Improving Sleep Quality

A good night's sleep is very important, like regular exercise & a healthy diet. According to the research, poor sleep can negatively affect your exercise performance, brain function, and hormones. If you don't sleep enough, you may gain weight, and the risk of disease may increase in adults & kids. So, improving sleep quality is a must. If it comes to explain the benefits of improving sleep quality, you should know that good sleep helps to exercise better and remain healthier. But several people don't get enough sleep nowadays. Try to get enough night's sleep to lose weight or optimize your health.

How fast should you fall asleep?

In most cases, healthy adults fall asleep within 10-20 minutes. But if the time needs more than thirty minutes, you may be experiencing a sign called insomnia. Sometimes, you can fall asleep very quickly. If you fall asleep once your head touches the pillow, it can happen that you are suffering from sleep deprivation. It indicates that you are getting poor sleep at night.

It may happen due to a sleep disorder like sleep apnea. In this disease, breathing gets frequently interrupted when you sleep. As a result, your rest is disrupted, and you feel tired during the day. It is accompanied by loud snoring, choking, or gasping. The disease may cause serious health problems. If so, you have to consult with a doctor.

Here, we are going to mention 21 tips to improve sleep quality.

Best 21 Ways For Improving Sleep Quality:

1. Invest in a Better Mattress & Bedding:

Buy the best mattress that can offer enough comfort for relaxation. Therefore, you need to purchase a supportive mattress and pillow so that your spine gets proper support to prevent pains & aches. Remember, the blankets & sheets can make your bed more comfortable. So, you need to find such bedding which makes you feel comfortable along with maintaining a comfortable temperature during the night.

2. Block Out Light:

You should know that exposure to excessive light can lead to throwing off your sleep. You can use a sleep mask over the eyes or blackout curtains over your windows. These block light & prevent it from interfering with your sleep. Avoid bright light during bedtime so that melatonin ( a hormone that helps to promote sleep) can be created in your body.

3. Minimize Noise:

If you want your bedroom sleep-friendly, ensure that there should be less sound. Are you unable to eliminate nearby sources of noise? In that case, you should let them drown out using a fan or white noise machine. You may also use earplugs or headphones so that sounds don't bother you when you go to sleep.

4. Keep Naps Around 20 Minutes:

If you want better sleep, you must use caution with naps. Napping too late or too long may throw off the sleep schedule. As a result, it becomes difficult to sleep when you want to. The perfect time for taking a nap is shortly after lunch in the early afternoon. Around twenty minutes is the best nap length.

5. Sleep at Least 7 Hours:

Want to make sure that you are having sufficient sleep every night? Then, it is necessary to build that time into the schedule. You need to make a fixed time for waking up and sleeping at a target time so that you could sleep for at least seven hours.

6. Set Your Alarm for the Same Time Everyday:

Your body will never get accustomed to a healthy sleep-routine if you wake up at different times. Just choose a wake-up time. Remember that you must stick with the time, even on weekends.

7. Set the Thermostat to 65 - 68 Degrees Fahrenheit:

Your bedroom's temperature should neither be too hot nor too cold. However, the perfect temperature depends on the individual. In most cases, research says that you should sleep in a cooler room where the temperature remains around 65 to 68 degrees.

8. Relax for 30 Minutes Before Bed:

Try to relax by reading, listening to songs, doing relaxation exercises, and so on. You should first relax your body rather than trying to fall asleep.

These are a few relaxation ways, including:-

Controlled breathing, mindfulness meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, and guided imagery.

9. Disconnect Devices the Hour Before Bed:

Your brain will be wired if you use mobiles, laptops too much. Besides, light coming from these electronic devices may suppress the natural production of melatonin. So, you should disconnect from these devices for at least sixty minutes before you go to bed.

10. Get 30 Minutes of Natural Light Exposure:

Sunlight has a powerful effect. Therefore, you must get outside to get the daylight. Keep the windows open to get natural light. Natural light helps to normalize your circadian rhythm. If this one isn't an option, consult your doctor if you can use a light therapy box.

