10 Secrets to a Good Night’s Sleep

A good night’s sleep is just as important as regular exercise and a healthy diet. Research shows that poor sleep has immediate negative effects on your hormones, exercise performance, and brain function. It can also cause weight gain and increase disease risk in both adults and children. Over the past few decades, both sleep quality and quantity has declined. In fact, many people regularly get poor sleep. If you want to optimize your health or lose weight, getting a good night’s sleep is one of the most important things you can do.

Getting sufficient, restorative, and deep sleep every night is vital to your health and overall well-being. While conditions such as back and neck pain, sciatica, and other sources of pain may keep you from falling asleep, not gaining enough sleep can likewise cause or exacerbate these problems. As a general rule, a minimum of 7 hours of sleep is required each night for optimal health. Read on to learn unique and effective insights into gaining a healthy sleep routine and how to fall asleep and stay asleep for longer.

 Exercise during the day

Some research has found that exercising anytime during the day can help promote a good night’s sleep, and others observed that exercising an hour and a half before bedtime was associated with better sleep outcomes. A process of trial and error may help you figure out the best time to exercise. If you have back pain or other medical issues that make it difficult to exercise, find another way, such as water therapy, to get your heart rate up. The water in the pool supports your joints and provides gentle resistance, making it possible for you to get a good amount of workout with lesser or no pain. You could also try regular or brisk walking for 5 to 10 minutes. Exercising to the point of elevating your heart rate has the added benefit of producing more of your body’s own feel-good hormones: endorphins.

Go to bed at the same time every night

This rule may seem more suitable for children, but even adults need to prepare themselves for sleep at a specific time every night. Sleeping at the same time strengthens your sleep routine and is helpful in achieving good quality sleep. Even a 2-hour shift in your routine bedtime without making up for the missed hours in the morning can decrease your mental and physical functioning during the day.

Sleep occurs in a sequence of stages, including dreamless periods of light and deep sleep, plus occasional periods of active dreaming, known as REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. This cycle is repeated several times during the night. However, older people spend more time in the lighter stages of sleep than in deep sleep. “When you are in the lighter stages, it’s easier to be aroused, which then can make it difficult to fall back to sleep,” says Dr. Epstein.

Create a consistent sleeping pattern

Going to bed at different times every night is a common habit for many people. However, these irregular sleeping patterns could interfere with sleep because they interrupt the body’s circadian rhythm. The circadian rhythm is a selection of behavioral, physical, and mental changes that follow a 24-hour cycle. A primary function of the circadian rhythm is to determine whether the body is ready for sleep or not.

This is heavily influenced by a biological clock that releases hormones to induce sleep or wakefulness. Going to bed at the same time every night helps the body clock predict when to induce sleep. “The ritual tells your body and mind that it’s time to slow down, which can make falling asleep easier,” says Dr. Epstein. Also, don’t have anything distracting or stimulating in the bedroom like a TV, computer, or phone. Make sure the bedroom is dark and quiet, and listen to a white-noise machine, if needed, to help you relax.

Avoid napping during the day

Taking naps during the daytime, particularly those that last longer than 2 hours, can also disrupt the circadian rhythm. One studyTrusted Source found that college students who napped at least three times per week and those who napped for longer than 2 hours each time had lower sleep quality than their peers who did not. After a poor night’s sleep, it is tempting to take a long nap. However, try to avoid this, as it can adversely affect a healthful sleep cycle.

Avoid using your cell phone

Currently, there is much debate about whether or not the use of cell phones at bedtime affects sleep. One study in college students found that those who scored high on a scale of problem phone use, such as addictive texting behavior, had a lower sleep quality. However, there was no difference in the length of time they slept.

Much of the current research is in students and young people, so it is unclear whether or not these findings extend to other age groups. Studies also tend to focus on problem phone use. People who do not use their phone in this way may not be as susceptible to sleep disturbances. More research is necessary in this area to understand the extent to which phone use can impact sleep.

 Avoid caffeine

Caffeine is a stimulant. It stimulates wakefulness and can disrupt sleep patterns. Therefore, it is best to avoid caffeine for at least 4 hours before going to bed. In some people, consuming caffeine at any time of the day could have a negative impact on sleep quality. For these people, it may be best to avoid caffeine altogether.

Caffeine is a stimulant that can make it harder to fall asleep; alcohol makes you sleepy, but can cause fragmented sleep. Refrain from drinking or eating anything that contains them for at least two hours before bedtime, or earlier if that makes a difference for you.

Take a melatonin supplement

Melatonin is a key sleep hormone that tells your brain when it’s time to relax and head to bed Melatonin supplements are an extremely popular sleep aid. Often used to treat insomnia, melatonin may be one of the easiest ways to fall asleep faster In one study, taking 2 mg of melatonin before bed improved sleep quality and energy the next day and helped people fall asleep faster. In another study, half of the group fell asleep faster and had a 15% improvement in sleep quality Additionally, no withdrawal effects were reported in either of the above studies. Melatonin is also useful when traveling and adjusting to a new time zone, as it helps your body’s circadian rhythm return to normal In some countries, you need a prescription for melatonin. In others, melatonin is widely available in stores or online. Take around 1–5 mg 30–60 minutes before bed. Start with a low dose to assess your tolerance and then increase it slowly as needed. Since melatonin may alter brain chemistry, it’s advised that you check with a healthcare provider before use. You should also speak with them if you’re thinking about using melatonin as a sleep aid for your child, as long-term use of this supplement in children has not been well studied.

Optimize your bedroom environment

Many people believe that the bedroom environment and its setup are key factors in getting a good night’s sleep. These factors include temperature, noise, external lights, and furniture arrangement Numerous studies point out that external noise, often from traffic, can cause poor sleep and long-term health issues. In one study on the bedroom environment of women, around 50% of participants noticed improved sleep quality when noise and light diminished. To optimize your bedroom environment, try to minimize external noise, light, and artificial lights from devices like alarm clocks. Make sure your bedroom is a quiet, relaxing, clean, and enjoyable place.

Body and bedroom temperature can also profoundly affect sleep quality. As you may have experienced during the summer or in hot locations, it can be very hard to get a good night’s sleep when it’s too warm. One study found that bedroom temperature affected sleep quality more than external noise. Other studies reveal that increased body and bedroom temperature can decrease sleep quality and increase wakefulness. Around 70°F (20°C) seems to be a comfortable temperature for most people, although it depends on your preferences and habits.

Soak in the sunlight during the day

Exposure to sunlight can affect your sleep time, quality, and duration. Getting outdoors during the day when the light intensity is higher is more beneficial than lower-intensity evening sunlight. It is also important to not spend too much time outdoors during noon or when the UV rays are high, which may cause sunburns.

Aim to spend a few minutes in the morning and late afternoon, which can help your internal body clock to get ready for sleep in the evening. Everyone is different, so figuring out what works best for you may take some trial and error. Try several of these tips to help yourself get better sleep. If you work a night-shift job, these tips can still help you get adequate sleep during the day. If your sleep problems worsen over time or do not improve with these tips, there may be a medical cause, such as sleep apnea or periodic limb movement disorder, which requires a doctor’s evaluation and treatment.