“Early to bed, early to rise.” You’ve come across this old saying sometime in your life, right? However, what’s actually the best time to go to bed? The amount of sleep one requires to feel both healthy and restored varies from person to person.
With that said, many things affect how early you get to bed. Your family or work obligations might be forcing you to stay up late or maybe you’re just not a morning person. If you’re trying to start going to better early, here are a few things you can try.
Meditation
The practice of concentrated, quiet attention has several health benefits. Meditating before bed can help reduce the anxiety that may otherwise be the cause of keeping you up late, causing sleep disturbances, and feeding insomnia.
8 Meditation Tips For Beginners
A Warm Bath/Shower
A warm bath or shower before bed can help you relax and destress before it’s time for you to hit the sheets. Plus, studies have shown that doing this can help lower the body’s core temperature, which, in turn, can help one fall asleep quicker as well as improve the quality of their sleep.
Reading
Another fantastic way to induce sleep and generally relax is reading a book. Many people worldwide use this as a way to relax and ease their minds. Reading a book before bed can help you get to dreamland faster. However, some studies have shown that using a tablet to read instead of a book can delay sleep or even make you less sleepy. Keep that in mind.
Books: 6 Practical Tips To Help You Cultivate A Reading Habit
Exercise
We know that regular exercise can help improve overall health, right? However, did you know that it can also promote sleep? Regular exercise can help reduce stress which, in turn, can help you fall asleep faster once you hit the hay. But, try not to do it just before bed because that can stimulate your nervous system which could then hinder you from being able to fall asleep.
6 Ways Exercise Changes And Affects The Brain
Avoid Stimulants
This probably goes without saying, but avoid taking caffeinated foods and beverages, such as energy drinks, coffee, and certain chocolates, before going to bed because they can affect sleep.
Avoid daytime naps
Napping during the day can make it harder for some people to fall asleep at night, especially those that struggle with insomnia. Certain people, like shift workers and the elderly, can benefit from such naps but they shouldn’t be more than half an hour long and they should happen at the same time every day.
7 Ways To Fix Your Sleep Schedule Especially For Those With Irregular Sleep Patterns
Listening to Music
Lastly, listening to gentle or calming music before bed can also help you fall asleep faster. Studies have shown that listening to calming or gentle music can not only help induce relaxation but can also help improve one’s sleep quality.
Uses Of Music For Mental Health
If you find that you can’t function properly throughout the day without coffee or you don’t feel well-rested after you’ve woken up in the morning, this might be because you’ve not gotten enough sleep. If that’s the case, you really need to consider going to bed earlier. Hopefully, this article has shown you how you can do this.
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