As you grow older, it’s a well known fact that it becomes much harder to get the same quality of sleep you did when you were younger. However, that doesn’t mean that there are simple hacks that can help you improve your sleep behavior.
You can start by stop measuring the hours of sleep that you are having. Leesa’s Scientific Advisor Paul Gringras explained that sleep efficiency can be achieved even without the need of having to count every single hour you spend in bed. Gringas specified that even if you sleep late or have to wake up very early in the morning, your sleep efficiency could still be 100 percent if you don’t experience any interruptions. Therefore, the emphasis should be on quality over quantity.
Some of the things that you can do to improve your sleep efficiency are quite trivial, yet they are vital if you want to improve your overall quality of sleep. Here are just a few of the variables you should consider moving forward…
Nap the right way
Entrepreneur writer Ahmed Safwan claims that in order to get the best quality of sleep you either “nap the right way or don’t do it all.” Taking a nap can be great, and it can even help you push through the day, however napping for too long could sabotage your sleep behavior. Ideally, you should take a nap around 4pm, any later and it will stop you from sleeping at night.
Exercise everyday
Exercising daily helps with general health, and the National Sleep Foundation claims that if you can achieve 150 minutes of exercise every week, you can be more alert through the day and it will also give you the foundation to sleep better at night. The article even described exercise as the “non-pharmaceutical alternative” to help improve sleep quality.
But this doesn’t mean overtraining to the extent of exhaustion. It’s important that you set a workout routine, as you’re the only person who really knows your body. Cardio-heavy exercises such as running, cycling, swimming, and dancing are all great to keep you healthy but try to steer clear of them three hours before you sleep otherwise it could keep you from falling asleep.
Take a Hot Bath
After a hard day’s work, the last thing some people want to do is spend time in the bath. Although you need to look at the positive effects that it can bring to helping you feel sleepy at night. Due to the relaxing atmosphere, baths will make you drowsy and can induce sleep.
An article on Oprah discussed things to avoid before bedtime. It advised that if you’re going to take a soothing bath after work try not to do it an hour before you turn in. “Bathe too close to bed and your temperature will stay elevated, keeping you on high alert,” the article stated.
