No one taught us how to sleep. This is an involuntary process like eating, drinking, and breathing that is naturally programmed into your body from the time you’re in the womb. But, the urge to sleep can sometimes be delayed or even suppressed for long periods due to daily work, stress and the desire to scroll social media.
Most of us have suffered trouble with drifting off at some stage or another. A one-off restless night is not a big problem apart from feeling irritable the next day. But, long-term sleep deprivation can lead to more serious health issues like diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. This is the reason why getting a good night’s sleep is one of the most important steps for maintaining good health.
Krishna’s Sleep Health Juice can help you get back into a healthy sleeping routine. It’s a juice made of herbs that restores sleep naturally. There are also other simple remedies you can try to improve your sleep. Stay tuned to learn about 7 simple tips to help you sleep better at night.
1. Eliminate All The Distractions
Distractions are one of the biggest culprits behind restless nights. Be it the buzz of your phone notifications or exposure to light from the window, these can throw off your sleep and circadian rhythm.
The first thing to get a restful sleep is to create a distraction-free sleep environment. To achieve this keep your smartphone, computer, and TV out of the bedroom, and avoid using them for at least an hour before bedtime. These devices emit blue light, which can suppress melatonin, the hormone that helps you relax and get deep sleep.
Use an eye mask, light earplugs, and blackout curtains to block any outside light or other devices to create a calming environment and drop off easily. But setting the right sleep environment is personal, so experiment with different conditions to find your comfort set for deeper, uninterrupted sleep.
2. Try Sleep Meditation
Sleep meditation is an excellent tactic to calm your mind and prime your body for sleep. Especially if you are someone who is an overthinker, have races of thoughts as soon as your head hits the pillow or suffer from mental stress and anxiety. These issues can interrupt your sleep and keep you awake at night.
To practice sleep meditation, sit comfortably on your bed, close your eyes, and focus on your breath. Breathe in slowly, hold for a few seconds, and then exhale. Sleep meditation might be a bit overwhelming at the start, but with regular practice every day, your body and mind will become more relaxed, helping you transition into sleep more easily.
3. Pay Attention to The Foods You Consume Before Bed
Do not eat heavy or large meals close to bedtime. An overly full belly can cause digestive issues like heartburn, and a gassy stomach, distracting enough to keep you awake all night. That doesn’t mean you go to bed hungry. Just finish your last meal of the day before two to three hours of bedtime. If you’re awake late at night watching a movie or doing office work, have a small healthy snack to satisfy your hunger until breakfast.
Also ditch the bedtime coffee, tea, alcohol or nicotine if you can. These are stimulants that are a common cause of sleep problems and take hours to wear off affecting your ZZZs later that night.
4. Consider Ayurvedic Supplements
Most of the sleep issues occur due to excessive cortisol hormone which is released when your body is under constant stress. Ayurveda offers supplements made from natural herbs that help in balancing cortisol levels as well as help you relax and go to sleep.
Popular herbs that are used worldwide for stress and better sleep include Ashwagandha, Brahmi, and Jatamansi. Krishna’s Sleep Health Juice is made from a blend of these herbs, along with other powerful ingredients. It offers valuable neuroprotective properties, enhances memory and cognition, prevents neurodegenerative conditions, and restores normal sleep. You can include it in your routine after consulting an Ayurvedic doctor.
Learn More About Ayurvedic Herbs for Sleep
5. Drink Up!
No, we are not talking about alcohol, which can disrupt sleep patterns. We are referring to soothing options like warm milk, and chamomile tea. While there isn’t much scientific evidence to support that these nighttime drinks improve sleep, there’s no harm in giving them a try.
These are safe options that come without side effects or drug interactions. Drinking warm milk at night for better sleep is one such strategy that many Indians have been following for years. Milk contains an ample amount of amino acid, tryptophan which helps in the production of serotonin (a hormone that affects mood, cognitive function, and memory) and melatonin. These hormones make you feel sleepy.
Chamomile tea is another great drink to improve your sleep. It has flavonoids that may interact with benzodiazepine receptors in your brain, which play a role in the sleep-wake cycle. Plus, chamomile tea is caffeine-free.
6. Keep Fit And Workout Wisely
In general, exercising regularly offers many health benefits. It can also help you sleep better — as long as your workout timing is not too close to bedtime. Vigorous exercise in the 90 minutes before bedtime can be stimulating and may stop you from falling asleep.
Exercise increases alertness and levels of endorphins, chemicals that keep you awake. (This is why your energy level is at its peak after a run.)
Exercise increases your core body temperature, signalling to your body that it’s time to wake up and be active. If you’re struggling with sleep, try to avoid exercising within two hours of bedtime.
Exercise enhances all aspects of sleep and is recommended by healthcare professionals to reduce symptoms of insomnia. It boosts the effect of melatonin. The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans suggest that every adult should aim for 150 minutes of exercise each week. If you follow this throughout the week and time it out right, leaving a few hours between your workout and bedtime, it can have a positive impact on your sleep quality.
7. Set Your Body Clock (sleep hygiene)
Last is having a regular sleep routine which is called sleep hygiene. When you were a child, your mother reading you a story and tucking you into bed helped comfort you to sleep. As an adult, having your own bedtime rituals can have a similar effect. These routines signal to your body and mind that it’s time to wind down and prepare for sleep.
Remember, a good sleep routine begins long before you get into bed, so make sure to have a set time to start winding down every evening to relax.
Going to sleep and waking up at roughly the same time every day is another good sleep habit. Ideally, your routine should be consistent every day, even on weekends.
Maintaining a sleep routine will train your brain and body to follow a healthy sleep-wake schedule. Over time, you’ll find it easier to fall asleep quickly and rest soundly through the night.
Wrapping Up!
It’s not always necessary to take sleep medications or get a sleep aid. These simple tips and natural fixes can easily help improve your sleep. But even after following these tips, if you are unable to get restful sleep, consult your doctor to find out the underlying cause.