If you frequently experience trouble falling asleep, then you know what it’s like to wake up feeling tired and not quite ready to face the day. But, did you know that simple lifestyle changes might help you achieve your ideal state of restful sleep? It’s because your lifestyle and daily routine play an essential role in your sleep quality.

This was well-known wisdom to our ancestors, who led healthier lives mentally, physically, and spiritually. But today, for many people, taking steps for a restful slumber only becomes a priority when sleep troubles emerge. In fact, lifestyle practices that encourage effective sleep should be a natural part of your daily routine.

So, it’s time to revisit those simple and time-tested secrets of restful sleep and reintroduce them to your life.

1. Set up a sleep schedule

Irregular sleep patterns could upset your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle. This can result in fatigue, sleepiness, and an inability to concentrate during the day. So, fixing your sleep hours and forming a sleeping habit are important to regulate the sleep-wake cycle.

Now, similar to sleep deprivation, excessive sleep could rob you of restful sleep, too. It may cause restlessness, fatigue, and even more severe medical conditions. For example, studies show that both excessive sleep and the lack of it could increase the risk of a heart attack. This makes it essential to get the right amount of shuteye.

So, how much sleep should you get? Here’s what the National Sleep Foundation recommends for different age groups.

Source: National Sleep Foundation

For many busy adults, meeting these recommended sleep hours could be a challenge. But it’s certainly achievable. Allowing yourself the correct amount of sleep is about knowing your priorities and making prudent decisions. For instance, avoid drowning yourself in responsibilities, take up only what you can handle, delegate at home and work, learn to say “no”, find smarter ways to get things done, and prepare checklists to keep your day organized. All these may help free up an extra 10 minutes each day, so you could gradually increase your sleep time with small incremental steps.

2. Check your sleep posture

Your sleeping posture is often determined by comfort and habits, and it could also change with age. But the wrong posture could severely disrupt your sleep quality. It could even lead to back and neck pain, which in turn, could keep you awake at night and cause long-term health issues.

Sleeping posture could affect several physiological activities, too, including blood circulation and digestion. Research suggests that it could affect your dreams as well.

So, which sleeping postures are best for a healthy adult?

Certain sleep postures like sleeping on the stomach and the fetal position are best avoided. Stomach sleepers, for instance, could experience airway blocks and excessive pressure on muscles and joints. And the fetal position could lead to neck and back pain as the body remains hunched for long hours. It may even obstruct breathing.

3. Watch your diet

According to research, your eating habits could alter your sleep behavior. For instance, overeating could put you at risk of developing sleep disorders like sleep apnea. And confectionery and saturated fats can cause sleep disruptions and rob you of restorative sleep.

So, switching to a healthy and balanced diet and avoiding excessive eating are essential to achieve a high-quality slumber. Also, cut down on sugar, caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, and late-night snacks. These could all deprive you of a well-rested sleep and may even put you at risk of developing sleep disorders.

4. Get some exercise

The benefits of regular exercise extend to sleep health as well. But understanding how and when to exercise is essential since if done wrong, it could end up causing severe sleep disturbances.

Here’s what you should keep in mind.

5. Avoid the snooze button

Have you ever wondered why you feel even more tired after hitting the snooze button? Here’s the science behind it. Sleep consists of sleep cycles, each around 90 minutes long. You would usually experience 4 to 6 of these during the night.

Now, when you wake up to an alarm and hit the snooze button, you start a new sleep cycle. And when the alarm goes on again in another 10 minutes’ time, you’re awakened before this cycle is complete. This process will continue as you keep on hitting snooze, which in turn could confuse and disrupt your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle. As a result, you could end up feeling tired, disorientated, and restless.

So what should you do?

  • Allow yourself to wake up naturally.
  • If you need to use the alarm, keep it on the other side of the bedroom so you can only reach it by getting out of bed.
  • Use Mel Robbins’s “5-second rule”—get out of bed within 5 seconds when the alarm goes off.

6. Nap short

Longer naps of 1 hour or more can make you feel tired and keep you up all night. But a short nap of 10 to 20 minutes could help you relax. It’s a great way to recharge when you’re feeling tired. And short naps prevent you from going into deep sleep, making it easier to wake up.

These power naps can provide a significant boost to your cognitive functions. It’s likely why they’re encouraged in the workplace in countries like Japan and Italy.

So, select a quiet place that could let you fully invest in a short nap, undisturbed. But avoid napping late afternoon since it could disrupt nighttime sleep.

A final thought

The fact is, guarding your sleep health is essential for a healthy body and mind. But ensure you seek medical advice before making sudden lifestyle adjustments or adopting new practices. This is particularly important if you’re experiencing any health conditions.



FAQ

What’s the correct way to get out of bed?

How you get out of bed is important for long-term physical health. Most medical professionals recommend turning to your side near the edge of the bed and slowly lifting your upper body by placing your weight on the hands. You should end up in a sitting position with your feet placed firmly on the ground. You can also do a few light stretches before getting up.
Some people prefer lying on the back and lifting the upper body to a sitting position with legs stretched out. This could often lead to health issues such as back pain. Jumping straight out of bed as soon as you wake up is not a smart idea either. Remember, sudden jerks could strain your muscles.

What type of mattress is best for sleeping?

Selecting a mattress is an important decision for your sleep health. Using one that’s too hard or soft could cause sleep disturbances and health issues like back pain. So, ensure that your mattress has the right amount of firmness to support your spine. But it must be soft enough to support the shape of your spine and the rest of your body. And remember to try it out before purchasing.

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