While short power naps are beneficial, long or\u00a0irregular napping during the day can\u00a0negatively affect your sleep.
Sleeping in the daytime can confuse your\u00a0internal clock, meaning that you may struggle\u00a0to sleep at night.
But if you have to snooze while the sun's up,\u00a0keep it to 20 minutes or less. Nap in the early\u00a0part of the day.\u00a0You\u2019ll rest better at night.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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Reserve bed for sleep and sex <\/strong> Eat right at night <\/strong> Keep in Sync with your Body\u2019s Natural Sleep-Wake Cycle Power down <\/strong> Exercise ta the right time <\/strong> Restrict caffeine <\/strong> Don't drink any liquids before bed <\/strong> Don't drink alcohol <\/strong> De-stress <\/strong> Take a relaxing bath or shower <\/strong> Quit smoking<\/strong> Improve your sleep environment <\/strong> Use caution with some meds <\/strong> Know when to contact a doctor <\/strong> <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Sleeping well directly affects your mental and physical health.\u00a0 Fall short and it can take a serious toll on your\u00a0daytime energy, productivity, emotional balance, and\u00a0even your weight.\u00a0 Yet many of us regularly toss and turn at night,\u00a0struggling to get the sleep we need. You're not doomed to toss and turn every night.\u00a0 Consider simple tips […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":4776,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3424","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-general"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthvectors.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3424","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthvectors.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthvectors.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthvectors.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthvectors.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3424"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthvectors.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3424\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6461,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthvectors.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3424\/revisions\/6461"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthvectors.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4776"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthvectors.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3424"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthvectors.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3424"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthvectors.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3424"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
Don't use your bed as an office for\u00a0answering phone calls and responding\u00a0to emails.\u00a0
Also avoid watching late-night TV\u00a0there.\u00a0
The bed needs to be a stimulus for\u00a0sleeping, not for wakefulness.\u00a0
Reserve your bed for sleep and sex.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Don't go to bed hungry or stuffed. In particular,\u00a0avoid heavy or large meals within a couple of\u00a0hours of bedtime. Your discomfort might keep\u00a0you up. Have a light dinner of maybe a salad\u00a0and soup or something similar.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.healthvectors.ai\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/girl-waking-up.jpg\")
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<\/strong>Try to go to sleep and get up at the same\u00a0time every day.\u00a0This helps set your body\u2019s\u00a0internal clock and optimize the quality of\u00a0your sleep.
Avoid sleeping in\u2014even on weekends.\u00a0The\u00a0more your weekend\/weekday sleep\u00a0schedules differ, the worse the jetlag-like\u00a0symptoms you\u2019ll experience. If you need to\u00a0make up for a late night, opt for a daytime\u00a0nap rather than sleeping in.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Avoid bright screens within 1-2 hours of your\u00a0bedtime.\u00a0The blue light emitted by your phone,\u00a0tablet, computer, or TV is especially disruptive.
Say no to late-night television.\u00a0Not only does the\u00a0light from a TV suppress melatonin, but many\u00a0programs are stimulating rather than relaxing. Try\u00a0listening to music or audio books instead.
Don\u2019t read with backlit devices.\u00a0Tablets that are\u00a0backlit are more disruptive than e-readers that\u00a0don\u2019t have their own light source.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.healthvectors.ai\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/exercise-3.jpg\")
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People who exercise regularly sleep better at night and\u00a0feel less sleepy during the day.\u00a0
Exercise speeds up your metabolism, elevates body\u00a0temperature, and stimulates hormones such as cortisol.
This is good if you\u2019re exercising in the morning or\u00a0afternoon, but too close to bed and it can interfere with\u00a0sleep.
Try to finish moderate to vigorous workouts at least\u00a0three hours before bedtime.
