Sleep is one of the most significant activities any person engages in as a human being just as he takes food and breathes. However, in the existing environment characterized by a fast tempo, the concept of quality sleep is left out.
It is an important factor to understand the science of sleep and its relation to health to promote high standards of the health of the body and the mind. Here in this brew, we shall discuss a little bit about how sleep occurs, why the process is so critical, and how you could enhance your sleep quality for enhanced overall health.
Why is Sleep Important?
Rest is an essential process in which the human body and the person’s brain get to rejuvenate themselves. It helps to restore muscles, integrate memories, and manage hormones that help to struggle with hunger, stress, and mood.
With inadequate sleep, you are not only sleepy but also endangered in terms of your general well-being. Lack of sleep affects overall health by causing the immune system in the body to be weak, leading to an increase in body weight, affecting the mood of a person, and is a cause of heart disease.
The Science Behind Sleep
Your body works on a 24-hour cycle called the circadian rhythm to control the sleep-wake cycle. This one is referred to as the internal or circadian clock, it is determined by things such as exposure to light which informs the brain on when it is time to sleep or time to wake up.
Sleep occurs in multiple stages: There are three stages namely: light sleep, deep sleep, and REM sleep. All these stages have a certain function in the body such as body repair as well as the consolidation of memory. The idea is to move through these stages of sleep several times a night to get the best rest.
Ways to Have a Better Night’s Rest
Here are some evidence-based strategies to help improve your sleep quality:
1. Establish a Regular Sleep Schedule
As much as your body needs structure and routine it blooms well when it is put through consistency. It is advisable to sleep and rise in the morning at consistent times even during the days that are regarded as off in the normal 7-day week. This works to maintain the body’s biological clock and this helps to sleep and wake up with not much struggle.
2. How to Develop a Soothing Pre-Sleep Regime
Going to bed, and relaxing before the night is a way to inform your brain that it is high time for you to rest. Such as reading a book, doing some meditation, or taking a warm bath, etc.
It is important not to use any electronic devices such as phones, TVs, and computers for at least ½ an hour before retiring to bed since they emit blue light, which affects the production of Deltasone, which is responsible for sleeping.
3. Optimize Your Sleep Environment
Styling your bedroom to be a place for sleep is essential since it is one of the most important rooms in the home. It is recommended to maintain a low temperature, no noise, and no light in the room.
Buy good mattresses and pillows to ensure that your body has a proper posture whenever you are resting. If outside noises are not something that can be tolerated then gum might go for ear plugs or even a white noise machine.
4. Start Paying Attention to What You Take In Your System
Do not consume large quantities of food, caffeine, and alcohol in the evening. Intake of caffeine and alcohol affects the quality of sleep and makes the individual have difficulties in attaining sound sleep.
A better option is a small snack such as almonds or a banana since both products contain ingredients that help one relax as well as induce sleep.
5. Get Regular Exercise
Regular exercise can help you to have better nights’ sleep; however, you should not engage in any strenuous exercise that could cause sweating before going to bed.
Before or after work or any time after breakfast & before sunset is the most preferential for it has a natural body clock hence making the body sleep sound.
6. Limit Naps
Although taking short naps can help in refreshing the body and the mind it is important to avoid taking long naps at odd times during the day or conventional working hours or frequent naps at different times of the day as they may disrupt the natural sleep-wake cycle.
If one feels sleepy, they should avoid long naps or taking them in the later part of the day; it is recommendable to take a 20- 30-minute nap in the early afternoon.
Conclusion: Smaller Measures, Bigger Outcomes
There are few things as easy and as helpful for your health as making sure that the quality of your sleep is better than it used to be. This in turn helps to create habits related to sleep, following the routine, and preparing for the night to get more hours of full night sleep.
Do never forget that sleep is not a luxury but is a need of your body and of your mind. Just a little shift in one's behavior dramatically tends to produce drastic effects on certain aspects of one's life such as health, morale, and efficiency.
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