11. Be Mindful of Alcohol in the Hour Before Bedtime:

As Alcohol induces drowsiness, a few people prefer taking this before bed. But it may affect the brain. As a result, you will experience lower sleep quality. Therefore, it will be best not to drink alcohol before bedtime.

12. Limit Caffeine After 2 p.m.:

Caffeinated drinks like coffee, tea, and sodas are the most preferred beverage worldwide. A few people like to take energy from caffeine to get rid of the daytime sleepiness. But it's not sustainable, resulting in long-term sleep deprivation. If you want to prevent this, check how much caffeine you are taking and try to avoid taking it later in the day.

13. Exercise for at Least 20 Minutes daily:

Regular exercise offers several health benefits. When you exercise for at least twenty minutes, it helps to initiate energy use. Therefore, body temperature promotes solid sleep.

14. Eat Dinner a Few Hours Before Bed:

You can't quickly fall asleep when your body is still digesting a big dinner. So, you must have your dinner in time to keep food-based sleep disruptions minimal. Try to reduce fatty or spicy foods.

15. Limit Nicotine Use and Smoke Exposure:

You should know that exposure to smoke, including secondhand smoke, can cause various sleeping issues like facing problems when you fall asleep & fragmented sleep. Keep in mind, nicotine can disrupt sleep.

16. Reserve Your Bed for Sleep Only:

Do you use a comfortable bed? Then, you can be tempted to spend your leisure time on this. But, it may cause issues at bedtime. It is necessary to have a strong mental association between your bed and sleep.

17. Get Out of Bed After 20 Minutes:

Before going to bed at night, you just want to get rid of the frustration from sleeplessness. It indicates that you should relax in low light instead of spending around twenty minutes in bed without falling asleep. Try to avoid checking the time or using electronics. You need to return to bed once feeling tired.

18. Keep a Sleep Diary:

Follow a daily sleep journal that will let you know how well you sleep & identify factors. Are you testing any new sleep schedule or any sleep hygiene changes? Document how well you work using the sleep diary.

19. Consider Supplements:

Along with improving your entire sleep hygiene, if you want, your may consult with a doctor to know the use of supplements. Melatonin supplements shorten the time that you take to fall asleep. Chamomile, valerian, and glycine are some natural sleep aids. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration never regulates dietary supplements. So, make sure that you are buying reputable sleep supplements.

20. Reduce screen time:

When you scroll through social media before bed or watch your favorite show, you expose your eyes to sleep-disrupting wavelengths. Remember that blue light wavelengths are capable of throwing off the natural circadian rhythm of the body. These boost attention instead of sleepiness. As a result, it affects sleep quality.

You need to give a conscious effort to sidestep this. Hence, you should try to stop using mobiles, computers, and electronic devices before bedtime. Moreover, you can purchase a pair of blue-blocking glasses. Then, you need to install blue-light reducing apps on your phones and on the computer.

21. Talk With a Doctor:

You should get personalized advice from your doctor when you face serious difficulties while sleeping. Consult a doctor when you see that the sleeping issues are worsening or remain for a long time. They can give you extra guidance, letting you know how to treat underlying conditions.

The bottom line:

These are the keys to improving sleep quality. You should try to get enough sleep so that it can improve your performance, energy level & overall performance. When you practice good sleep hygiene and try to make lifestyle changes, these will provide you with an enhanced night's sleep. If you face sleeping challenges after following "improving sleep quality techniques", you should consult with a doctor.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q. How can you get 6 hours of quality sleep?

You can try the following ways:-

• Get some light exercise. 
• Avoid screen time for 60 minutes before bed. 
• Your room must be dark. 
• Reduce caffeine intake. 
• Eat a healthy diet. 
• Avoid alcohol

Q. What causes poor sleep quality?

Poor sleep habits may be due to an irregular sleep schedule or taking up excess caffeine or alcohol. Smoking & regular coffee consumption are the two biggest factors that are connected to poor sleep quality.

Q. How can you improve your sleep quality?

Follow these ways to improve better sleep quality:-

• You must be consistent. 
• Your bedroom should be quiet. 
• Remove electronic devices like TVs, computers, & mobiles. 
• It is necessary to avoid caffeine and alcohol before bedtime. 
• Do some exercise.