How to Get Quality Sleep
By Paige Jirsa
The average person spends one third of their lives sleeping, which makes a high-quality bed and premium sheets a good starting point to wake up refreshed. Adding automatic window shades can help by keeping the room dark when needed. Other ways to achieve optimal sleep are outlined below.
Get the Right Mattress
There are many luxury mattresses to choose from, but a mattress is only effective when it is correctly matched to the person sleeping on it. This means visiting a high-end bed store or searching online to ensure all comfort and support needs are met. Spending more on a good mattress is a worthy investment.
Create a Sleep Schedule
One of the best ways to consistently get a good night’s rest is by sleeping on a schedule. Going to bed and getting up at the same time each day allows the body to get into a healthy rhythm and reach its peak energy levels. If the seasonal changes of time and light are bothersome, installing automatic window shades will allow for the right amount of light and darkness to meet the schedule.
Take Melatonin
In some cases, poor sleep can be attributed to a lack of melatonin, which is a hormone that regulates the circadian cycle. Melatonin can be taken as a supplement each night to reset the body and induce sleepiness. It is most effective when used with consistent light and darkness in a sleep schedule.
Keep the Bedroom Comfortable
One of the easiest ways to improve sleep quality is by keeping the bedroom at the right temperature. While there is variability between individuals, a room that is cooler tends to be more comfortable and helps to bring on sleep faster. A ceiling fan will keep the air moving during the hot summer months, and sleeping on Egyptian cotton sheets will allow for ultimate comfort regardless of season.
Practice Sleep Hygiene
Modern life and its devices has intruded upon the human need for sleep. A combination of blue light from screens along with late-night scrolling through social media feeds has left many people bleary eyed the next morning. To get the best possible sleep, it is best to do the following:
• Do not use devices in bed. Computers, smartphones and tablets should be left outside the bedroom. Use the bed only for sex and sleep.
• Do not exercise within three hours of bedtime. Exercise is good for the body and can help with the sleep cycle, but it can keep a person awake when performed too late at night. Morning or afternoon workouts are better.
• Do not eat right before bed. Going to bed on a full stomach can be uncomfortable, and a body that is busy digesting food cannot relax enough for quality sleep. In some individuals, eating before bed can result in acid reflux, which is also disruptive to sleep.
• Reduce or eliminate caffeine. Coffee and tea containing caffeine should not be consumed after mid-afternoon to avoid late-night tossing and turning.
Sleep is very important for both physical and mental health. Buying the right, high-quality bed and following all of the tips above will result in feeling well rested and being able to enjoy life to the fullest.
Author Bio: Paige Jirsa– I work with Top10.Today, a shopping comparison site, where we strive to help consumers find the best quality and priced products.