2 Quick Ways to Improve Your Sleep
Nov 3, 2023
According to the NCBI which is a branch of the National institute of Health, sleep is important for cognitive function, mood, mental health, cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and metabolic health. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society recommend 7 hours of sleep per night for adults. The National Sleep Foundation also suggests 7 to 9 hours of sleep for adults as well. Now that you know how sleep affects your health and how many hours to sleep for optimal health here are some ways to improve your sleep.
1. Turn off all electronic device screens 30 to 60 minutes before bed.
The stimulation from social media, texting, emailing, and other forms of communication can impact your routine to allow your brain to wind down. Instead of scrolling through social media accounts try turning on a meditation walk through, set a timer to stop the app, and then close the phone screen for the rest of the night. It is understandable that this habit may take time to improve. Don’t be discouraged.
It is okay to start at 5-10 minutes before bed for a week until you master the habit. Then you can progressively increase your time over the following weeks.
2. Block our light by using black out curtains or a sleep mask.
Black out curtains block sunlight, streetlights, and car lights all from shining in through windows. When light shines on you while you’re sleeping it slows down the production of melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone secreted by the pineal gland that cues your body when it’s time to go to sleep. If you aren’t in a place where black out curtains are available, you can always try a sleep mask. A sleep mask covers your eyes which makes the darkness of your eyes being shut even darker.
Give these methods a try and watch your sleep habits improve.
References:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8494094/#:~:text=Sleep%20is%20vital%20for%20health,children%2C%20adolescents%2C%20and%20adults.&text=Healthy%20sleep%20is%20important%20for,%2C%20cerebrovascular%2C%20and%20metabolic%20health.
https://www.sleepfoundation.org/bedroom-environment/light-and-sleep#:~:text=In%20response%20to%20darkness%2C%20the,that%20this%20hormon%20facilitates%20sleep.
