Getting a Good 8 Hours of Sleep Per Night
Because of the profoundly negative impact a lack of sleep has on the body, it’s important that you make sure that you’re getting a full 8 hours of sleep every night. Keep in mind that the quality of your sleep is just as important as the quantity, so if you’re tossing and turning for 8 hours every night, it’ll have the same effects as though you didn’t get enough sleep.
Here are some ways you can make sure you’re getting a good 8 hours of sleep per night:
Set Aside the Time
The first thing you need to do is to make sure that you’re giving yourself a full 8 hours to sleep every night. Since you probably don’t fall asleep the second your head hits the pillow, make sure you have at least 8 and a half hours from the time you lay down in your bed to the time you have to wake up in the morning. Be sure to make sleep a priority as it is an important part of your weight management.
Create a Bedtime Routine
This is the best way to let your body know it’s time to sleep so that by the time you get into bed, you’ll be ready to sleep. Start this routine at the same time every night to get into bed at the same time, and you’ll be surprised at how much more energy you’ll soon have in the mornings. Ideally you would give yourself about an hour to wind down at the end of the day, but this will look different for everybody.
Turn Off All Electronics
The type of light emitted from TV, computer, and phone screens mimics daylight which can prevent your brain from moving into the right brain wave patterns it needs to go to sleep. Shut everything off at least an hour before you go to bed and spend some time reading or relaxing to wind down before bed. Shutting off electronics should always be the first part of your bedtime routine.
Exercise
Make sure you’re getting in enough exercise during the day. When you get enough exercise throughout the day, your body will naturally feel more tired at the end of the day and won’t have any extra energy that it feels the need to burn once you try to fall asleep, usually in the form of a racing mind or tossing and turning that keeps you awake.
Drink Tea
Drinking a warm cup of soothing tea can help encourage you to relax and fall asleep faster. Chamomile, lavender, valerian, peppermint, and lemon balm teas have all been shown to have sedative properties that will help your mind and body relax before bed. To make sure your sleep isn’t interrupted by a trip to the bathroom in the middle of the night, be sure to drink the tea 45 minutes to an hour before bed.
When you put all these things together, you will soon find yourself able to get a full night of sleep every night, and will wake up feeling much more refreshed.