A good night’s sleep is something everyone strives for, but something not everyone achieves. Between it being too hot or too cold, and finding the right sleeping position, getting a good nights rest is harder than it looks. While the idea of getting the ideal 8 hours of sleep seems more and more unrealistic, we may start to ask ourselves: how much sleep do we actually need?
The National Sleep Foundation suggests that adults aged 18-64 should sleep 7-9 hours a night. Yikes, it looks like that 8 hours is more necessary than we would like to believe. If you’re struggling with getting a good night’s rest, there are a few tips and tricks that might help you get that proper amount of Zs.
1Go to sleep at the same time each day
This is super important, as it trains your body to get tired at night. Regulating your sleeping patterns can seriously aid with having more prolonged, and better, sleeping periods.
2Reduce the naps
Something no one wants to hear but has to know. While short naps to boost your energy can be beneficial, long naps can damage your ability to sleep later on.
3Don’t eat before bed
Limit your food intake within 2 hours before bed. Foods that are spicy or high in acidity can cause stomach problems that will keep you up all night.
4Limit exposure to light
Avoid bright screens 1-2 hours before bed will seriously help in getting to sleep on time, and having a full night’s rest. The blue-light that phones give off can be very harmful to our eyes and stop our brains from getting tired.
5Try melatonin
Melatonin is a hormone that regulates our sleep-wake cycles. It’s prevalent and easily accessible, and one of the easiest and best ways to treat insomnia and fall asleep.
If you’re finding it difficult to get those 8 hours of sleep at night, try out these tips. Remember, sleep is an essential and necessary part of our health and shouldn’t be neglected. So, turn off your phone, turn on some relaxing music and get a good night’s rest.
