The Sleep Council have undertaken a significant number of complicated tests in relation to advice about sleep and put together a number of recommendations which we will go through below. These recommendations may seem fairly straightforward, fairly obvious but in reality how many of us have put them all together to give ourselves the best chance of the best night sleep?
Sleeping routine
The human body is very much accustomed to routine and regular activities therefore if you go to bed at the same time and get up at the same time then your body will soon become accustomed to this particular routine. You will actually feel your body calling you to bed or waking you up because your body clock will be in sync with your routine.
Restful sleeping environment
Yes, it seems very straightforward but making your sleeping environment as restful and as peaceful as possible will give you the best chance of a good sleep. It is vital to ensure that your room is not too hot or too cold, not too light and not too dark. You will instantly feel a difference when the ambience of your room is relaxing and less stressful and your sleep will improve.
Comfortable bed
Again, this is very straightforward advice from the Sleep Council but if your bed is uncomfortable, your mattress is lumpy or indeed your bed is too small or too big then this is not conducive to a good night sleep. Finding the perfect bed is not easy but we can guarantee it is worth doing!
Exercise, exercise, exercise
There is some misinformation in this particular area because general exercise a few hours prior to going to sleep will help you but exercise just before going to bed will not help you. Exercise will tire you out but it will also stimulate your mind and body and can lead to a short-term energy rush.
Cut out coffee and tea
Coffee and tea prior to bedtime are a recipe for disaster because quite simply they are stimulants which will ruin any sleeping patterns you have worked upon. Alcohol is also a no-no on a regular basis because while it will help you to fall asleep you will likely wake up in the middle of the night and be unable to go back to sleep.
Do not smoke before bedtime
Research has shown that those who smoke prior to going to bed take longer to fall asleep, will wake up more often during the night and are highly likely to experience sleep disruption. It is these small hints which will come together to improve your steeping patterns and give you a better frame of mind in the morning.
Sort out your mind for tomorrow
How many of us go to bed concerned about what we have to do tomorrow and any potential issues which may be on their way? In order to address these issues it is very worthwhile writing down a list before you go to bed of what you need to do tomorrow so that you do not have to think about it.
If you can’t get to sleep, get up
How many of us have tossed and turned in bed for hours on end, counting sheep, thinking of the most relaxing things in the world but not being able to fall asleep? If you are unable to get back to sleep after 20 min then you should get up and do something which makes you feel relaxed until you do feel sleepy. Once you feel tired then you should go to bed and hopefully this should do the trick.
Conclusion
The above advice is taken from the Sleep Council website and offers some interesting tips about how to improve your sleeping patterns and your quality of sleep.