Use a Good Mattress

An old or poor-quality mattress is more than just a pain in the neck.  It can create uncomfortable pressure points that keep you tossing and turning all night, lowering your sleep quality and making it difficult to fall and stay asleep.  If you’re not waking feeling refreshed and alert, your old mattress may be to blame.  This is one investment in your health that’s fairly simple to make.

Keep it Dark

The human circadian rhythm, or “body clock”, is what determines sleep-wake cycles.  This “body clock” is extremely sensitive to light, so be smart: keep your bedroom as dark as possible.  Remove or cover LED lights from phone chargers or clocks, utilize blackout shades, or try an eye mask.  You can use light to your advantage, too, by getting exposure to sunlight or bright light first thing in the morning, to help you wake up.

Avoid Caffeine

If you’re a coffee or energy drink addict, take note.  Caffeine can stay in your system for far longer than you feel its buzz, so limit coffee and other caffeine-containing drinks like tea, cocoa, cola, or energy drinks for four to six hours before bed.  Other chemicals that can interfere with a good night’s sleep include nicotine and alcohol.  If you’re having trouble sleeping, you may want to give both a miss.

Prioritize Sleep

Sometimes the hardest thing to do can be switching off from life, and our screens.  Sleep is important for your health and well-being, so choose a reasonable bedtime and then discipline yourself to stick to it.  The episodes of your favorite television show or that interesting news article will still be there tomorrow, but it takes a long time to make up for lost sleep.  Prioritize your rest, and you may soon find your productivity has soared so much that you’ve got more time for entertainment than before!

Sources:

Twelve Simple Tips to Improve Your Sleep – http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu

Why Is Sleep Important? – www.nhlbi.nih.gov