These simple steps will help you increase the likelihood of quiet nights of undisturbed sleep, helping you achieve that essential and beneficial rest and recovery time. We can not completely avoid stressful situations that affect our rest, but there are some tricks to help you get a good night’s sleep. Get inspired on how to reconquer your bedroom and protect your sleep
Ensure the bedroom promotes relaxation. Use crisp duvet covers, smooth the sheet, fluff the pillows, have books for evening reads, and let in fresh air for a cool sleeping environment.
Consider sleep as a multi-step process. Start by placing your phone in another room to avoid blue light, which hinders melatonin production. Use an alarm clock instead of your phone to enhance sleep quality and add aesthetic appeal.
Eliminating your phone from the bedroom in favor of an alarm clock offers a peaceful morning without instant news and messages. Keep a notebook and a pen nearby to jot down thoughts or daily reflections, fostering calmness and gratitude.
Most people agree that sleep is vitally important. But why? Here is what researchers say about the importance of prioritizing a good nights sleep – and what happens when your sleep is disturbed.
Swedish psychiatrist Anders Hansen emphasizes the importance of exercise, social connections and sleep for well-being. Given our brains evolutionary design, a cell phone in the bedroom disrupts sleep due to its attention demands. Hansen recommends using an alarm clock for undisturbed sleep, a practice he personally follows.
Sleep is crucial for body and brain recuperation. As per Swedens 1177 Vårdguiden, sleep activates our immune system, regulates hormones, and reduces stress. Adequate sleep decreases risks of diseases like cardiovascular issues, type 2 diabetes, and depression. It also aids in maintaining a stable weight by influencing satisfaction and hunger centers in the brain.
A single night of poor sleep is not dangerous, but a lack of sleep or disturbed sleep over a long period can be detrimental to your health. According to Christian Benedict, a researcher at the Department of Neuroscience at Uppsala University, memory can be impaired by an extended period of poor sleep, and in the long term, it increases the risk of developing brain diseases, such as Alzheimers. There are also risks associated with shorter-term sleep disorders, according to research by Torbjörn Åkerstedt, professor of psychology at the department for Clinical Neuroscience at Karolinska Institutet. Professor Åkerstedt's experiments have found that when we are really sleepy, we risk functioning just as badly as we do under the influence of alcohol, which can be a significant risk factor when driving or operating machinery.
Move your body, it reduces stress and makes you sleep better. Although, make sure not to exercise hard later than three hours before going to bed.
Create regular routines for when you go to bed, preferably at the same time every night.
Avoid coffee and alcohol before going to bed. Drinking a cup of herbal tea can be soothing, but make sure that the cup is not too large to avoid the risk of a full bladder that may disturb your sleep.
If you have difficulty falling asleep or keep waking up in the middle of the night, it is better to get up for a while and do some quiet activity than to toss and turn in bed. You can do relaxation exercises to become sleepy again.
Make sure the bedroom is a place where you can relax. Do not have a TV, mobile or tablet in the bedroom and turn them off well before you go to sleep. Get an alarm clock instead of using the cell phone alarm.
