Sleep is nature's way of allowing our body to rest so that it can recover from the physical and mental stresses of the day and get ready to take on the next day. As nighttime approaches, our brain sends signals to our body and releases hormones that begin preparing to get into bed and rest. It is important that we pay attention to the clues that our body is giving us and not try to stay up longer than we need to so that we do not disrupt the delicate balance that nature has made for the optimum functioning of our bodies.
What Is Optimum Sleep?
Our bodies are extremely complex machines, and they have many different processes going on in them. Our bodily functions in the daytime differ from their functions during the night. While we sleep, our entire body rests, but the brain continues to work. It carries out many essential processes, such as getting rid of toxic waste from the body and storing new information. The body repairs cells, carries out regenerative processes and releases hormones and proteins into the blood. Without proper sleep, these important functions would get disrupted, and we feel lethargic, drowsy, and unwell.
How To Create The Perfect Sleep Environment?
There are many people who have insomnia and have difficulty falling asleep. It can be very disturbing when you have trouble falling asleep. Sometimes our bedroom environment has a lot to do with our sleep problems. The following tips and habits can help encourage sleep and improve the quality of sleep:
The Room Should Be Dark
Melatonin is a sleep hormone that is released when the day turns into the night. It is suppressed in the presence of daylight, regulating our natural circadian rhythm and sleep cycle. The room should restrict noise and light from the outside to create a dark and comfortable environment so that your brain prepares your body for sleep. Daylight and other bright lights can confuse the brain into thinking that it might be time to wake up and can delay sleep.
The Room Should Be Tidy And Uncluttered
Messy and cluttered rooms are generally displeasing to the eye, and there is nothing worse than sleeping on a messy bed. Make sure that the room is properly cleaned and that there are no clothes or work materials lying around your room when you are about to go to bed, as they can be extremely distracting. If you don't have a lot of space and use your bedroom to work in, make sure to put away all your material after work hours so that you can get into sleep and rest mode.
Avoid Eating A Large Meal Before Sleeping
Eating large meals just before going to bed is a bad idea. They can make you feel full, cause acidity and make it extremely difficult for you to fall asleep. The digestion process begins just as you consume a meal and typically lasts two hours. If you lie down immediately after a meal, the digestion processes that involve vigorous churning and mixing of food in the stomach and the intestines can cause stomach acid to spill into the esophagus. This can affect sleep and make the person feel acidity and heartburn. If you are hungry before bedtime, it is better to have a light snack rather than eat something heavy and spicy.
Avoid Using Screens Before Sleeping
As mentioned above, melatonin is a sleep hormone that is not released in the presence of bright light entering the eye. If you watch screens at night, the bright light from the screens confuses the brain that it might be morning time and time to rise and shine. This exhausts your body and muscles even further as they need rest from working the entire day. Pushing them to stay awake makes your body even more tired, and you feel even more tired when you wake up in the morning rather than feeling well-rested and refreshed.
Take A Warm Bath Before Going To Bed
It helps to take a nice warm bath before going to bed. Just as we are about to drift off to sleep, our body temperatures fall by a degree. This helps our bodies fall into a deep sleep. Taking a nice warm bath helps to soothe your muscles, calm your mind, and also helps you drop your body temperature faster as you get into bed and prepare to sleep. it is a good idea to light scented candles or use calming bath salts with essential oil fragrances that help calm your nerves and relax you even further. An anxious mind takes longer to fall asleep; therefore, it is important to feel at ease and relaxed when you get into bed.
Drink A Warm Beverage Before Sleeping
Many people say that drinking a glass of warm milk or chamomile tea helps them fall asleep at night. Tryptophan in milk releases serotonin and melatonin that makes you happy, calm, relaxed, and drowsy. For some, drinking warm milk is part of a sleep ritual, and it automatically puts them in a calm and relaxed state, ready to fall asleep. Chamomile tea has also been used by many people as it has a sedating effect, and many people consume it just before bedtime to put them in a relaxed mode.
It is however not a good idea to consume caffeinated drinks at night such as tea or coffee, as they contain caffeine which has the opposite effect of milk and chamomile tea. Caffeine works like adrenaline and it makes you wake up and feel charged. This is why coffee is more of a morning beverage that helps to wake you up first thing in the morning.
Make Sure That Your Bed Is Comfortable
Your bed is the most important piece of furniture in your bedroom, and it is extremely important that it is cozy and comfortable to provide you with perfect sleep and feel well-rested and ready to take on the next day. Here are the key features of the perfect bed:
It should be sturdy and durable
It should be made with good quality material
It should be the right size and not too small
Choose your mattress carefully
The Features Of A Good Mattress:
A good quality mattress that is ideal for sleep should have the following features:
It Should Not Be Too Firm
Too firm mattresses do not allow the spine to curve naturally and do not conform to the spine's natural S shape. This can make your neck and back hurt as it doesn't contour to your body. you end up waking up with a bad back ache and it is not comfortable to sleep in.
It Should Not Be Too Soft
While a soft mattress looks comfortable and luxurious, and all you want to do is sink into it when you sleep, it is not great for your spine. A mattress that is too soft will cause your spine to become overly curved as you sleep, resulting in discomfort, pain, and misalignment of the spine. If you wake up with persistent back pain in the morning, then there is a chance that your mattress might be too soft.
It Should Be Made With Breathable Fabric
Do not get a mattress that is made out of synthetic material. mesh and breathable fabric is always recommended for mattresses as they allow air to circulate in between them. Sleeping on synthetic mattresses can make you feel really hot and get uncomfortable to sleep in.
It Should Be Easy To Clean
Since mattresses are a long-term investment, you want to get one that lasts a long time. Get a good quality mattress that is made with good quality material and fabric so that it is easy to clean and wash in case of spills.
The Importance Of Sleep
Sleeping well has the following benefits:
A good night's sleep makes our bodies feel well-rested and rejuvenated
It helps remove toxins and unwanted material from our bodies
It helps to repair cells and carry out restorative processes
It helps boost our energy and improve our mood the next morning
It relieves aches and pains
It helps regulate circulation and digestion processes
It helps improve immunity and reduces the risk of falling sick
It helps reduce your risk of suffering from chronic diseases
It helps improve your mood and makes you have better social interactions with people
It helps make you think clearly and have a sharper focus
It helps you make better decisions
It helps you maintain a healthy weight
It lowers your risk of getting into accidents
The Final Word
Sleep is extremely important for maintaining good physical and mental health as well as a better lifestyle. People who suffer from sleep problems must not ignore the issue and work towards improving their sleep routine. Sleeping on the right mattress plays an important role in the quality of sleep, therefore, it is important to select the best type. FlexiSpot has some great mattresses that you can select from for optimum sleep.
