Introduction
Are you sleep-deprived and disoriented? Do you have fuzzy eyes and a sour mood? If so, it's time for an intervention in your sleep habits. Here are five fixes to get you back on track, with the best part being that these solutions are way more fun than they sound:
Stop napping.
Napping is a great way to recharge, but there's also a downside. Researchers at the University of California, San Diego found that naps that last longer than 90 minutes can interfere with your ability to fall asleep at night—and even if you don't have trouble sleeping, they can still leave you feeling groggy and tired.
So how long should your nap be? The ideal duration depends on the type of sleep cycle you're in:
Avoid caffeine and alcohol late in the day.
Avoid caffeine and alcohol late in the day.
Caffeine is a stimulant, which can interfere with sleep. It’s best to avoid it after 2 pm if you have trouble sleeping or if you feel like you are waking up too often during the night. Drinking alcohol right before bedtime can also make it harder to fall asleep, as well as cause frequent waking throughout the night.
Avoid bright screens before bed.
Avoid looking at bright screens before bed.
Blue light is the part of the spectrum that can have the most harmful effects on your sleep schedule. This is because it suppresses melatonin production, which is a hormone that helps regulate your body’s internal clock and makes you sleepy. The blue light from devices like smartphones, tablets, computers and e-readers suppresses our bodies’ ability to fall asleep because it fools our brains into thinking it's daytime when we're trying to wind down for bedtime.
To reduce this effect, use an app like f.lux (for Mac) or Twilight (for Android). These apps filter out artificial blue light so you won't have any problems getting to sleep when using your device before bedtime!
Exercise!
Exercise!
You should exercise every day, and you should do it in the morning. It doesn't have to be a huge amount of time or an intense workout—just a few minutes will do the trick. Exercise will help reduce stress, which is one of the biggest enemies of getting good sleep, so try to include some form of physical activity in your daily routine.
Get plenty of natural light during the day.
Natural light is a key factor in regulating your body clock, and it's also essential for vitamin D synthesis. The more natural light you get during the day, the better you'll feel at night. You can find ways to be exposed to more natural light throughout your day by:
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Going outside for short walks during your lunch break
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Taking a mid-day stroll through the park during your break
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Working from home on a bright sunny day
It's really easy to get out of whack, but it's also really easy to fix your sleep schedule!
We all know that sleep is an essential part of life, but it can be easy to get out of whack. Your body has a natural rhythm for when it's time to sleep and when it's time to wake up, which is why we feel sleepy at night and awake in the morning.
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Sleep is important for your health:
Sleep helps keep your brain alert during the day, improves memory and learning ability, reduces stress levels (which means better moods), strengthens muscles with regular exercise - the list goes on! If you're not sleeping well enough there are many negative effects on both your physical and mental health.
Conclusion
It's really easy to get out of whack, but it's also really easy to fix your sleep schedule! Just follow these tips and you'll be sleeping like a baby in no time.