Sleep is a huge factor in weight loss and overall health. It is a necessity for every body function. Everyone should aim for 7-9 hours a night. Getting a great sleep will improve your health substantially. Sleep is really important for repair – this is when we build most of our muscle! If you are having problems with snoring get a couple of these anti snoring pillows.
We understand that busy lifestyles make this difficult but it has to become a priority not only for superficial reasons but for longevity and mental health as well. Lack of sleep will equal lack of results. Get your sleeping patterns on track… starting tonight!
Sleep Better: DAMY Health top tips to a better sleep
Keep a Consistent Sleep Schedule
This is my number one tip to improving your sleep! Being consistent with your sleep patterns will set your body in motion and help maintain your inner clock. When your inner clock is working properly you will feel more awake, attentive, and motivated.
You should do your best to wake up and go to sleep at the same time everyday. The waking up is much easier to schedule so make sure you make that a priority and your biological clock will be happy!
Eating Before Bed
What is in your belly when you go to bed? From experience I know that sleeping on a full stomach can be very disruptive.
Try to finish your final meal 3 hours before bed. This will give your stomach time to digest a bit to prevent that overfull feeling some of us have after eating.
Also, by eating this early before bed, we won’t be starving when we go to sleep as that can be disruptive as well.
Water consumption falls in this category as well. Staying hydrated during the day is important and will help us sleep better. However, try not to drink 1 hour before bed as you may wake up midway through the night for a bathroom break.
Some other quick tips are to avoid coffee, tea, and cola drinks before bed as they are all high in caffeine.
Sleep in the Dark
It is so important to keep your bedroom dark! Our internal systems thrive when we have adequate sleep in a dark room. Try to eliminate all sources of light, including from windows, LED clocks and cable boxes.
Sleeping Position
Try to keep your head and neck as straight as possible. In order to do this you need to get a supportive pillow so that your head doesn’t tilt down toward the mattress but not too bulky so that your head is not propped up at an angle. A great way to support your hips if you are sleeping on your side is to put a pillow between your legs.
Also, if you sleep on your back, place a pillow under your legs to take stress off your lower back. Finally, avoid sleeping on your stomach! This position is known to cause back and neck problems.
Your Mattress
Rotate your mattress every 3-4 months. The shelf life of a mattress is about 5-7 years. The firmness is really dependent on the person. Personally, I love my mattress in between soft and firm.
Exercise to Sleep Better
Exercise. If you have a sedentary job, a lack of physical exertion may be reducing the quality of your sleep. The human body uses sleep to repair and recover. If there isn’t much from which to recover, your body’s sleep cycle could be disrupted. A day of physical exertion (such as taking a run or a swim) or, better yet, regular exercise can make for deeper and more restful sleep.
Don’t exercise right before bed to help you get to sleep; it tires out your muscles, boosts your heart rate, and makes you even wider awake.
Use Relaxation Techniques
Many outside factors can contribute to overall sleeplessness, including stress, certain illnesses, or short-term post-traumatic stress. Have there been any recent events or changes that have been troubling or otherwise preoccupying you?
This issue may be following you subconsciously and interfering with your sleep. If the issue itself cannot be addressed or resolved directly, consider employing relaxation techniques such as meditation, yoga or doing something you really enjoy!
Tip of the Day: Start getting 7-9 hours of sleep every night! This will dramatically improve your mood, energy and overall health. Start tonight!
Reminder: Time to take your water intake up a knotch… DRINK 2.25L of water today! Have you eliminated white flour, white sugar, processed foods, and artificial sweeteners yet? Get on it!
P.S. Did you arrive here via Stumbleupon? This tip is number 8 of a 31 part free email course called 31 Tips to a Healthier You on how to improve your health and jumpstart your weight loss one day at a time. Learn more about it by signing up here.
*Please be sure to consult a physician before embarking on any weight loss program. These tips are meant to be part of a healthy lifestyle and are not in any way meant to cure disease.
