The time we spend in bed sleeping every night, are critical hours for our body to rest and recover for the next day. Better sleep directly results in higher productivity, more focus, a healthier mental and physical lifestyle. Experts recommend a minimum of seven to eight hours of uninterrupted quality sleep for adults every night as the ideal routine. Quite often, even if you do get to bed early, it's hard to fall asleep. The brain and body are wired leaving you staring at the ceiling for hours taking away precious sleep time. Some people fall asleep easily, but have very broken or interrupted sleep, constantly waking up. If you’re amongst the many who have trouble falling asleep, here are a few unconventional hacks to help you sleep better.
Unplug yourself
As simple as it sounds, this is often the hardest step. Unplug yourself from all electronics. Keep your phones, iPads, laptops or any other gadget away from you well before hitting the bed. These will keep your mind active and awake for hours on end.
Darkness helps
Living in urban areas, you’re always under daylight conditions. Be it, the sun itself or the bright lights that come on after the sun goes down. The body needs to recognize a change in light and it is essential for your bedroom to be dark. Dim down the lights and get curtains which can block outside light from the windows.
Listen to music/sounds
Don’t bring up your favorite pop track to sing along to. There are a host of music tracks that enable you to sleep better, preferably classical. Avoid tracks with vocals and stick to instrumental music with 60 to 80 bpm. Apart from music, sound compilations of ocean waves, breeze, etc., help calm the mind and block out disturbing background noise.
Get busy in bed
If you’re in bed with your partner, make the most of it. Sex helps you sleep better and has great health benefits. Orgasms release the prolactin hormone and oxytocin, the feel-good hormone. With your body and mind at ease, it helps sleep better and reduces stress.
Bring down the temperature
As you fall asleep the body naturally cools down. To induce this, ensure your room is cool beforehand. A cooler room and comfortable sheets will create the perfect cocoon for you to fall asleep in. If you’re keen on hot baths before bed, take them at least two hours prior to hitting the bed.
A comfortable bed
Lastly, despite all the hacks if you don’t have a comfortable bed to retire into the night, you simply won’t rest well. Better the quality and comfort of your bed, better the sleep you get. Upgrade your mattress and sheets to what ideally suits your body type to ensure the best sleep. Switch to bamboo sheets and read our piece on how bamboo sheets are better for your sleep. Apart from these tricks, you can also consider developing a healthier routine, exercise, eating better, getting enough early morning sunlight. If your sleep pattern and quality is still underwhelming, get medical help.