Tips And Recommendations For Improving Sleep Quality

Sleep experts suggest that following simple methods can also help in improving the overall sleep quality:

• Eat Right: Dinner is the most important meal for a good night’s sleep. Avoid high fat foods for dinner, as it takes a lot of time to digest. Also try to have early dinner and avoid spicy and acidic foods in your meal, as it may cause acidity, indigestion or heartburn problems. It was noticed that in some people a light snack before bedtime actually promotes sleep. Try to experiment with your food habits and optimize your meals and snacks. In case, you need a bedtime snack, try to eat something small like a banana, a low fat milk yogurt, a small bowl of low sugar cereal or half a sandwich.
• Avoid caffeine, smoking, alcohol, nicotine: all these things tend to interfere with sleep. In the evenings, try to avoid having foods which contain caffeine. This includes cola, chocolate, tea and coffee. Smoking may also have stimulating effect and keep you awake.
• Create a bedtime routine: A peaceful bedtime routine sends a signal to your brain that it is time to unwind and let go of any stresses of the day. Apart from keeping your bedroom sleep-friendly with comfortable temperature, low noise and comfortable mattresses and pillows, try to follow a relaxing routine like reading a book, taking a warm bath before going to bed, having a light massage, listening to soft music etc. All these activities help to de-stress you. Research shows that all these activities, especially music, help in decreasing anxiety, heart and respiratory rate, blood pressure and has positive effects on sleep by relaxing the muscles.

One interesting study was conducted on 94 students aged between 19-28 years, who complained about having sleep problems. The participants were divided into three groups. One group listened to 45 minutes of classical music, second group listened to an audio book, and the third group received no intervention before bed time.

• Manage Stress: Sometimes stress and worry about self, work, family, school etc hinder your sleep. To help restore your sleep, it is important to consider healthy options to manage stress. Either put things out from your mind for tomorrow; or indulge yourself in a hobby or anything that takes your thoughts away from the worry. Write a diary, prioritize things, get organized, delegate tasks and set them aside for tomorrow.
• Limit Daytime naps: Try to limit nap times. If you have to do it, take a nap during the afternoon before 3 pm for maximum 30 minutes. If you work at night or in shifts, try to keep your window shades closed so that sunlight doesn’t disturb your daytime sleep.

See Also: Why You Need To Sleep On It: Sleep Helps Your Brain Consolidate New Memories

Know When To Contact Your Doctor

If, despite trying all the tips and tricks, you still experience problems with sleep, you may be in need for some professional assistance and advice. Consider visiting your doctor or physician if you still face the following symptoms:

• Frequent morning headaches
• Difficulty in falling asleep or staying asleep
• Loud snoring and pauses in breathing
• Persistent fatigue or daytime sleepiness
• Physically acting out dreams in sleep
• Crawling sensation in arms or legs while at bed

Almost everyone has an occasional sleepless night for one or another reason. But if the sleep problems persist for a long time, it is wise to identify the underlying cause and treat the symptoms.