Relaxing, low-impact exercises such as yoga or gentle\u00a0stretching in the evening can help promote sleep.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Coffee in the morning is fine for most\u00a0people.\u00a0
But as soon as the clock strikes noon, avoid\u00a0caffeine in foods and drinks.\u00a0
In one study, consuming caffeine up to 6 hours before bed significantly worsened sleep quality.
The stimulating effects of\u00a0caffeine take hours\u00a0to wear off and can wreak havoc on quality\u00a0sleep.
Reference<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n![\"Jars](\"https:\/\/www.healthvectors.ai\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/fruit-juice-2.jpg\")
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Nocturia\u00a0is the medical term for excessive urination during the\u00a0night. It affects sleep quality and daytime energy.\u00a0
Although hydration is\u00a0vital for your health, it\u2019s wise to reduce\u00a0your fluid intake in the late evening.
Try to not drink any fluids 1\u20132 hours before going to bed.
You should also use the bathroom right before going to bed, as\u00a0this may decrease your chances of waking in the night.
Reference<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Alcohol can make you sleepy at bedtime, but\u00a0beware.\u00a0
After its initial effects wear off, it will make you\u00a0wake up more often overnight.
Alcohol\u00a0is known to cause or increase the\u00a0symptoms of sleep apnea, snoring, and disrupted\u00a0sleep patterns.\u00a0
So, skipping the happy hour at a bar with friends\u00a0will definitely help you.
Reference<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
The bills are piling up and your to-do list is a mile\u00a0long.\u00a0
Daytime worries can bubble to the surface at night.\u00a0
Stress is a stimulus. It activates the fight-or-flight\u00a0hormones that work against sleep.\u00a0
Give yourself time to wind down before bed.\u00a0
Learning some form of the relaxation techniques can\u00a0promote good sleep and can also reduce daytime\u00a0anxiety.\u00a0
To relax, try deep breathing exercises. Inhale slowly\u00a0and deeply, and then exhale.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.healthvectors.ai\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/sauna-2.jpg\")
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To fall asleep faster, researchers suggest taking a hot\u00a0bath.
A study found that taking a hot bath about 90 minutes\u00a0before bed could help people fall asleep more quickly.
The hot water actually helps change your body\u2019s core\u00a0temperature so that you go to bed with a lower\u00a0temperature. A drop in temperature helps signal to the body that it\u2019s\u00a0time for bed.\u200b
Reference<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Nicotine is a stimulant, just like caffeine.\u00a0
Tobacco can keep you from falling asleep and make\u00a0insomnia worse.\u00a0\u00a0
The stimulating effects of nicotine\u00a0takes hours to\u00a0wear off and can wreak havoc on quality sleep.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n![\"Modern](\"https:\/\/www.healthvectors.ai\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/bedroom-1.jpg\")
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Create a room that's ideal for sleeping. Often, this\u00a0means cool, dark and quiet.
Temperature, lighting and noise should be\u00a0controlled so that your bedroom environment helps\u00a0you to fall (and stay) asleep.\u00a0
Most people sleep best in a slightly cool room with\u00a0adequate ventilation.
A bedroom that is too hot or too cold can interfere\u00a0with quality sleep.
Instead of switching on a tube light, think about\u00a0lamps, a dimmer switch, or candles to create a\u00a0more serene setting.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Some sleep medicines can become habit-forming,\u00a0and they may have\u00a0side effects.\u00a0\u00a0
Some other meds\u00a0 like cough syrups can make u\u00a0sleepy and can also become a habit.\u00a0
Avoid taking such meds to induce sleep.\u00a0
Also sleeping pills should be a short-term\u00a0solution while you make lifestyle changes to\u00a0sleep better.\u00a0
Ask your doctor what\u2019s OK.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.healthvectors.ai\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/doctor-consultation.jpg\")
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Nearly everyone has an occasional sleepless\u00a0night \u2014 but if you often have trouble sleeping,\u00a0contact your doctor.\u00a0
Identifying and treating any underlying causes\u00a0can help you get the better sleep you deserve.<\/p>\r\n\r\n