not too interesting (or else you might spend the whole night reading it). Also, make sure that it is a physical book and not an ebook. To go the extra mile, you could install a night lamp (with orange-ish) light to read your book. It will be much less disruptive than the normal LED lights in your room.
To Wrap Up
Sleep is one of the most important biological processes for animals, including us humans. It recharges our body and mind and that allows us to function well the next day. The modern lifestyle has led to a lot of disruptions in our sleep. So, it's crucial that we follow a night-time routine that enhances the quality of our sleep. Want more easy and fast strategies to optimize your sleep? Check out my book notes on Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker, PhD.
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