While it’s a well know fact that good sleep can help us in our day to day lives, it’s not always easy to know what to do to improve this. Many of us just put up with tiredness and fatigue as part of our day to day lives. Read on for some advice on how you can boost your sleep function and get the rest that you truly need and deserve.
Foods
Did you know that particular type of food can help you get a better night’s sleep? Proteins are an especially good thing to eat before bed because of how you body processes them. When you eat something that is high in protein, your body finds it more difficult to digest and has to work harder. This means it directs a lot of your available energy to your stomach and digestive system. This, in turn, means that energy is taken away from other places, causing you feel sleepy.
Good proteinous items to eat as a pre-bed snack include cottage cheese and turkey. These are fairly lean, so shouldn’t interfere with your weight management too much.
Supplements
You can also take nutritional supplements to improve you sleep like Melatonin and Theanine. Another supplement is Phosphatidylserine. This also has the added benefit of evening out your mood and attenuate the negative effects of stressors, which can also have an effect on how fast and the quality of our sleep.
Wind Down
Our lifestyle can have a huge effect on the quality of our sleep. Especially the use of smart devices before bed. While it’s very easy to lay in bed, check your email and Facebook for the 72nd time, it is best if you have some quiet time where you are not using your smart device.
If you just can’t bear to do this, more modern models have a blue light blocker mode. This changes the light that is being emitted by the device because blue light is known to have a stimulating effect on humans. Just make sure you alter the setting before you get into bed.
Address issues
It’s also really important that you address any issue that you are having with your sleep. Some people suffer for RLS or Restless Leg Syndrome. This is where they feel the uncontrollable need to move their legs to become more comfortable. This can disrupt their own sleep and their partners. Try avoiding refined sugar or monosodium glutamate and see if this lessens the symptoms. If not speak to your doctors for some mediation which should help to alleviate the problem.
The right bed
Of course having the right bed is essential for getting the best sleep possible. As we spend ⅓ of a our lives asleep it’s worth investing in a bed that will make you comfortable.
Firstly make sure you have enough space to sleep in, and buy a superking bed if necessary. Then look at the firmness of your mattress. While it may seem like a soft mattress is the most comfy, this is not always the case. Softer mattresses are only good for people that sleep on their backs. For this that sleep on their stomachs and sides a firmer mattress is more suitable because its reduces strain on the joints.
